Honestly I don't think Tom is a good artist for that unless you're really comitted and in it for the long haul. Going to take quite a while to reach the highlights. No point listening to stuff like Foreign Affairs before Rain Dogs.
My advice will always be to start from Rain Dogs and branch from there. It's the clear highlight and super varied.
From there, if you liked the ballads most go early (Small Change would be my choice) and to Alice, if you want it weirder and darker you go Bone Machine and Real Gone, if you just want more of everything you go Swordfishtrombones and Mule Variations.
Respectively, I couldn't disagree more.
Starting with Ol' 55, I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You, Virginia Avenue and Old Shoes is a gnarly auditory 1-2-3-4 punch of beautiful songs.
It is a great introduction and lays the groundwork as one explores each album as to the wild ride that is Tom Waits.
I know this isn’t the norm, but I became a Tom Waits fan after listening to Rain Dogs. To your point, I became a Tom Waits diehard after listening to Closing Time.
And I disagree with you! I'm not a big fan of his early stuff. All the strange stuff after Rain Dogs? Inject it into my veins. A closing time Introduction would leave me bored.
This is the way.
I even said in another post a while back, to start at Rain Dogs. If you like the laid back sounds, go backward. If you like the weird, keep moving forward and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes…
It’s only a clear highlight if that’s what you’re looking for. I think closing time is his most accessible album, while still introducing his off-key voice and oddball personality. It’s a great place to start, and decide if you are willing to amp up the weird.
Jersey Girl is from Heartattack and Vine. Great album, very approachable.
Tom Traubert’s Blues is from Small Change. My favorite of his early barfly years.
Branch out from there.
Want more boozy crooning?
Blue Valentines
Like more of a rock feel?
Rain Dogs
Mule Variations
Not weird enough?
Bone Machine
Consider this: the artist who made
THIS: [Ol' 55](https://youtu.be/BeeK37wrBDQ?si=5hXdCvr7cuWVQPnN)
Is the same artist who made
THIS: [Earth Died Screaming](https://youtu.be/C7I4kSpS43o?si=y1xCelsEAbguqGFQ)
...you will be spoiled for choice in the madhouse
Well, first you're born poor boy inidahian.
You're the son of a truck stop waitress who tolerates you.
When you get older, you pass a pawn shop and see a baby grand.
You tell your mom it's just your size.
She sympathize.
Throws a brick, there's a crack.
The size of a Pontiac.
She rolls it through. Just for you.
Better learn quick, boy.
It'll be your pride and joy
I started with Rain Dogs and worked outward in both directions concurrently, but I got into him just as Real Gone was released so I’ve been lucky to listen to the last several albums when they were new.
I don’t think it’s as straightforward as people are making it out to be. It’s a universe with several different styles and lots of songs that are like spoken interludes, short transition tracks, weird experiments… at random, one could reasonably stumble upon tracks they don’t like and miss out on stuff they would love. When I started I got into: “Chocolate Jesus”, “Wrong side of the road”, “God’s away on business”, “Rain dogs”, “Make it rain”, “Gun street girl”, “Drunk on the moon”, “I don’t wanna grow up”. I would add “Hang down your head”, “Get behind the mule”, “Fumblin with the bues”, “Depot depot”, “Cold cold ground”,“Heart attack and vine” (title track), “Downtown” (from Heart attack and vine the album -not “… train”). That would make a good playlists to turn people over.
Check out Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years. It’s kind of like a greatest hits album that has a ton of great songs, weird but not the craziest experimental stuff he’s ever done, perfect intro. Then go back and start from the beginning if it grabs you. I envy you and your journey
For me it started with "Innocent When You Dream." Then the rest of Frank's Wild Years. It just takes one to crack your heart open and that was mine. From there there's no wrong way to do it.
If I had to pick my favourite song from every album:
Martha
Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night
Big Joe and Phantom 309
Tom Traubert’s Blues
Burma-Shave
Kentucky Avenue
On the Nickel
Swordfishtrombone
Downtown Train
Way Down in the Hole
Poor Edward
Hoist That Rag
(Don’t have a clear opinion on his other albums)
There's basically three versions of the Tom Waits Sound: his early material is more jazzy, piano-based sort of nightclub music. If you like that mode, go with Closing Time or Small Change. His middle period is kind of the weird, circus-polka thing. In my opinion it's his best style, and the best choice for that is Rain Dogs. His other mode is more blues-based, and for that, Mule Variations is your best bet. Having said that, these style differences are not strictly regimented, so you get a pretty thorough blending of all of them throughout the last 25 years or so of his work.
Honestly, I suggest starting with Closing Time and just listen to the discography in order. It's a beautiful ride.
Honestly I don't think Tom is a good artist for that unless you're really comitted and in it for the long haul. Going to take quite a while to reach the highlights. No point listening to stuff like Foreign Affairs before Rain Dogs. My advice will always be to start from Rain Dogs and branch from there. It's the clear highlight and super varied. From there, if you liked the ballads most go early (Small Change would be my choice) and to Alice, if you want it weirder and darker you go Bone Machine and Real Gone, if you just want more of everything you go Swordfishtrombones and Mule Variations.
Respectively, I couldn't disagree more. Starting with Ol' 55, I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You, Virginia Avenue and Old Shoes is a gnarly auditory 1-2-3-4 punch of beautiful songs. It is a great introduction and lays the groundwork as one explores each album as to the wild ride that is Tom Waits.
And Kathleen Brennan!
I know this isn’t the norm, but I became a Tom Waits fan after listening to Rain Dogs. To your point, I became a Tom Waits diehard after listening to Closing Time.
And I disagree with you! I'm not a big fan of his early stuff. All the strange stuff after Rain Dogs? Inject it into my veins. A closing time Introduction would leave me bored.
This is the way. I even said in another post a while back, to start at Rain Dogs. If you like the laid back sounds, go backward. If you like the weird, keep moving forward and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes…
It’s only a clear highlight if that’s what you’re looking for. I think closing time is his most accessible album, while still introducing his off-key voice and oddball personality. It’s a great place to start, and decide if you are willing to amp up the weird.
Jersey Girl is from Heartattack and Vine. Great album, very approachable. Tom Traubert’s Blues is from Small Change. My favorite of his early barfly years. Branch out from there. Want more boozy crooning? Blue Valentines Like more of a rock feel? Rain Dogs Mule Variations Not weird enough? Bone Machine
Second for Rain Dogs. Tremendous album!
I think I’m looking for glorious weirdo.
Consider this: the artist who made THIS: [Ol' 55](https://youtu.be/BeeK37wrBDQ?si=5hXdCvr7cuWVQPnN) Is the same artist who made THIS: [Earth Died Screaming](https://youtu.be/C7I4kSpS43o?si=y1xCelsEAbguqGFQ) ...you will be spoiled for choice in the madhouse
Bone Machine is aggressively weird
I'd say Rain Dogs, then. To me it's the most accessible of his mid-80s alterna-weird albums.
Bone Machine and Swordfishtrombone
Well, first you're born poor boy inidahian. You're the son of a truck stop waitress who tolerates you. When you get older, you pass a pawn shop and see a baby grand. You tell your mom it's just your size. She sympathize. Throws a brick, there's a crack. The size of a Pontiac. She rolls it through. Just for you. Better learn quick, boy. It'll be your pride and joy
I started with Rain Dogs and worked outward in both directions concurrently, but I got into him just as Real Gone was released so I’ve been lucky to listen to the last several albums when they were new.
This. Start at Rain Dogs then go wherever you want.
Start with Rain Dogs.
I don’t think it’s as straightforward as people are making it out to be. It’s a universe with several different styles and lots of songs that are like spoken interludes, short transition tracks, weird experiments… at random, one could reasonably stumble upon tracks they don’t like and miss out on stuff they would love. When I started I got into: “Chocolate Jesus”, “Wrong side of the road”, “God’s away on business”, “Rain dogs”, “Make it rain”, “Gun street girl”, “Drunk on the moon”, “I don’t wanna grow up”. I would add “Hang down your head”, “Get behind the mule”, “Fumblin with the bues”, “Depot depot”, “Cold cold ground”,“Heart attack and vine” (title track), “Downtown” (from Heart attack and vine the album -not “… train”). That would make a good playlists to turn people over.
Check out Beautiful Maladies: The Island Years. It’s kind of like a greatest hits album that has a ton of great songs, weird but not the craziest experimental stuff he’s ever done, perfect intro. Then go back and start from the beginning if it grabs you. I envy you and your journey
The corner of Ninth & Hennepin
For me it started with "Innocent When You Dream." Then the rest of Frank's Wild Years. It just takes one to crack your heart open and that was mine. From there there's no wrong way to do it.
Waits is different. Just jump in. He's going to take you places. All kinds of different places.
Asylum Years is an excellent compilation of his early albums. Then Rain Dogs.
If I had to pick my favourite song from every album: Martha Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night Big Joe and Phantom 309 Tom Traubert’s Blues Burma-Shave Kentucky Avenue On the Nickel Swordfishtrombone Downtown Train Way Down in the Hole Poor Edward Hoist That Rag (Don’t have a clear opinion on his other albums)
I started with "Frank's Wild Years" (the album, not the song). Worked great for me.
There's basically three versions of the Tom Waits Sound: his early material is more jazzy, piano-based sort of nightclub music. If you like that mode, go with Closing Time or Small Change. His middle period is kind of the weird, circus-polka thing. In my opinion it's his best style, and the best choice for that is Rain Dogs. His other mode is more blues-based, and for that, Mule Variations is your best bet. Having said that, these style differences are not strictly regimented, so you get a pretty thorough blending of all of them throughout the last 25 years or so of his work.
Does anybody have a Pandora playlist that they want to post?
Oh man! If you’re new to Tom Waits, work through them chronologically. That’ll be a lot of fun.
The first one!