3 Eternal Songs From the Compelling Artist Tom Waits That Will Play Forever

When Tom Waits came onto the music scene in the early 1970s, he was a golden-voiced, handsome piano player/crooner who wrote poetic songs that mixed lyrics and style like a bartender mixes spirits and juices. But as he continued into his career, Waits wanted to eschew compassion to heartthrobs and instead changes his style to the one he’s known for today: vaudevillian, gravelly voiced, and funny.

Here below, we wanted to explore three songs from the artist that have since stood the test of time. A trio of tracks that display Waits’ artistry, talent, piano-playing prowess, and versatility as a performer. Indeed, these are three eternal songs from the compelling artist Tom Waits that will play forever and ever.

[RELATED: Behind the Dramatic Vocal Change in Tom Waits’ Early Career]

“Tom Traubert’s Blues” from Small Change (1976)

One of the more beautiful songs from Tom Waits’ catalog, this track soars despite (or perhaps because) of his growling, almost distorted voice. The song was inspired by a friend of a friend who died in prison, Waits has said. It was also inspired by his regular alcohol abuse. During a show on May 2, 1979, Waits said of the tune, “I met this girl named Matilda. And uh, I had a little too much to drink that night. This is about throwing up in a foreign country.” On the track, he sings over piano,

Wasted and wounded, it ain’t what the moon did
I’ve got what I paid for now
See ya tomorrow, hey Frank, can I borrow
A couple of bucks from you?
To go Waltzing Mathilda, Waltzing Mathilda
You’ll go Waltzing Mathilda with me

I’m an innocent victim of a blinded alley
And I’m tired of all these soldiers here
No one speaks English, and every thing’s broken
And my stacks are soaking wet
To go Waltzing Mathilda, Waltzing Mathilda
You’ll go Waltzing Mathilda with me

“The Piano Has Been Drinking” from Small Change (1976)

Another song from Waits’ 1976 album Small Change, this track is again about the subject of drinking. For those who know Waits and his career, one of the things that becomes evident quickly is he is a fan of the poet Charles Bukowski, another famous artist of the people who loved to drink. Well, that subject comes through in Waits’ music, too. So much so that you can almost hear Waits in the studio or while performing toss off the line The piano has been drinking if he made a mistake. Then his mind flickered and he turned it into a song. On this track, he sings (often nonsensically),

The piano has been drinking, my necktie is asleep
And the combo went back to new york, the jukebox has to take a leak
And the carpet needs a haircut, and the spotlight looks like a prison break
And the telephone’s out of cigarettes, and the balcony is on the make
And the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking

“Ice Cream Man” from Closing Time (1973)

Unlike the songs above, this track from Waits’ 1973 LP Closing Time illustrates how clear and lovely his voice can be as opposed to his gravelly growl. For those who know Waits’ later career, it can be even hard to believe a song like this exists—with the singer offering a more golden, clear voice. But early in his career, that’s just how Waits sang. Like seeing a realistic painting from Picasso’s early career and then seeing his fractured distortions he’s more known for, it’s wild hearing the music from Waits’ early period. Nevertheless, on this song he sings,

I’ll be clickin’ by your house about two forty-five
Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
A big stick, mamma, that’ll blow your mind

‘Cause I’m the ice cream man, I’m a one-man band yeah
I’m the ice cream man, honey, I’ll be good to you

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