Modern Classics

Brawler? Bawler? Bastard?

About a year and a half ago I uploaded Real Gone, the nineteenth album from Mr. Tom Waits, onto my computer. I must admit that at the time I really had no idea who Tom Waits was. I remember thinking, "is this the guy who was in Mystery Men?" Over the next few months those sixteen songs simply sat in my computer with a play count of zero. Then about a year ago while I was sitting in my classroom (during my plan period of course) wishing that I had some edgy new music to fill the room with, I decided to give Real Gone a try. The first thirty seconds of "Top Of the Hill" (the albums opening track) had me questioning my choice, but fortunately I had recently adopted the practice of listening to albums in their entirety before passing judgement. So, I sat and listened to Tom Waits for the first time while frantically clicking the mouse in a mean game of solitaire. Then, about seven minutes into the album, I found my self completely engrossed with the deep, raspy, choking voice that was singing over the spanish influenced guitar and maracas in "Hoist That Rag". By the end of the album I was hooked. I could not wait for school to get out so I could head across the street and buy a few more of Tom Waits albums.

I had spent the remainder of my planning period researching which albums to purchase and had decided on Rain Dogs and Heartattack And Vine. I immediately went home and listened to my two new CD's. I was completely blown away with Rain Dogs and "Ruby's Arms" (which appears on Heartattack) had me in tears. (Hey, I dare you to listen to that song and not at least swell up a little). I felt a strange connection to the songs that were pouring from my speakers. I could not, and still cannot, explain this connection. For, I have never left my lover at a train station or danced in a Birmingham Jail. But, for some reason I do feel an extremely strong connection to Tom's portraits of life's stranger characters and saddest moments.

Now, for the past year Tom Waits has remained one of my favorite artists of all time and my love for this mans work grows every day. Every time I look at my CD collection I am little surprised at how many of Waits' albums are on the shelf but, I truly love each and every one of them. Now I will leave you with some of my favorite lyrics from Mr. Waits:

Never Let Go

Well, ring the bell backwards and bury the axe

Fall down on your knees in the dirt

I'm tied to the mast between water and wind

Believe me, you'll never get hurt

Our ring's in the pawnshop, the rain's in the hole

Down at the Five Points I stand

I'll lose everything

But I won't let go of your hand

Well, Peter denied and Judas betrayed

I'll bail with the roll of the drum

And the wind will tell the turn from the wheel

And the watchman is making his rounds

Well, you'll leave me hanging by the skin of my teeth

I've only got one leg to stand

You can send me to hell

But I'll never let go of your hand

Swing from a rope on a cross-legged dream

Signed with One Eyed Jack's blood

From Temple to Union, to LA and Grand

Walking back home in the mud

Now I must make my best of the only way home

Molly deals only in stone

I'm lost on the midway, I'm reckless in your eyes

Just give me a couple more throws

I'll dare you to dine with the cross-legged knight

Dare me to jump and I will

I'll fall from your grace

But I'll never let go of your hand

I'll never let go of your hand

((Hopefully this will be the first blog post of many where, rather than find the coolest new band or song, I share with you some of my all time favorite artists or albums. During this (in my humble opinion) slow year for new music I have dedicated my "music time" to exploring the roots behind the great "Indy" music we love today... and I can not wait to share it with you.))