Your 10 favourite.... Tom Waits songs

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:06 pm

Something a few more people can participate in, I hope!

In no particular order/as of right now:

1. Broken Bicycles
2. Johnsburg, Illinois
3. Chocolate Jesus
4. Cold, Cold Ground
5. Flower's Grave
6. Jockey Full Of Bourbon
7. Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
8. Tom Traubert's Blues
9. Whistlin' Past The Graveyard
10. Jersey Girl

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:29 pm

Way Down In The Hole
Alice
House Where Nobody Lives
Come On Up To The House
Jockey Full Of Bourbon
Tom Traubert's Blues
16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought-Six
I Wish I Was In New Orleans
Time
Ruby's Arms

Special mention to "What's He Building In There?" for never failing to make me laugh.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:49 pm

Time
I Wish I Was in New Orleans
Dirt in the Ground
Foreign Affairs
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis
The Piano Has Been Drinking
Step Right Up
Innocent When You Dream
Frank's Wild Years
Shore Leave

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:52 pm

In chronological order:

The Ghosts of Saturday Night
Underground
Johnsburg, Illionois
9th & Hennepin
Anywhere I Lay My Head
I'll Be Gone
Train Song
Dirt In The Ground
Goin' Out West
A Good Man Is Hard To Find

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:36 pm

three of my total faves haven't been listed.

Hang Down Your Head
Hold On
Kentucky Avenue

and then

Time
Anywhere I Lay My Hat
In The Neighbourhood
Frank's Wild Years
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Cold, Cold Ground
Tango Till They're Sore

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:38 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Ruby's Arms

I'm not qualified to participate in this yet, but damn I love that song.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:39 pm

Mechanical Grace wrote:
Who Shot Sam? wrote:Ruby's Arms
I'm not qualified to participate in this yet, but damn I love that song.

You must get yourself qualified!

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:42 pm

I'm working on it!

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 9:26 am

Broken Bicycles
Martha
Franks Wild Years
Time
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
Heartattack and Vine
In The Neighbourhood
Chocolate Jesus
Alice
Jersey Girl

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 12:37 pm

pre Swordfishtrombones -

Martha
Drunk On The Moon
The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours at Napoleone's Pizza House)
Invitation To The Blues
Small Change (Got rained on with his own 38.)
Potter's Field
Burma Shave
Kentucky Avenue
Romeo Is Bleeding
Jersey Girl

Swordfishtrombones onwards -

Soldier's Things
Shore Leave
Gun Street Girl
Cold Cold Ground
Whistle Down The Wind
Dirt In The Ground
Come On Up To The House
Hold On
Alice
Day After Tomorrow

Even so it still feels like I've just skimmed over his career trying to scan from most albums. There were 20 or so others I wanted to include as I painfully whittled down the lists so I might as well anyway:

Grapefruit Moon
Shiver Me Timbers
(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night
The Piano Has Been Drinking
Tom Traubert's Blues
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
Whistling Past The Graveyard
Blue Valentines
On The Nickel
Ruby's Arms
Innocent When You Dream (barroom)
Time
Downtown Train
A Little Rain
Black Wings
Take It With Me
All The World Is Green
The Part You Throw Away
Hoist That Rag

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:53 pm

Ya raving Tom maniac, you! Like the pre/post distinction, which can be termed, as I've learned recently, the pre- and post-Brennan phases. Curious lack of Rain Dogs in you post list. Only GSG, which is a great, great choice, I grant you. I think 5 of my 10 were from RD, and all 10 could easily have been. It seems odd that others don't see it that way, as ever. And only two more from your other list. So you're with me on Kentucky Avenue ('I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair' is always, always one of those hair on back of neck moments), but not Hang Down Your Head. I love these lists, though, cos I am going to focus a bit more on some of the songs I don't know or know less. I still don't have lots of the pre-Brennan stuff. Ironically, I also don't have Rain Dogs on CD, only tape, in a box somewhere, which I can remedy for very little cash, but haven't got there. It's imprinted on the inside of my skull. Easily one of my top 10 CDs, that.

Emotional Toothpaste · Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:28 pm

I won the Raindogs CD about 18 yrs ago in a tennis bet against my boss. He said he could take me in straight sets, I said lets play straight up. The wager: a 12 pack of your choice, and a CD of your choice from the others collection. We played, and I kicked his ass, got a twelver of Guiness and RainDogs which I had only heard once.

1. Rubys Arms
2. Johnsburg, Illinois
3. Temptation
4. 16- shells from a 30-ought six
5. Coldwater (well, I woke up this morning with) not sure if thats the title
6. Fish in the Jailhouse
7. Gin-Soaked Boy
8. Picture in a Frame
9. Down by the Train
10. Never Let Go

This is tough. I could name 40 more and it still wouldn't list all my favorites.

RinghioStarr · Post by **RinghioStarr** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:26 am

1. Blue Valentines
2. Rainbirds
3. Johnsburg, Illinois
4. Hang Down Your Head
5. Martha
6. Soldierâ€™s Things
7. In the Neighborhood
8. Ice Cream Man
9. Singapore
10. Lonely

11. I Donâ€™t Want To Grow Up

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:23 pm

muriel
a sight for sore eyes
innocent when you dream (barroom)
cold call ground
in the neighbourhood
eggs & sausage (in a cadillac with susan michelson)
step right up
gods away on business
a good man is hard to find
kommienezuspadt

honourable mention - i never talk to strangers

strangerinthehouse · Post by **strangerinthehouse** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:41 pm

Tango 'Till They're Sore
Jockey Full of Bourbon
Time
Anywhere I Lay my Head
Hang on St. Cristopher
Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)
Please Wake Me Up
Way Down In the Hole
Swordfishtrombone
Soldier's Things

Down There by the Train
I've only heard Johnny Cash sing it which is excellent, but I'd like to hear Tom Waits' version

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:43 pm

strangerinthehouse wrote: Down There by the Train
I've only heard Johnny Cash sing it which is excellent, but I'd like to hear Tom Waits' version

It's on Orphans and it's incredible!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:13 pm

Roll on Christmas!

strangerinthehouse · Post by **strangerinthehouse** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:55 am

Roll on Christmas!

I know it's probably under my tree as well.
I can't wait, but till then I have my brand new copy of real gone to keep me from busting through the giftwrap.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:53 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote: So you're with me on Kentucky Avenue ('I'll take the spokes from your wheelchair' is always, always one of those hair on back of neck moments

Absolutely. Certain current critics' darlings could learn a thing or two from KA, and from Tom Waits. Or a thousand. I won't mention any names. I could have picked about 6 songs from BV but KA is the absolute standout for me with its vivid and evocative transporting power.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:46 pm

I was hugely impressed by John Malkovich on BBC Radio's lovely Desert Island Discs when he chose this song as one of the 8 he'd take to his island, saying it was pretty much a description of how he grew up, and I think he might even have recited the 'spit on Ronny Arnold/And flipping the words' lines. He was a great subject and increased my respect from hugely after hearing this. My other BV story is going to see El Honor de Los Prizzi (dubbed, you see) on the Gran Via in Madrid in some huge old cinema, and Waits' Somewhere being played at pretty huge volume pre-film. I think this was before I had the LP, and I just recognised the voice, and made BV one of my first purchases so I could hear that again.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:38 pm

Johnsburg, Illinois
Shore Leave
Frank's Wild Years
Temptation
Jockey Full Of Bourbon
9th And Hennepin
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
Tango Till Their Sore
Get Behind The Mule
Jesus Gonna Be Here

RinghioStarr · Post by **RinghioStarr** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:23 pm

And Johnsburg, lllinois wins.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:46 am

Got a laugh out of this guy's resemblance to Tom Waits.

He shot a guy... http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0715/wardj.html

King Hoarse · Post by **King Hoarse** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:19 pm

one of the hardest in these series...

Singapore
I'll Never Let Go Of Your Hand (don't like this new snipped title...)
Get Behind The Mule (even though I actually prefer John Hammond's version)
The Fall Of Troy
Whistling Past The Graveyard (groovier Bounced Checks version)
Who Are You?
Swordfishtrombones
Dirt In The Ground
Misery Is The River Of The World (had to choose between this, God's Away... & Starving..., all three of which I remember vividly from Woyzek, my most magical theatre experience ever)
Ruby's Arms

(honourable mention: What Keeps Mankind Alive)

wardo68 · Post by **wardo68** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:06 am

Kentucky Avenue
Tango Till They're Sore
Cemetery Polka
Foreign Affair
Take It With Me
Mr. Henry
The Piano Has Been Drinking
Tom Traubert's Blues
Lonely
Little Trip To Heaven

and that's just the first ten I could think of.