The Friday Morning Listen: Tom Waits - Orphans
Published November 24, 2006
Tom Waits is the weird uncle I never had (Hmmm. My Uncle Stanley might count though. He was a Polka DJ back in the 60's & 70's). A true raconteur. A musical visionary. At the very least, a fearless channeler of large chunks of the odder sides of Americana: stripper-show jazz, back porch blues, scary noises emanating from the junk yard. It all comes together to form a soundtrack to America's hidden burlesque show.
A non-so-hidden burlesque of sorts is the great shopping hogpile taking place today, the day after Thanksgiving. Known as Black Friday, this is the day when shoppers hunting for Christmas bargains take to the malls. It's crazy. I mean, my feet are still throbbing from yesterday's cooking activity, which started early in the morning with the brining of the turkey (Thank you Alton Brown, it tasted great!) and didn't end until the last dish was dry at around 9PM. So shopping? Uh, yea...you go ahead and have yourselves a fine time.
No, instead I'm going to hang out at the house and catch up on some listening and reading. Orphans came out a few days ago and I haven't had a chance to give it a full session. Today seems as good a day as any. Reviews have been giving Waits the thumbs up for this collection of unreleased material, and with good reason. Not many artists put such care into such a thing. Heck, Waits even rerecorded some of the selections. The guy cares. I do too, and will give Orphans a proper review in good time.
This morning I'm listening to the collection's disc #3, entitled "Bastards." It's the weird stuff. It's what I love Waits for the most. Spoken word oddities. Sideways blues. Funny noises. This stuff makes me want to buy an old Cadillac, put on a pork pie hat, and drive out to the country to have a lunch of pot roast and mashed potatoes at a diner, Howlin' Wolf playing on the cassette deck.
Or: attempt to drive a nail into a 2x4 with a piece of fruit cake. Yep. Me, Stepson #1, and cousin Raymond went out into the garage and had our own mini sideshow with a board, a nail, and Mom's failed fruitcake. She was somewhat appalled at our audacity but then laughed when she saw the video. This fruitcake will go down in Saleski lore as one of the freakiest ever. The recipe (which I will not post due to fear of lawsuit) was a strange one: no eggs, a crazy amount of dried fruits, and what seemed like way too much cooking time. I tell you, this "cake" has some heft too it. Apparently, enough heft to drive a nail into a chunk of pine.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. On his best day, he hopes to channel the ghosts of Lester Bangs and Jack Kerouac. He spends the hours of 9:32PM to 1:37AM carving out music reviews and essays for Jazz.com, Blogcritics.org and other publications.
![Orphans [Deluxe Limited Edition -- Bound 94 page booklet]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F78WSPECL._SY90_.jpg "Orphans [Deluxe Limited Edition -- Bound 94 page booklet]")
- The Friday Morning Listen: Tom Waits - Orphans
- Published: November 24, 2006
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Part of a feature: Friday Morning Listen
- Writer: Mark Saleski
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For many years I didn't get Tom Waits either. Whaddya mean - the WEIRD stuff? Didja ever hear him sing Ho Ho Hi Ho It's Off to Work We Go from the Disney inspired Stay Awake compilation?
But I did get TW eventually via swordfishtrombones - on that album he transcended being a weird blues guy into somethinig else entirely - a man who could write about a song about a little rat like dog named Carlos and a couple of mickeys and a big fire. And it didn't seem so weird anymore. Go fig.
i know what you mean. my first direct exposure was hearing "Pasties & a G-String" on the radio. i immediately bought Small Change and then went on to get The Black Rider.
but it wasn't until i saw Waits live that i really got it.
I'm a lot more partial to the earlier Waits stuff, circa "Nighthawks At the Diner" to roughly about "Blue Valentine." I just really liked that whole vagabond poet sort of vibe about him around that time. That song "Eggs And Sauasge" off "Nighthawks"? I dont know about you guys but I've been in more than my fair share of diners like that. That said, the whole "Bastards" disc you reference sounds pretty cool Mark--I'll have to check that one out.
As for the fruitcake--I personally don't know anyone who actually eats those things so I guess all I can add to that is "Bon Apetit"!
Good move on staying away from the Black Friday madness too Mark.
Hope you had a happy thanksgiving!
-Glen
glen, i love Nighthawks-era Waits too. that particular record is fantastic. funny too!
I saw Waits around that time--actually I think it may have been for the tour he did for "Small Change."
But it was just Waits with a basic jazz trio -- standup bass and drums. The show was just jaw dropping incredible. We also met him afterwards by going to the side door at the Paramount. The guy I went with was a hardcore Tom Waits fan who was kinda star struck, but I'll never forget Waits odd graciousness. My friend stuck his hand out to Waits and said "It's an honor meeting you sir."
And Waits replied in that famous whiskey and cigarettes croak of His: "No sir, the honor is all mine..."
Priceless.
-Glen
So...can someoone clear up for me what happened here.... something about Tom Waits sued Chester Cheetah, the Cheetos tiger thing (well, cheetah, I guess) for stealing his voice a long time ago? Or is that an urban myth?
Haven't heard that story before Vern. But if it's an urban myth, its a damn good one. Even better if there is any truth to it.
-Glen
I think "Fruitcakes" would've been a good name for one of the "Orphans" sides. I'm waiting until to Monday to buy it though--I don't go to any stores during the retail "black weekend." But 54 songs? That's a lot of good stuff to delve into: Remember, baby steps...
I too, met Waits once--got me a gracious and gentlemanly handshake. I like his old stuff, but I've come to also appreciate the later direction-- "Raindogs" is in my all-time top-ten.
And the Waits contribution to the Disney anthology "Stay Awake" will indeed scare the neighbors and wake the kids.
update: The Fruitcake Hammer on YouTube
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Mark, you've got to get that fruitcake-hammer video on the internet.
As for me, I've got to get out and pick up that Waits set. I have a feeling today will not end without it in my possession, regardless of me wanting to avoid shopping on Black Friday. I feel the need . . .