I really don't like live performances...he's great, isn't he...do you all remember when he called over his shoulder and said, Christ the toilet is still running, someone shake the handle...thats Tom
Tom Waits is possibly the most terrifying musician I've ever seen, but it's that demented howl that makes him one of the most interesting and rewarding musician's I've ever heard. He's an absolute genius, even if he does scare the shit out of me.
I saw him in concert back around '74 and I will never...never...NEVER forget it. I had no idea who he was, never heard his music, but a friend insisted I go to the concert. Needless to say I was friggin' blown away.
This is awesome! A perfect mixture of "Gun street girl" and "Ain't goin' down", from Leadbelly (which he's covered in Orphans). The two songs just work so amazingly well together!! In my opinion, Tom's the best of all singer-songwritters, dividing ths position with Dylan.
I absolutely need to see Mr. Waits live. That is, by far, my ultimate goal in life. I've seen a many talented, and well-known artists in my life, by Tom Waits would top them all.
What Waits is up to depends as much on raw feeling and irony as anything else..and when it is live and when you can see him doing the Work, inhaling and exhaling like a ruined furnace, then it comes home that much more directly.
a waits fan who doesn't know how to appreciate the different styles in vocals when he performs (i know there are quite some people who have a problem with it) live is a waits fan with some riping to do.
I really respect that Waits experiments with his own songs, always playing them differently... But really, I feel most of the time he just tries too hard and sucks the feeling out of the song. The recorded version of this song is so much more atmospheric and dark then this... I think the only live Tom Waits I felt anything for was Lie to Me and Going Out West.
No offense, but you have no idea what you are talking about. If you ever went to see him live you'd know better. He pours his soul into each performance. Most recently, on his 2008 tour, his version of Black Market Baby, Lucinda and Eyeball Kid rival the original studio versions and give the fan a whole other way of appreciating the song. This way, Tom can perform your favorites tour after tour and they still seem fresh and new, but at the same time familiar.
I was actually at the first night of Glitter and Doom. I have mixed feelings. It's sort've a gamble with Waits, some songs have just enough tweaking to sound new and interesting, where as most of the time they just turn out unneccessarily A-melodic and flashy. Ontop of that, I wasn't really impressed with theatrical nature of the Glitter and Doom tour. I see the Glitter, but where's the Doom?
I'm not going to jump at you as much as the others, but I've got to disagree at your broadscale accusation of Waits' robbing his songs of emotion. Certainly this is less gothic, but the cracked-furnace panting and the R.L. Burnside blues-jam are well worth seeing, and add their own sickened-country atmosphere, at least in my opinion.
As to the Glitter and Doom tour, you are right that it's lacking in darkness, but I really would say that's the point. Waits will try anything, why not glam rock?
Lol, no two performaces are the same. He just does whatever suits his fancy at the time. He doesn't even sing "John John...he's long gone..." in this one
wow <3 he's just so raw, it actually sounds good hahaha
LoveTheStorm 6 months ago
His ability to improvise and transform songs in live shows really amazes me.
leamoric 6 months ago
I really don't like live performances...he's great, isn't he...do you all remember when he called over his shoulder and said, Christ the toilet is still running, someone shake the handle...thats Tom
paulpellicci 8 months ago
wow!
chinitaproductions 11 months ago
Tom Waits is possibly the most terrifying musician I've ever seen, but it's that demented howl that makes him one of the most interesting and rewarding musician's I've ever heard. He's an absolute genius, even if he does scare the shit out of me.
CR4GETH 1 year ago
I saw him in concert back around '74 and I will never...never...NEVER forget it. I had no idea who he was, never heard his music, but a friend insisted I go to the concert. Needless to say I was friggin' blown away.
MyCatBear 1 year ago 2
Awesome, loved him for 35 years, only regret is i never got a chance to see him yet.
newharper 1 year ago
john johnnnn hes long goneeeee gone to indiana aint ever comin home
DrunkenPiano 1 year ago
surely a sign of genius when you can rework your own music so brilliantly...
Soozeesea 2 years ago 8
into someone elses.
Soozeesea 2 years ago
god damn - ya just dont kno
crozdwirez 2 years ago
Hell of show that must have been
I would give my left nut, to have been that lucky
Chamby1000 2 years ago
My god this is awesome! I am so jealous of everyone lucky enough to have been there!
25maladict12 2 years ago
I had a blast at this show.
I just thought I'd rub it in.
NEENER!
Lancealotbob 2 years ago
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lol is this guy a junkie?
WTG17 2 years ago
"When a true genius appears in this world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him" (Jonathan Swift)
Of course, my friend, you are free to decide if you are the genius or the dunce...
coffeeandcharles 2 years ago
...John Kennedy Too*e- "A Confederacy of Dunces" !!!
4111ron 1 year ago
certainly not.
vfw87 2 years ago
Fucking peace of work!
DonPutino 2 years ago
im here
soberdrive12 2 years ago
This is awesome! A perfect mixture of "Gun street girl" and "Ain't goin' down", from Leadbelly (which he's covered in Orphans). The two songs just work so amazingly well together!! In my opinion, Tom's the best of all singer-songwritters, dividing ths position with Dylan.
ffsf739 2 years ago 17
awesome,he's so unique.
Surfanimal1990s 2 years ago 2
a man who does what he wants. a true awe inspiring genuis. Go ahead Tom do what ever you feel .I alwas dig it.
scrappydo49 3 years ago 4
I absolutely need to see Mr. Waits live. That is, by far, my ultimate goal in life. I've seen a many talented, and well-known artists in my life, by Tom Waits would top them all.
marcotaco 2 years ago 6
Better get a ticket before the scalpers get them all. You will have to pay a freakn fortune
williewill420 2 years ago
Masterpiece.
PanKloszard 3 years ago
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I guess it's because of the lighting, but in this vid, he looks a little like Will's father in Pirates of the Carribean
oggendoggen2 3 years ago
What Waits is up to depends as much on raw feeling and irony as anything else..and when it is live and when you can see him doing the Work, inhaling and exhaling like a ruined furnace, then it comes home that much more directly.
molloyx 3 years ago 22
Very well said
oggendoggen2 3 years ago
a waits fan who doesn't know how to appreciate the different styles in vocals when he performs (i know there are quite some people who have a problem with it) live is a waits fan with some riping to do.
coolnameswereout 3 years ago
I really respect that Waits experiments with his own songs, always playing them differently... But really, I feel most of the time he just tries too hard and sucks the feeling out of the song. The recorded version of this song is so much more atmospheric and dark then this... I think the only live Tom Waits I felt anything for was Lie to Me and Going Out West.
BlackstarSirius 3 years ago
The downvoting honest opinions disease strikes again...
Chinaboatman 3 years ago
No offense, but you have no idea what you are talking about. If you ever went to see him live you'd know better. He pours his soul into each performance. Most recently, on his 2008 tour, his version of Black Market Baby, Lucinda and Eyeball Kid rival the original studio versions and give the fan a whole other way of appreciating the song. This way, Tom can perform your favorites tour after tour and they still seem fresh and new, but at the same time familiar.
olraindog 3 years ago 2
I was actually at the first night of Glitter and Doom. I have mixed feelings. It's sort've a gamble with Waits, some songs have just enough tweaking to sound new and interesting, where as most of the time they just turn out unneccessarily A-melodic and flashy. Ontop of that, I wasn't really impressed with theatrical nature of the Glitter and Doom tour. I see the Glitter, but where's the Doom?
BlackstarSirius 3 years ago
I'm not going to jump at you as much as the others, but I've got to disagree at your broadscale accusation of Waits' robbing his songs of emotion. Certainly this is less gothic, but the cracked-furnace panting and the R.L. Burnside blues-jam are well worth seeing, and add their own sickened-country atmosphere, at least in my opinion.
As to the Glitter and Doom tour, you are right that it's lacking in darkness, but I really would say that's the point. Waits will try anything, why not glam rock?
gobo0m 3 years ago
Waits brings shot gun shack rot gut blues directly to the door of the avant-garde...without sacricing, for one second, his shit.
dinnerbucket9 3 years ago 2
Lol, no two performaces are the same. He just does whatever suits his fancy at the time. He doesn't even sing "John John...he's long gone..." in this one
harrycarayhere 4 years ago
the live and studio songs are both great
but studio's vocals are a little bit more comprehendable
lightninglips456 4 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
gET wAITS oFF THE inTERNET! DIE yoUTUBE, DIE mySPACE, DIE iTUNES.
LONG LIVE WAITS!
bennyjail 4 years ago
jesus, he kills every time out.
frege666 4 years ago
Basic and primitiv. This is most intuitive. It touches the essence of the soul!
hdmk5 4 years ago
O God, its undescraible ... its like ... its like ... hell and heaven knows that its like TOM! I am speachless!
Yantryman 4 years ago
Neat switch. At first I was thinking the song was mislabeled. God, I wish he'd tour more.
maassenn 4 years ago
Amazing as always
RainDog1987 5 years ago 2
solid
AhCrap1 5 years ago 2
fantastic !!!!
billypreston 5 years ago