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From: Grandepuf
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  • It's common to play c.d. records at funerals in the U.K.

    At the funeral of my sister's husband they played "Thank You For The Years"

    by Shirley Bassey,and there wasn't a dry eye in the place.

    It's a very apt song for someone that you've loved.

  • no one sings this song like the man waits.

  • Ef yeah, there's no description available!

  • Brilliant just brilliant

  • This gives me a reason to keep on living.

  • I hate Rod Stewart more than anybody. He is a terrible songwriter. However, his version is so so so so so so much better and than Tom Waits. It's not even close. Tom Waits gets the credit for writing but that's it.

  • Sorry Nathan...

  • Another great song in a whole line of them form Mr Waits. One day I hope to catch him live. People who have seen him wish to repeat this experience. He doesn't seem to tour much,however.Hmmmm

  • @TheWorkman I don't know if it still happens. have you heard of Waitstock? it took place every so often in New York near Vasser in Poughkeepsie, I think, but I didn't hear of it until I think someone said it was either not happening anymore or too crowded to enjoy anymore.

  • I don't get why everybody says they want some popular song played at their funeral. I have never heard any songs played at anybody's funeral, and I've been to many. When have you ever seen a CD player or radio at a church funeral??

  • @sturmraist50 - crematoriums... i have been to a fair few cremations, mainly for non religious people and they play music chosen by the family on cd's. usually a couple of songs.

  • @sturmraist50 You know? You're right. I don't think...oH wait! They played a tape of Amazing Grace at my sister -in-laws fathers funeral. other than that , only in movies.

  • fuck MTV!!! never saw this one there, but saw that damn Rod Steward version like 1,000 times... fuck him too!!!!

    hehe sorry Rod, The Faces were a good band though.....

  • this song makes me cry. It's one of Tom's most beautiful

  • Robert Quine- with Waits, Reed , Cole, amazing musician

  • Brilliant!

  • All comparisons aside ... Until today I'd only heard Rod Stewart's cover. So, now I've heard the original, plus a nice take on it from Bob Seger. Thank you, Tom, for a most beautiful song. One of my all-time favorites...no matter what. ♥

  • Scary good!

  • Thanks Tom Waits for reviving Rod Stewerts career.....

  • @tictacthecat some people started hearing of tom waits only because of rod stewart's cover

  • @andres6868 some of us heard Tom Waits version BEFORE Rod Stewarts and find HIS the best, Rod maybe good at interpreting a song for the masses, it doesn't mean he is better! The songwriter's version is, for me, the best version!!

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    device event information such as crashe.. is ds normal?

  • @q2breath I know they're coming out with a new privacy agreement. But yeah, that sounds creepy.

  • This song remind me a wolf howling at the moon, it will be there although nobody listen its sounds. Tom's voice evokes sadness and courage at the same time, never rewarded but never surrendered.

  • @frafa84 gorgeous...you just inspired me to keep singing.

  • @AmaliaRivalMusic Art is this, emotion. Although you don't understand something (lyrics or a painting) completely you know what you feel. Keep singing Amalia, best wishes from Spain.

  • Love Tom Waits. And this song is just awesome. I wish I could write as good as he can.

  • @APTapes Me too, Tom is a real poet, head to toe. I fell a certain kind of good envy about him, the type one that makes me want to write.

  • @frafa84 I try to write lyrics like his. I TRY AND I TRY AND I TRY. :(

  • I could (and would) listen to nothing but tom waits, and be the most musically diverse person at my school.

  • I wonder how many videos in the 80's were filmed in black and white? I can think of like 6 right off the top of my head.

  • Tom's voice sounds like something that crawled out of the dark side of the gutter. But that's what we love about his vocal. It is oh so real.

  • Any vaguely favourable comparisson of Rod Stewart to Tom Waits makes me feel quite unwell and worry for the future of the human race.

  • @310396

    -D quite understand.. but... let;s it easy....

  • @q2breath

    got mxd typing... let's tk it easy @=/D

  • @310396 Indeed. I was troubled that Youtubes first result for Downtown Train was Rid Stewarts cover.

  • @310396 well said. heard rod on radio sing it, awful. at least tom got a few thousands dollors when he sued him.

  • @310396 Ashamedly, I don't know Tom's music well, but I sure plan too! I hear so many in him. Dylan, sure, but Sringsteen, and others too far from mind!

  • @310396 lol do you need some tissues, hipster?

  • they are just thornes without the rose.Be carefull of them in the dark..... women..lol

  • this sounds terrible. he just sounds like a dying old man.

  • @herberger1 Be careful of herberger1 in the dark, for they are just a thorn without a rose... or soul

  • @herberger1 sorry 'bout your taste bro

  • I live in this rhythm! I must find gramophone single of this song!!! One day... one day... :) 

  • who is the guitarist?

  • @mrrockmonkey123 Robert Quine. Credit goes to the top commentor FallGuy82.

  • @Luanav1988

    man if u r funny ,=D

  • He is like down to earth live not always nice but there is nothing better..

  • fuck, i looked for the 1080p button, but this sounds just that much better low res!

  • Eu gosto demais da versão com Rod Stewart. Mais do que com Tom Waits.

  • Dude Rod( the Joke) Stewart from face's lost Ronny Wood's to the Rolling Stones! he was in his band first,only to go to one of the best groups on Plant Earth. You love Rod( Gay,loser)Stewart, that is why you are writing to me asking about Rod & Ron. O yes Motown songs that is what he is a loser and sings other groups songs, get a life , you and Rod.... Greatful God Dame Dead Rules.

    the guy songs other groups songs and you love him. Your gay dude

  • Tom is the Best , we know this to be true, But Rod( TheJoke )S. has to put his spin on ever one's song and screw it up... What a loser That is why Ron Wood's went to the Stones!!! Smart move Ron Happy New Year to All have Greatful New Year............

  • @philagerryberry714 Are you confusing Rod Stewart with Ronnie Woods?

  • i suppose spring wrote this too

  • Stop arguing...you can love every version of this song..you don't have to choose just one

  • @TheRickynow i've readed this whole fucking page, and you are the one with the perfect,honoust, answer. what are these guys , children???????? i love tom waitsts music a lot. but i am not going to argoo with another which is the best. keep on swinging,rocking,wailin,slammi­ng, as long its good music for you. peace and out

  • @patje130 Thank you!

  • Pity he didnt do anything with The Pogues.

  • I was so glad to see him finally inducted in the R'R hall of fame

  • @soldier1398

    What's wrong with being as pissed as a newt?It clouds your judgement and makes you slur

    your words.Thought everybody knew that.

  • I,m not a great Tom Waits fan,but this song,music and clip really has something special about it,call it soul if you will,i don,t know but it,s there..

  • pure & simple, this is so damn soulful ~

    just gives me chills.

  • R.I.P., Robert Quine. Such beautiful guitar playing.

  • @FallGuy82 GE Smith.

  • Comment removed

  • happy B Day Tom !!!!!!!!!! 

  • I enjoy this song by Tom Waits, what a voice, what an incredible dancing. Doesn't get any better

  • Suck it Rod Stewart

  • I agree that Stewart is a hundred times a better singer than Waits, but I like Waits' version better because of his persona. The guy in the song is supposed to be a lonely tramp, a guy who lives out on the streets, a.k.a a character Waits has been playing his whole life, whereas I just can't see pretty boy Rod Stewart in that role. It feels like a rich man singing about how tough it is to be poor, I just can't buy it.

  • FaithPuppeteers

    How on earth can you describe Rod Stewart's version of this song as "overly saccharine" is

    beyond me.I'd love to hear Tom Waits sing "The Killing of Georgie",nobody would know

    what the the song's story was about,Stewart's singing is a million miles ahead of Waits'

    mumbling.

  • @harryandsimba Oh, thank you for that informative way of describing in a matter of fact manner how this incredible artist is outdone by a studio whore. 

  • Beauty

  • Love love love!

  • Tom Waits playing Bruce Springsteen, good shit though

  • @letachja

    Yes, and maybe that's why this record is so absolutely awful.

    I'm no great Rod Stewart fan but his version sounds marvellous compared to

    this bloke belching and groaning his way through it.

  • @harryandsimba

    He sounds like he smoked every cigarette to ever be made.

  • This is best version but for anyone to say that Tom Waites is a better singer than Rod Stewart is clearly fucking insane.

  • @bairns1234 Tom Waits has more grit, more power, more emotion. Stewart's voice is smoother, but it's considerably more boring and ultimately grating.

  • @FaithPuppeteers I'm sorry but this is so dumb. Rod Stewart is possibly the greatest white blues singer to ever live and a phenomenal vocalist in every way. Waits is one of the all time greatest writers to ever live but his vocal skill is near nil. Grittier it may be, but more emotive (in my opinion) and more powerful (which is ludicrous) it is not. 

  • @krisq14 I would be hesitant at best to give Rod Stewart that title. His rendition of this particular song is overly saccharine and takes away from the original. He has some vocal talent, but his use of it mirrors his work in that its generic, overly smooth and uninteresting. Waits' most recent album demonstrates his skill and his range; Stewart could never pull off a song like Hell Broke Luce or Anywhere I Lay My Head. He lacks the force and conviction to do so.

  • @krisq14 You can't say his voice is bad. Why? Because how do you measure that? How do you determine that what you like is best for everyone else too? I'll take Tom Waits "nil" skill at singing anyday over rod.

  • @1taynina he sings with conviction though. well done on being sucked up by the idea that everyone has to be like what you've already heard.

  • @1taynina Fuck you dude...

  • yep...he sounds drunk...

  • @HelpYourSelfish75

    This is what I'd imagine it would be like if I wandered down an alley and found a drunken hobo singing.

  • I am the 500,001 viewer, lucky me! Thank you Tom.

  • I'm the 500,000th viewer! However, the joy at being a statistical anomaly is kind of dwarfed by my sadness that such a wonderful song as only been watched 500,000 times. Long Live Tom.

  • Tom Waits je utjelovljenje riječi umjetnost!

  • 26 people like the taste of Rod Stewart's penis.

  • This should be on every master's class's of ''you want to write a song'' or ''you want to make a video''.

  • the solo in this song makes me want to scream/cry/laugh/orgasm/die.

  • still just Awesome showz Men have Emotionz even if boyz don't cry, nobody doez Song better than writer that Lived it, ps, re gershwin etc, um, not a comparison, gershwin just poncey formulaic money machine, not Musician, bricklayer with leggo blockz, not Sculptor, ,8:)

  • @FaithPuppeteers

    There's a difference between writing a song and singing it surely?

    According to your logic,Gershwin would be able to perform his own songs

    better than Frank Sinatra could.Waits sounds like a drunk at a wedding here.

  • @harryandsimba that's not true nor is it what I said. Waits wrote the song, he also did a better job singing it. Hopefully he got some money from Stewart singing it at least. Stewart is in no way a better singer or writer, though he's perhaps more accessible, if that's a good thing.

  • I love this song

  • @harryandsimba Wait, who wrote this? Oh yeah, Tom Waits. Rod Steward just did a mediocre cover.

  • This dude shore can dance like some freak from the dungeons of the abyss, just look at that weird bastard..

  • The first Tom Waits song I ever heard, and I have never looked back since then

  • @harryandsimba oh hell no. Rod Stewart is a joke compared to Waits. So what if he's 'pissed as a newt'? So am I.

  • @soldier1398 Rod's version is different but not bad, is very nice.

  • @soldier1398 Rod Steawart is a joke himself

  • the most conventional song from Rain Dogs album

  • Waits Vocals and Richards on that guitar....HELLO MY SOUL!

  • @Sparky1002 Don't think Richards is on this track. Ribot is doing the fretwork on this one. Richards plays on 3 other songs on Rain Dogs though

  • Tom Waits,poeta das ruas escuras,das esquinas suspeitas,da vida noturna e marginal,mas com arte e profundidade.

  • Tom Waits, Y U no make a concert in Mexico!!!?

  • going down means rising up.... nur nie sich selbst betrügen und jene, die einem alles sind. sich nie dem leben selbst entiehen und zweifelnd lachen, eh man asiatischem verfällt, das nicht leben ist sondern bloß ein mittel, um die scheuklappen der eignen schwächen zumindest vor einem unsichtbar werden zu lassen. ein hoch auf tom und seinesgleichen

  • i love tom

  • They stay at the carnival, but they'll never win you back...

  • tom waits and his music is like a "fuck you" to the american dream!

  • @letachja Tom Waits.Alien

  • @lladsbid listen to the albums heart of saturday night and blue valentine brilliant.

  • He breaks my heart and this song is just so authentic and sweet and true. A lyrical and musical prince.

  • Get that man a fisherman's friend!

  • I know Tom Waits fans won't like this, ;but I wish he did more songs like this. You know, actual songs, not ranting and raving over bizarre barely musical noises. Songs like Hold On and Hang Down Your Head, that's what i want: the romantic, gin-soaked poet and not the crazed madman. Is there an album by him in this style, or do I have to sift through stuff I don't really like to find the diamonds in the coal? Oh, and this is one of my favorite songs ever!!!

  • @lladsbid

    i think both sides of tom waits are much needed ;)

  • @lladsbid You should check out his pre-Swordfishtrombones albums. His ballads are usually much more jazzy on those, though. Nevertheless, I do recommend you "sift through stuff I don't really like to find the diamonds in the coal". You will find tons of diamonds, and may learn to appreciate the coal!

  • @lladsbid your best bet would be to get the Asylum Years compliation. Most of his early ballads are on there, although it's missing Jersey Girl and On The Nickel.

  • @lladsbid I think you would like the album Alice.

  • This is the only version that has balls. End of story.

  • the intro to this song is incredible

  • It's stolen from Bob Seger. 

  • @2708markz Don't ...know...if....serious...

  • i logged on to listen to his newest, "bad as me". check it.....great stuff. but it always comes back to this one 4 me.....i ride that downtown train every night, hoping i make it to my stop....

  • As for Rod's disco-era stuff, Rod is a storyteller, and practically every song he sings, tells a story, even "Do ya think I'm sexy" and often they're not cringe inducing, with the exception of "Love Touch", Give Rod his due, he's got staying power, even though I prefer the early stuff. Rod and Tom, apples and oranges, you can't compare the two.

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  • gorgeous

  • Comment removed

  • hes got such a unique voice...love it.

  • better version than rod stewert & i am a massive rodders fan

  • Love his voice.

  • Fucking majestic.

  • brilliant..thats all..brilliant..xx

    

  • are u crazy???

  • Stewart and Seger made this song so much better...this guy can't sing. It sounds like he's trying to sing with the fucking flu.

  • @rhaydon6784 something doesnt have to be good to mean something. we love tom because of the emotion he makes us feel, not his voice, no matter how amazing his gravely tones are.

  • @rhaydon6784 listen my friend, stewart and seger are human beings with their lovely voices. but tom waits is a god.

  • @rhaydon6784 wow! How could you seen it and other people don't? Are they deaf or something? Man, you are very smart! And you have music flowing down your ass, i mean it's like you have a gift - to hear stuff, ya know....If you let me, i would give you a some Super name like - Dumbear or Musicpoopman, or Sucktone Ranger maybe...

  • @DyllamDop You're a sarcastic little smartass faggot. Why don't you go stroke Waits' cock?

  • @rhaydon6784 eh.

  • @rhaydon6784 no i'm not, mr. Fuckyears... Say, you like Stewart THAT much, eh? I guess you still dream about him on those horny nights, wearing nothing than pink bra, singing some awful melody like a Macho Macho man, i wan't to be a.... And you call me gay? Boy, o boy - internet is limitless in gay trolls these days.....

  • @DyllamDop Mr. fuckyear....right. I'm the gay troll?? You're the one that is keeping this going and talking about wearing pink bras and shit. And no, I don't like Stewart THAT much, you must be describing your nightly ritual with Wait's blasting on your stereo. Don't even bother responding, you're losing this one BAD.

  • @rhaydon6784 hahahahahahahaaha great mr. Fuckear, just great - you made it all look so much more funny than yesterday, please, do it again, pleeeeeaseeeee!!!

  • awesome punk cover: watch?v=CNeBBxF-BKE !!!

  • I love Waits' original, but I think Stewart's is pretty good, too. Yes, super produced and polished with 80's pop sheen, but it's full of 80's nostalgia for me.

    As for the Stewart bashing... yes, he's done some cheesy stuff. But he's made some CLASSIC stuff, too. The album "Every Picture Tells A Story" plus his work with The Small Faces is awesome, awesome stuff. His disco-era stuff is pretty dorky, but he has made legit stuff.

  • it seems like tom waits is/was a secret time-traveller - invents/ed all directions of music in the presents/past !!

  • i'm not putting this song down, its great but... imagine if waits sung this song in like closing time or earlier. man, i could only imagine how it would be. guess our ears will never know

  • Was Tom Waits the only established artist that managed to stay cool in the '80s?

  • @GotNextVideo Yes.

  • makes Rod's crappy cover sounds like Mr Stewart is some talentless reject from X Factor or American Idol...

  • I would be the coolest person ever born if I had been born in NYC. That's why I so dig this tune. Tom knows what it's like to be an "unheralded ".

  • IMAGINE how Jimmy Buffet must feel when he hears this,

  • I might be responsible for at least 100,000 of these views.

  • I hope people realize that ascribing terms like 'truth' and 'honesty' and 'he's the real deal man' to Tom Waits are as laughably cliched as people criticising Rod Stewart for his late '80s anthemic production values. They are both musicians singing songs. But Waits is a songwriter--that means other people want to sing his songs, in the American Songbook way. Criticising a singer for singing it differently misses the point entirely. If the song is good it SHOULD stand up to differing versions.

  • @alainsoir The song does stand up to differing versions, but if you do a smooth jazz cover of Like a Rolling Stone, it's still going to suck. Even the best song can be deflated by enough cheese in its production and a bad delivery.

  • Tom Wait's work reflects a historical era that is realistic in perspective. Tom Wait's is not a front page glossy hollywood bullshitter. Tom Wait's is a straight shooter and I am hopeful he is appreciated and compensated accordingly by his colleagues and affiliates.

  • people who diss Rod often dont know about his music before the cheesy stuff. Tom waits is def better than stewert but you should probably listen a bit closer before you make yourself look stupid. he made a couple of great records and his old band was badass by anyones standards

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  • "I'm shinin' like a new dime" - one of the great great lines in all songwriting.

  • Tom Waits, of course, is the original songwriter and author of "Downtown Train"....(Rod Stewart only performed "Downtown Train" within some type of terms and conditions.........)

  • Contractual/copyright obligations in the music industry should include indemnification of the original songwriter; furthermore, require payments to the original songwriter of the music for the permissive use of intellectual property, when revenues are collected and not public domain; therefore, the original songwriter should be compensated accordingly, whenever monetary values are considered, by and through, any musical entity, that performs the written songs and lyrics of the original author..

  • Downtown train ????.....Take the A from JFK...Tom Waits always knew what the hell he was singing about......he's an incredible artist....