Tom Waits - Soldier's Things Music Video

[Skylark1957]

The video is perfect...this song rips at my heart

[amritg187]

i sung this at my school remembrance day ceremony and most of the teachers were crying.

[kjlol111]

when i listen to this song i get goosebumps, i remember my times in the army with brothers

[ZachsGayCat]

This is too effective. 

[HAFWELL]

Huge Waits fan, and this is one of my favorites. Awesome video for a song that always needed one~!

[roaldski]

Mate, very good music video! You managed to capture the visual symbols very well think. Even though ithe video's very simple, the way it's captured just works. Great work! I enjoyed this

[stephenbatman]

good stuff, my man- tom waits for no man...

[missopan]

Im so old i have allready had my Tom waits period, this is some old memories, like childthings man, i have allready dissected those musical numbers of his, held them to the sun, and dumped the remnents in the sand.. One of the most wicked songs from this king-album is the instrumental "butcher-tune", sounds just like a witchdance man!

[InjecteDVenoM]

That's an awesome story in the info box. Tom Waits seems like such an great man. I hope i get to meet him one day.

[sonofbuffmusic]

Great song, great video, great story - thanks for posting guys.

[yougos100]

bonjour mon fils

[Kevvo4444]

Tremendous video grabbed my emotions and beat the hell out of them.

[patlive63]

lovely..

[Justanotherhuman2]

Jose, I just watched this video after I saw the link you gave Lucry Lawrence on my FB page..Yes this SJM... You have me bawling my darn eyes out on the beautiful Easter Morning. I have some information for you as a Veteran. I'll inbox it to you. !

[yervantoudin]

I LOVE the fact that it's all about you!

[modelprisoner]

grerat stuff! tom is so good!i got to say hi 2 him whn he did th oneill theatre 4 5 days in 86

[modelprisoner]

bless all american soldiers and tom is honored that you thought his words worthy

[ixtapavangogh]

You did justice to the song; that is the highest praise I can offer. Well done, gents.

[BetweenFrames]

about 25 years ago was in Syria and working with an Egyptian who had done his mandatory military service. He was sitting near me and started singing this song. He told me it had comforted him when he was away from home.

TW's Truths are Universal.

[brankinpronker]

I guess that I don't need to redundantly utter that T.W. is brilliant.

[M2490311]

I'll spare shit talk because I don't understand the last words of the video. Well done video, but I'd just like to understand the last frames.

[NejraGninal]

This makes me humble

[HSFootballMoms]

If you can find a copy of Eric Leeds album "Things Left Unsaid", his sax rendition of Soldier's Things is respectful, deep and every bit as haunting and emotional. I bought the entire album just for that amazing track.

[scottsdunlop]

Nice story!

[dscott333]

good job..war is sad..

[chrispollock]

what is the jazz piece at the end

[MyHeadAsplodes]

@chrispollock Hey man it's Rainbirds it's from the same album " Swordfishtrombones "!

I was listening to this album yesterday and I wanted to see if something was out there for Soldier's Thing... I know it was used for " Jarhead " too.

Your video rocks buddy, well done! What a sad fridge this is... Man it makes me remember the days when I didn't have a woman at home. :)

[544325]

its so sad that so many of our vets have to live like this

[stanleysoldman]

brings tears

[TomJous]

his sad songs are the best

anyone know any other ones, i cant find hardly any

[TomJous]

@TomJous by the way, amazing video it was really soo amazing

made the song so much better, in a way that music videos just dont nowadays

well done, you should be proud of it

[Od1n90]

@TomJous The sadest song I know of him is Tom Trauberts Blues (Waltzing Matilda). I cry everytime I hear it...

[DirkjeA]

@Od1n90 A little late to answer your comment, but you should watch the vid and listen to" Invitation to the blues" wich is one of Tom's most beautiful song in my humble opinion

[nellozanzara]

For utBDan:

The tune played during the credit is called "Rainbirds", closes the album Swordfish Trombones that includes also Soldier's things.

[EwolDJ]

A great thing about this song is we don't know what happened to the soldier - is it his widow speaking? We have to fit the pieces together ourselves - brilliant! From meory the piece in the credits is an instrumental vignette from the same album, can't recall the name.

[rajaimichael]

I'm not a big fan of videos for Tom Waits...the songs paint a picture on their own..but this wasn't bad...

[UtBDan]

I've watched this video a thousand times, and I only have 3 tom waits albums so maybe I'm just missing it, but: what song plays during the credits? love both soldier's things and whatever is playing there.

[runyoumofo]

very emotional song, especially for those with loved ones in the Armed Forces

[oldmanjenkins89]

good video man

[remyshepherd]

brilliant song. Lovely video... I guess lovely isn't the proper word for this... I enjoyed it a lot.  Thank you for uploading it.

[kjstilling]

Spontaneous combustion? I enjoyed your video up until that moment. It's a striking song with an incredible message and the "spontaneous combustion" remark kills your legitimacy. fugernut commented "They deserve so much better for what they have done" and I agree. Spontaneous combustion however, is the opposite of paying respect to veterans.

[purplesasuke]

Its so awsome that Tom Waits actually called you up! That's a once in a lifetime thing right there.

He truely is an amazing artist. Your video does great justice to the song

[DirkjeA]

Every now and than I stop by to listen to my fav. TW songs.... and this is certainly one of them, it touches my soul, every time I listen to this, it makes me sad and if I was able, I would give some warmth and love to this soldier. I cannot find the right words to describe what this song does to me.

[tomwaitscovers]

Great work on your video! I just did a cover of this beautifully poetic song which is how I found your video!

[fabiodasaro]

beautiful story :)

[sandwhich14]

Kinda sad we are black and my granpa was a vietnam vet but recieved no respect or his spanish friend just because they werent white...support our troops my ass.

[jaxtraw51]

ekey, that is one powerful video,my first look. i don't know if the video gives life to the song or the song raises the video. it really doesn't matter...it is one powerful video. thks

[SolidSnake090]

Good song!

[aerosapiens]

A nice way to portray PTSD. DAVE.

[leespaner]

this is awful

[camdensmith555]

fuck off

[RenoRaider]

stupid

[rakuencallisto]

@RenoRaider

sigh.. this is actually a very good perception of the song.

stop hating, you've done nothing compared to this.

[camdensmith555]

you too fuck head

[CasaleThomas]

You, guys, are great !!!!!!

[bbjoer]

If he said he liked it, he is more polite than i can imagine. You have taken a standard country and western approach to the song (what you hear is what you see). The song is amazing, the video not.

[ragnarokisnow]

man you hit the true essence of this song. im truely impressed

[Kikkipus9]

my all time favorite

[ryuge]

Wonderful video. Just happened to be researching Wait's career and stumbled upon this. I am glad I did. It compliments the beauty of the song perfectly. Very well done; you should be proud.

[notonpage7]

Tom is under rated in my opinion. Those who here of him for the first time, and listen to something like Rain Dogs, might come away with a skewed vision of Tom. Then you/they hear this end of the man. My God! If peace on Earth would be all of Tom. How blissful we would be. His vision is well beyond those who supposedly guide our society in today's presence. I hope I see him on the other side of this life. Just hang, and wait to see the sky turn the color of pepto bizmol.......

[kamisama94564]

I found this song from Tom Waits first, and LOVE IT. But I cant really get into his other stuff. Maybe im just stumbling into the wrong things.

[notonpage7]

try "Day After Tomorrow" or "Burma Shave"

if that ain't to your fancy, then try "Blue Valentine" all classics

[RubHerSoul1]

Blue Valentine has become my new favorite by Waits. Can't stop playing it!.

[sclogse1]

How about those amazing ballads on Alice and Blood Money...like All the World Is Green, Lost In The Harbour, I'm Still Here, Flowers Grave,This is THe Part You Throw Away, Fish and Bird, Everything Goes to Hell (Very different voice style) Table Top Joe....Barcarolle...all astonishingly wonderful songs....

[Hendrixphreak]

when u stumble everything you hit is the right thing ;)

[rlegear19]

I started with his older folk stuff like 'i hope that i don`t fall in love with you" "ol` 55" "martha"and "heart of saturday night" which predates his full growl. Early piano ballads like this, "grapefruit moon" "time" "ruby`s arms""if i have to go""on the nickel" and move on to "hold on" "downtown train" and my new favorite "never let go". ..... i found a lot of experimental stuff that i don`t care for and songs that were too muddled like "i don`t want to grow up" that i now like a lot.

[KhrysHermary]

I couldn't get into Tom Waits at first either...

but then I listened to the Alice album (beginning with the song Alice) and then the Rain Dogs album (Cemetery Polka, Tango Till They're Sore and Diamonds and Gold) and I fell in love. Completely.

Now I'm in love with all of his music! I think I just needed to ease my way in, instead of jumping into his harder, more alternative stuff (read: his then current album Blood Money. My tastes were still quite mainstream back then).

[RsAnc1ents]

that's why hes a cult figure..

[sclogse1]

Tom is underrated by people who never took the time. Check out the Bawler's disc on the 3 CD album, Orphans, and listen to Tell It To Me, and Widow's Grove.

BY the way, right now Waits web site is allowing free downloads of live performances done on his 2008 tour. Very exciting stuff. THe hard voice all the way...which is not always my favorite, but he seems to choose it for the shows.

I prefer album renditions, but the live stuff is really kicking...and great band...well rehearsed...

[CarpenterMH]

being a marine this means something to me most people will never understand... very well done video... it was very difficult to watch the whole thing...........

[DirkjeA]

This is a great video you made, realy impressive. At 3.28 it breaks my heart to see this guy tries on the medal for fun, without any respect. I stop by every now and than, and I moved every time, again and again.

[jloughry1976]

That almost hurt to watch....if you are not moved by this song (and video for that matter) you need to take a long hard look at yourself.

[drgonzo1103]

actually, i thought the pretentious part was the fact that the credits lasted almost a minute for a four minute song.

the video had some very clever moments though and some fairly poignant ones too.

[geppettogranata]

I love yr video, thanks a lot. and the story behind it is amazing.

ciao

Gianpaolo

[trouvepasdesurnom]

They deserve so much for what they have done......This video is very sad, but it is true. A hurt to the body is much less painless than a hurt between the ears...

[544325]

that is sad but true most the homeless in America are vets and that is a down right shame. great vid

[fugernut]

I feel sad when i watch these music videos about a soldier after the war. They deserve so much better for what they have done.

[yourpaljc]

Great story Eric, exquisite song of course & a lovely video. You must have put a lot of time & care into it. Very cool. JC / England

[senzai27]

truly a beautiful tune

im an infatryman serving in an aibourne battalion, my father served in numerous conflicts in south east asia including vietnam...this song makes us both emotional

tom waits is a genius

[johnw840]

@senzai27 Nice one man, also served 10 years in UK Army, could not say it better, this man can say a whole verse in a single sentance, makes him a true genius.

Respect, John

[burtondylan100fan]

Beautiful video to a great song!! I still can't believe your story! That's fabolous! Tom Waits is a real poet!! God Bless, beautiful, really!!!

[HabanaBoyJDog]

holy shit man is that story real? that is the coolest thing i have ever heard congrats man

[grotezakhooi]

touching song for an unwanted non combatant , i always wanted to be a soldier , I also salute all of you fighting out there to make your and my world a bit saver (ummm) ROARS !!!!

[chrispollock]

only ones who wanna be soldiers are those who haven't seen what it really does to both sides of the fight. be glad you aren't a pawn of the military industrial complex. i'd rather fight to defend my actual home or community then join some military that will see me only as cannon fodder

[grotezakhooi]

good point there ... too bad we western people don't know what fighting for a home or community is ... disagree on not knowing what it does to both sides ..

Horror , man ...its absolute HORROR .

[evol76]

What a great story, and great video to accompany it. Kudos.

[DirkjeA]

Got to come back now and than to listen to this great song. Makes me feel melancholical and sad, for all those great soldiers, whatever they are fighting for, don't get the recognition they all deserve.

I salute you and may you all come home safely to your loved ones....

[devilprod]

a very goood song

[NarutakiTwins]

there could be many meaning to spontaneous human combustions.

for it does happen in war all the time, h bombs, grenades, mortars. it always happens in war. And is an honarable way to go, fighting for the cause.

or the metaphor could be about suicde. who knows.

[ratboy555]

heard this song at the end of Jarhead, obviously knew it was Tom Waits, but didn't know the tune. BEautiful.

[AndyMaines93]

same, the only reason i knew it was Tom Waits was because i just happened to have the subtitles on at that time, and the song and artisist came up :)... JARHEAD !

[superbrilleman]

i personaly think that he was'nt serious about the spontaneus combustion. because for manly men suicide isnt considered a brave or honorable thing to do , so i think its a nice way of saying he comitted suicide. And Tom Waits (although he is indeed a genius) he is a bit weird. spontaneus combustion is a typical weird tom waits thing to say and to pick for the metafor of comitting suicide, like it was'nt the soldiers fault. Thats my opinion, and im sorry if i stepped on any toes.

[Demonofthenorth]

(tom waits didn't do this video so i do not think it was his note)

[PhaseVI]

You still got the address? :)

[Frosting60]

If I want to cry, this does it every time....

TW..... give me some of your genes!

[moyadapne]

Coz I wanted too, I saw Tom at 3.29. Great interpretation. Got me choked up, and I've heard that song lots over the years.

Tom, Van, Bob, and Leonard. My savours.. in a non-religious way.

[BeatDemon08]

was he serious about the spontaneous human combustion?

[maxedout218]

how many people are here because of the movie jarhead HOORAH

[johnnyp2234]

Same :D

Plus its the only reason why i like this song =DD

HOORAH MARINES!

[Jerdna3]

Listening to tom waits reminds me of the cartoons I watched as kid.

[kikinwing7]

Great video, not a day goes by where I don't think of how bad veterans have had it. I appreciate what they did for me. Wish they would get treated better.

[Thepianoguy123]

a perfect song when you are feeling Blue...

[neogeomm]

I love this song, and the vid suits it to a tee!

What does the last little bit mean? It talks about a "human combustion?" I got lost at some point...

Good job guys!

[BeatDemon08]

i think its where you randomly catch on fire or something.

i'm really not sure if he was serious. cause it does happen. i remember watching a video about an old lady who died form S.H.C (spontaneous human combustion)

[sawsqdldr]

B1/1 2ND PLT Reyes

[cadenowl1]

wow

[DirkjeA]

This song moves me so. Somehow it strucks me right into my heart, and the video that goes with it, makes it speaks for itself even more.....

[DirkjeA]

Great song, great video and such a charming story, and how nice to get a reply of him, the way he did.

I believe you, also without watching this poster......what a memory and what a souvenier

[VCRAGE]

"A man fires a rifle for many years.."

[Frosting60]

I cry every time I hear this song!

[wiebehayes]

well made vid, and ofcourse a great song

[GrungeRock1991]

You have Coke in your fridge.

[Obito126]

It's sad how soldiers are treated when they come back,When they come back people dont treat them any difrent,They would kick them out of there house if it ment just a dime -_- even though that soldier risked his life we could have that dime.

I say WWII veteran's should be given free health care,Cause they went in the worst for are country,And sufferd alot.

[Bonzai9000]

ouch

[indyglo]

Good heravens. That was great. Awesome yarn to go with it as well.

[kara1464]

Tom Waits' lyrics seem to have the knack of digging right into my heart .... I need another cup of caffeine

[zastalinu]

My favourite song. And Jarhead is great movie.

[ShenkyNL]

I listened to this when a friend of mine passed, its beautifull but it makes me sad...

I was thrilled when I heard it in jarhead!

[clitorisbombardeado]

JARHEAD

[DJMKings]

This song is also played in "JARHEAD" - The Movie

[selkirk101]

Hooah from the 75th.

[vagstamel]

man this is really beautyfull, well done

[tallerkenabuser]

Hoorah man, Hoorah.

[yvish]

beautifull, and nice story in as well

[shadetogrey]

i'm part of the c.a.t programme in my highschool...

second highest

and even though i have never been to a real war,

i deeply feel the sad emotions in this song

[efgumby]

beautiful!

[doretgar]

ho man..

Eric the story of your video blew my mind away..

you actually associated(on some level..)with THE MAN!!

you are so lucky for being an American (but only for the fact that Tom Waits lives there. and thats it..aint nothing good about it anymore).

[KurtSteinerPL]

A thought-out video, well done, music and lyrics nicely combined with the images of a veteran and his "soldier's things". Congrats!

P.S. "Semper fi" - from Latin "Semper fidelis" means "always faithful".

[KurtSteinerPL]

Every war is different. Every was is the same. (...) A story: a man fires a rifle for many years and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home. And he sees that whatever else he might do with his life: build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper, he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads, killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert. (Jake Gyllenhaal as Anthony "Swoff" Swofford in Sam Mendes's Jarhead, 2005)

[DJMKings]

Jarhead. One of my favourite movies ...

[devin168162]

i really enjoy the pace and melody of the song and im very open to all music i dunno i just dont prefer the sound of his voice no offense

[MINISTRYEVIL]

Semper Fi !!!!!

[FatallyRun]

Latin for "always faithful"

[cattotti]

I always loved this song -makes me cry, you did do a beautiful job - so much so that anyone would forgive you for the aeyrk! [sounds like somethin from the lord of the rings - there's probably kids called that now lol! great job! and lucky you corresponding with the man himself!

[pemkidron1]

great song... so calm voice

great piano and video. thx for your job

[danielhowse]

I immediately favorited this. Astonishingly gorgeous and powerful.

[ekey64]

Wow. Thank you Daniel. I am very please you liked it.

Eric

[mtvAdi]

i know how they feel....i'v seen it

[clem1488]

Semper Fi !

[IuriSro]

what is "semper fi"? I heard it on jarhead but i dont know what it means!

[neogeomm]

It's Latin ... I believe it mean "Always faithful.."

[Saiien3]

I love that song...

[craplord45]

semper fi faggots, we fight we die than go to hell fuck yea

[THEPaintballKidd]

dude try to be nice for our fallen ass hole

[dirtyshirtsandaisies]

Longer than WWII...more broken troops than ever before....and what are we truly doing to help them when they get home...Too many people overlooked...exploited in america.

SS # 012 46 3951

[dnangelfan24]

"Its the old me that send our sons into battle"

"in peace sons bury their father, but in war father burr their sons"

"War doesent turn boys into men, it make men dead." these are all so tru...5/5 favved.

[andrearusso89]

creepy

[tpesc]

Tom Waits is my favorite human being. We should cryogenically freeze him so he could one day represent humanity in the United Federation of Planets. Whenever a war between two races would seem inevitable, Tom would take out his piano and sing Soldier's Things or The Day After Tomorrow, and the leaders of different races would swear eternal peace with tears in their eyes.

[bluesoulsplash]

So eloquently stated...and Oh...so true!

Old men just love sending our young troops off to die a million different deaths. Just a thought...maybe we are the last, angry, immature planet in the universe and all the aliens elsewhere are all crying over our gross ignorance....maybe!

[bluesoulsplash]

They come home...fragmented...broken...w­e don't do nearly enough for our Veteran's.

Love Waits for writing this song. Important message to anyone who cares.

[TomWaitsTV]

I really liked it and so I have added it to my Tom Waits website in the 'Unofficial Video' section. I hope that's ok! If not, just let me know and I'll remove it.

[godloveyou987]

Nice song

[jdnewcomb]

Interesting interpretation, I had always thought of this song as being from a Mothers point of view. Broke, and with no choice left to but sell what's left of her son in a yard sale.

[ihateemail2]

this song is so touching... i love it

[wilsondunn]

Hard to believe Tom gave this amateurish and nauseatingly literal video your reported kudos.

[randyrci]

Hard to believe someone hasn't kicked your amateurish and nauseatingly literal ass for dogging someone else's work. I think he did a fine job and I think you're just a punk.

[wilsondunn]

Since when did comments & responses mean keeping negative opinions to one's self or face threats of violence? I did not like this video. Bottom line. Nor do I believe the poster could ever substantiate his claim to have received Waits' praises. Its content garishly plays on the American sensibility to love a veteran. I am a U.S. Marine, and therefore don't like being played. That I might be just a punk is no ballast for your chagrin. Go do something.

[hipporage18]

i agree with wilson. sorry. But maybe its just that the song is so good and maybe this is not so.

[wilsondunn]

Hard to believe Tom gave this amateurish and nauseatingly literal video your reported kudos.

[MariposaPerdida]

Very touching and moving. Great job Eric. Thanks for posting it.

[rustedbrandy]

Heartbreaking. Really fantastic direction and editing. More please.

[ekey64]

I really appreciate your comments. They mean a lot to me.

[rustedbrandy]

I've seen a lot of fan-video's for Tom Waits songs and this is by far the most emotional and profound. Truly perfect. His lyrics can be straight ahead or out in left of left field -- you've done a really beautiful job with this seriously sad song.

You should be doing music videos.

Thanks for finally letting Waits fans see this.

[MightyTiny]

That was excellent! A beautiful video to an awesome song.

[ekey64]

Hey Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[BirminghamSteve]

Excellent, excellent work, Eric!

Thanks for posting it to YT...