Tom Waits

Tom Waits is an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor, born on December 7, 1949, in Pomona, California. Known for his distinctive voice, which blends gravelly, deep tones with a raw, emotional delivery, Waits has become one of the most influential and respected figures in alternative music.

Waits began his career in the early 1970s, initially performing in a jazzy, piano-driven style with a focus on storytelling. His early albums, such as Closing Time (1973) and The Heart of Saturday Night (1974), were more traditional in terms of style but already displayed his ability to weave rich narratives about the struggles and dreams of everyday people. His music was deeply influenced by the sounds of jazz, blues, and folk.

In the late '70s and early '80s, Waits began to experiment more with his music, incorporating elements of avant-garde, rock, and experimental sounds. His 1983 album Swordfishtrombones marked a significant shift in his career, as it saw him move away from the traditional sounds of his early albums and embrace more dissonant and unconventional arrangements. His raw, raspy voice also became more pronounced during this period.

Waits' work is often characterized by its poetic lyrics, which explore themes of love, loneliness, urban life, and the surreal. His music evokes a sense of atmosphere, with his songs often set in smoky bars, seedy streets, and mysterious corners of the world. Albums like Rain Dogs (1985), Frank’s Wild Years (1987), and Bone Machine (1992) further solidified his reputation as an innovative and deeply original artist.

In addition to his music career, Tom Waits has also acted in films and contributed to soundtracks. His acting roles include appearances in movies like The Cotton Club (1984), Down by Law (1986), and The Book of Eli (2010). His film work often mirrors the themes of his music, with many of his characters appearing as grizzled, outsider figures.

Waits has received numerous awards throughout his career, including Grammys and an Academy Award nomination. Despite never having been a mainstream commercial success, his unique style has earned him a loyal and devoted following, and he is often cited as an influence by other musicians across various genres.

If you’d like more information on his discography or impact on music, feel free to ask!

Articles by the author

Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk.

Tom Waits

We are buried beneath the weight of information, which is being confused with knowledge; quantity is being confused with abundance and wealth with happiness.

Tom Waits

Their memory's like a train: you can see it getting smaller as it pulls away And the things you can't remember Tell the things you can't forget that History puts a saint in every dream.

Tom Waits

My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind man needs a cane.

Tom Waits

Mostly, I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind man needs a cane.

Tom Waits

Sometimes words are just music themselves. Like 'Chicago' is a very musical sounding name.

Tom Waits

If you're in the middle of the ocean with no flippers and no life preserver and you hear a helicopter, this is music. You have to adjust to your needs at the moment.

Tom Waits

Songs really are like a form of time travel because they really have moved forward in a bubble. Everyone who's connected with it, the studio's gone, the musicians are gone, and the only thing that's left is this recording which was only about a three-minute period maybe 70 years ago.

Tom Waits

Most people don't care if you're telling them the truth or if you're telling them a lie, as long as they're entertained by it.

Tom Waits

Most people don't care if you're telling them the truth or if you're telling them a lie, as long as they're entertained by it. You find that out really fast.

Tom Waits

I don't like the word 'poetry,' and I don't like poetry readings, and I usually don't like poets. I would much prefer describing myself and what I do as: I'm kind of a curator, and I'm kind of a night-owl reporter.

Tom Waits