Song by Song

Aaaaaaand finally... we're delighted to welcome Sam Clements to the show for an extended farewell to the podcast, discussing the process involved in producing a weekly music show for 8+ years. Martin and Sam fess up to a few things, talk about the work involved behind the scenes, and consider what a project like this affects the people involved.

It's been a pleasure folks, the time went so quickly. Speak soon. x

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Having gone through all of Waits's music Song by Song, we're obviously well-placed to say which ones are best... or maybe least-worst... perhaps just from our perspective... subjectively good in these two people's opinions... but then who are we to say? Anyway, in this penultimate episode, Sam and Martin have a little chat about The Old Favourites as the podcast enters the final straight.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include (deep breath): All The World Is Green, Blood Money, Tom Waits (2002) Barcarolle, Alice, Tom Waits (2002) Blind Love, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) Blue Skies, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993) Cold Cold Ground, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987) Diamond In Your Mind, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006) Downtown Train, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) Fall Of Troy, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006) Falling Down, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988) Franks Wild Years, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) Georgia Lee, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours at Napoleone's Pizza House), The Heart Of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974) In The Neighbourhood, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Kentucky Avenue, Blue Valentine, Tom Waits (1978) Low side Of The Road, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) Lucky Day, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993) Martha, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973) Metropolitan Glide, Real Gone, Tom Waits (2004) More Than Rain, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988) Nighthawk Postcards, Nighthawks At The Diner, Tom Waits (1975) Rainbow Sleeves, Girl At Her Volcano, Rickie Lee Jones [w. Tom Waits] (1978/1983) Ruby’s Arms, Heartattack And Vine, Tom Waits (1980) So It Goes, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993) Somewhere (from West Side Story), Blue Valentine, Tom Waits (1978) Strange Weather, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988) Telephone Call From Istanbul, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988) That Feel, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992) Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen), Small Change, Tom Waits (1976) Whistle Down The Wind (For Tom Jans), Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992) Yesterday Is Here, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987) You Can Never Hold Back Spring, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Having done the work, put in the hours and carefully considered all the options, Martin and Sam discuss exactly where they think a new listener to Waits's music might want to start, considering the various angles and perspectives one might have, as well as a little discussion of Tom's compilation albums.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Martha, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973) Lonely, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973) Closing Time, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973) Downtown Train, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) Time, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) 9th & Hennepin, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985) The Black Rider, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993) I'll Shoot The Moon, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993) Lucky Day, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993) Diamonds On My Windshield, The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974) (Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night, The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974) The Ghosts of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House), The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974) Goin' Out West, Glitter&Doom, Tom Waits (2009) Step Right Up, Small Change, Tom Waits (1976) Frank's Wild Years, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) The Earth Died Screaming, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992) Who Are You, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992) Such A Scream, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Our second set of music videos brings Philippa back to Martin and Sam for the last decade-and-change of Waits music videos. Sampling the work of Jesse Dylan, Matt Mahurin and various others, we consider what these videos mean in a post-YouTube world, as well as Waits's filmed promos in the 21st century.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Hold On, Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Matt Mahurin (1999) Come On Up To The House, (unauthorised?) Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Anders Lövgren (1999) What's He Building, Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Lex Brand (1999) God's Away On Business, Tom Waits music video from Blood Money, dir. Jesse Dylan (2002) Lie To Me, Tom Waits music video from Orphans, dir. Danny Clinch (2006) Tom Waits Press Conference, promo for Glitter&Doom tour, dir. unknown (2008) Tom Waits' Private Listening Party, promo for Bad As Me, dir. unknown (2011) Satisfied, Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. Jesse Dylan (2011) Hell Broke Luce, Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. Matt Mahurin (2012) Bad As Me, (unreleased?) Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. unknown / Jesse Dylan? (2011/2013?) Misery’s the River of the World, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Blood Money 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Casey Waits / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022) Lost In The Harbour, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Alice 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Christy Smith / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022) God's Away On Business, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Blood Money 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Casey Waits / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022) Top Of The Hill, Real Gone, Tom Waits (2004)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Continuing our season of specials on material outside the show’s main remit, Philippa Spanos returns to help Martin and Sam consider the creative and commercial aspects of Waits’s music videos. Starting with a long-overlooked animation experiment from the 70s, we chart how these films function in relation to the music, the commercial purpose of a video, as well as all the tiny tiny guitars.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Tom Waits For No-One / The One That Got Away, short film feat. Tom Waits, dir. John Lamb (1979) In The Neighbourhood, Tom Waits music video, dir. Haskell Wexler (1983) Rain Dogs Promos, dir. Chris Blum (1985) Downtown Train, Tom Waits music video, dir. Jean-Baptiste Mondino (1985) Blow Wind Blow, Tom Waits music video, and Limousine Interview promo, dir. Chris Blum (1987) Temptation, Tom Waits music video from Franks Wild Years, dir. Betzy Bromberg (1987) It's Alright With Me, Tom Waits music video from Red Hot + Blue, dir. Jim Jarmusch (1990) Going Out West, Tom Waits music video from Bone Machine, dir. Jesse Dylan (1992) I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, Tom Waits music video from Bone Machine, dir. Jim Jarmusch (1992)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Our final season wouldn't be complete without a look at the emails sent in by you, dear listeners, covering some errors and omissions, new theories, questions about remasters and several lovely well-wishes as we head towards the end of the show. 

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: You Have Beautiful Eyes, Over The Garden Wall OST, The Blasting Company (2014/2016) Glitter & Doom tour performance from The Fox Theatre, Atlanta GA (5 July 2008) Cold River, Master of Disaster, John Hiatt (2005) Sixthfinger from Topper Toys, advert (1965) Why Oh Why, Songs to Grow On for Mother and Child, Woodie Guthrie (recorded 1947, released 1956/1991)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

We're delighted to bring you an extended interview with the man who literally wrote the book on Tom Waits, Barney Hoskyns. Bouncing through a selection of Waits's material from the 70s to the present day, we discuss what it's like to interview and write about artists, what changed (and stayed the same) in Waits's music, and how you should always take a suggestion from Nick Cave seriously.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Ol' 55, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973) Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen), Small Change, Tom Waits (1976) Shore Leave, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Goin' Out West, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992) Take It With Me, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) Satisfied, Bad As Me, Tom Waits (2011)

Just imagine... at one point we thought this surprisingly epic True Orphans series might fit in two episodes, HA! Anyway, for this final episode Martin and Sam consider the Waits material from 2010 to the present day, including several contributions to tribute albums, a few live recordings, and his beautiful-yet-flawed farewell to David Letterman.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing, Preservation - An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall and The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program, Tom Waits & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2010) Corrine Died on the Battlefield, Preservation - An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall and The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program, Tom Waits & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2010) Fortune Has its Cookies To Give Out, live recording, Herbst Theater, San Francisco CA, w. Lawrence Ferlinghetti (2 October 2010)  Ghost to a Ghost, Ghost to a Ghost, Hank Williams III (2011) Fadin Moon, Ghost to a Ghost, Hank Williams III (2011) Shenandoah, Son Of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, Tom Waits & Keith Richards (2013) Little Red Rooster, live recording, Oracle Arena, Oakland CA, The Rolling Stones w. Tom Waits (5 May 2013) Take One Last Look, live recording, The Late Show with David Letterman, New York NY, Tom Waits (14 May 2015) The Soul of a Man, God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnston, Tom Waits (2016) John The Revelator, God Don't Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnston, Tom Waits (2016) Respect Yourself, live recording, Lagunitas Amphitheatre, Petaluma CA, Mavis Staples w. Tom Waits (11 September 2017) Rains On Me, live recording, Troubador, Los Angeles CA, w. Chuck E. Weiss & Tom Waits (18 March 2022) Getting Drunk On A Bottle / I Like To Sleep Late In The Morning, live recording, Snap Sessions - KPFK FM - Santa Monica OR Folk Arts Rare Records, w. Dave Blue (November, 1973)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

As we enter the new millennium, Waits pushes into new sonic territory with various collaborations, covers and spoken word pieces, including nostalgic re-inventions and some more full-blooded engagement with hip hop music.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: [email protected]

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Helium Reprise, Helium, Tin Hat Trio (2000) I’ll Tell You Why That Is, Beatin' the Heat, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks / Tom Waits (2000) Mahfouz, Witness, Dave Douglas / Tom Waits (2001) Go Tell It On The Mountain, Go Tell It On The Mountain, The Blind Boys of Alabama / Tom Waits (2002) Kitate, The Ride, Los Lobos / Tom Waits / Martha Gonzalez (2004) Going Fetal, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations, The Eels (2004) Ramblin’ Man, live recording, The House Of Blues, Cleveland OH, w. Hank Williams (13 August 2006) Spoonful, live recording, The House Of Blues, Cleveland OH, w. Willie Dixon (13 August 2006) Morning Hollow, It's A Wonderful Life / Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain, Sparklehorse (2001/2006) The Waitress, When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold, Atmosphere (2008) Spacious Thoughts, The Spirit Of Apollo, N.A.S.A / Tom Waits / Kool Keith (2009)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Just a brief FYI that Song by Song is taking a (previously unannounced) seasonal break for two weeks. We'll be back on January 10th 2024 with the penultimate episode of our True Orphans series. Have a lovely Winterval everyone!