[ ]      [ ]   [ ]
Tom Waits — Downtown Train
Log in above to post your comment
Athyrius
Posted: Jan 09, 2013 - 19:24
 
 myersei wrote:
from wikipedia;

Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."

That pretty much sums it up.
 
Much like a dead skunk in the middle of the road... best avoided.

Proclivities
(Carrboro, NC)
Posted: Nov 12, 2012 - 12:54
 
 ri_shelton wrote:
Was "Coffee and Cigarettes" scripted? If not, Waits is an a$#, and though I sometimes like his clever lyrics, he shouldn't count on his voice to make any money. Um, it is about money, isn't it?
 
I don't think he's been waiting tables or working in a cubicle for the last forty years, so apparently he's been able to count on his voice for income.

myersei
(Denver, CO)
Posted: Nov 12, 2012 - 12:49
 
from wikipedia;

Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."

That pretty much sums it up.

idiot_wind
Posted: Nov 12, 2012 - 12:48
 
How about playing "Ol 55"?

Much better than the cover by the Eagles.

RichardArthur
(France)
Posted: Oct 12, 2012 - 04:21
 
A slice of urban poetry.    And sorry but Tom's original still beats the covers (ie Rod Stewart).

BCarn
(Victoria, B.C.)
Posted: Jul 09, 2012 - 16:44
 
Shite.

LizK
(Houston, Texas)
Posted: Jun 07, 2012 - 23:08
 
The word that comes to mind is cheesegrater. {#Grumpy}

Stingray
("ANONYMOUS INTERNET")
Posted: May 07, 2012 - 04:50
 
Excuse me, but this voice is ridiculous!

ri_shelton
(A few clicks up the river)
Posted: Jan 01, 2012 - 08:34
 
Was "Coffee and Cigarettes" scripted? If not, Waits is an a$#, and though I sometimes like his clever lyrics, he shouldn't count on his voice to make any money. Um, it is about money, isn't it?

JsDad
(Chapel Hill, NC)
Posted: Jan 01, 2012 - 08:33
 

To add to the "Cover Versions We Like" list:  I first heard this song done by Everything By the Girl on their Acoustic album.



Athyrius
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:50
 
 michaelc wrote:
Tom was first ( Duh )
 
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Train
 
Just goes to show that being first counts for zilch


michaelc
(Walnut Creek, CA)
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:38
 
Tom was first ( Duh )
 
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Train

hbs47
(SE England)
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:38
 
I'm sorry just can get this guy, his voice is a real put off. Great lyricist, check out Holly Cole Temptation album, Waits song with a good voice.

Athyrius
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:38
 
Appropriate song for the HOBO (Tom Waits)

AndyJ
(Oregon)
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:36
 
Tom Waits is good... BUT like many things, best in small quantities... Glad he's still around. I just can't stay thru a whole CD or concert... Just a good bit...in a small dose... Even at home, I'll have him on "random" so that It's a small dose.   OK-That's me... Your mileage may vary.



DaMoGan
(Beer on the east coast, Beer on the west coast.)
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:35
 
 januismer wrote:
Thought it was Oscar The Grouch.
 
{#Lol}


MiracleDrug
(Earth)
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 - 14:35
 
okay Bruce you have GOT to stop chain-smoking those Luckys...  {#Cowboy}

januismer
(SW Michigan)
Posted: Sep 28, 2011 - 06:36
 
Thought it was Oscar The Grouch.

stickvaughn
Posted: Jul 27, 2011 - 11:54
 
 deepwoodskev wrote:
HULK SMASH!!!!
 
{#Biggrin}  Ha! Exactly.


dynamaniak
(Ottawa Ontario Canada)
Posted: Jul 27, 2011 - 11:51
 
Of course this version of the song is a million times better than Rod Stewarts, just cause it's Tom, however, if a man who sounded like this was creeping me on the downtown train, I think I'd be rather afraid.  Just sayin!!  (Love you Tom!)

ziggytrix
(Dallas, TX)
Posted: Jul 27, 2011 - 11:50
 
My coworker just said "Sounds like Cookie Monster singing this.  Isn't the song Rod Stewart's or Bruce Springsteen's originally?"

I explained that this is the original Tom Waits version.

Paxus
(Las Vegas, NV)
Posted: May 25, 2011 - 08:56
 
Suddenly I wish I were back in New York... *sigh*  I love the Mojave Desert... but sometimes it's just too sunny for days like this...

Cynaera
(South of Neanderthal)
Posted: Apr 23, 2011 - 19:47
 
Okay - I've finally figured out why Tom Waits drives me crazy.  I love his music and his writing. Sometimes, I even love his gravelly voice, but that's also why I don't like him.  That voice is very similar to another voice in my past - attached to the hand that hit me when I didn't do something right.  Bruises were always prefaced by a husky, cigarette-shot voice raised in anger. Thank goodness I was given a chance to escape. 

Tom Waits can belt out a song, but sometimes I flash back to that time when I was married and trying so hard to be the best wife in the world... I'm fine now. I kinda wonder if my ex is even still alive - he had a knack for pissing people off. I can honestly say I wouldn't cry if I learned that he was dead.  So - Tom Waits is a double-edged sword for me. I love his perception and his words, but sometimes his voice makes me cringe inadvertently. Funny what sticks with us through time...{#Cheesygrin}

TerryS
(The other SW)
Posted: Apr 23, 2011 - 19:41
 
 evansdad wrote:
An icon in the music business, but he really can't sing...
 
Neither could Louis Armstrong, Leonard Cohen, Carla Bruni, Milli Vanilli and me. and your point is....?


evansdad
(CT)
Posted: Mar 23, 2011 - 06:22
 
An icon in the music business, but he really can't sing...

Wizzuvvoz
(crosshairs of radical conservatism on route 66)
Posted: Feb 19, 2011 - 19:48
 
Superb 10

deepwoodskev
(In a town west of Chicago)
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:50
 
 craigf wrote:
{#Confused}  6.6?

are you kidding?

this is about as close to GOD you can get without LSD!!

—-
craig
 
I can only pray that God does not talk or sing like this when I see Him in Heaven. Because then that will be Hell.

deepwoodskev
(In a town west of Chicago)
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:48
 
 midreaming wrote:
 What planet are you from that a blues song has to be sung by a celine dion or Johnny mathis like voice?
Have you ever been downtown after a long night? ..almost everybody's gone home. You stand there looking for direction. And it's the buzz of a street light ready to burn out that makes your feet move. What's that sound like to you? What's the brightest color shining off the broken glass at your feet? Is it like any flower you've ever seen? Have you ever seen a flower on the city streets that late at night? What would you give for a cab ride with a friend or a cup of coffee right now? You and Celine and Johnny go check that out and come back with a song and we'll tell you what we think of it.
 
wait.........huh?

midreaming
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:34
 
 What planet are you from that a blues song has to be sung by a celine dion or Johnny mathis like voice?
Have you ever been downtown after a long night? ..almost everybody's gone home. You stand there looking for direction. And it's the buzz of a street light ready to burn out that makes your feet move. What's that sound like to you? What's the brightest color shining off the broken glass at your feet? Is it like any flower you've ever seen? Have you ever seen a flower on the city streets that late at night? What would you give for a cab ride with a friend or a cup of coffee right now? You and Celine and Johnny go check that out and come back with a song and we'll tell you what we think of it.

lerxst
(A Planet in the Solar Federation)
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:10
 

If a man who can't sing can make a living as a singer, maybe I can be a professional golfer after all. 



deepwoodskev
(In a town west of Chicago)
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:08
 
HULK SMASH!!!!

manonfortini
(Québec, Canada)
Posted: Jan 19, 2011 - 14:07
 
 johnjconn wrote:

Tom adds spice to life.


 

Exactly, and life needs spice so much
Thanks to Tom

johnjconn
(chicago land)
Posted: Nov 17, 2010 - 10:46
 

Tom adds spice to life.



Carl
(The Summit City)
Posted: Sep 15, 2010 - 00:12
 
Haha! Following Joni with Tom Waits! What a hoot!


ShloEmi
(Israel)
Posted: Jul 13, 2010 - 01:56
 
My first '1-Sucko-Barfo'

MrJames
(NY)
Posted: May 10, 2010 - 11:41
 
 rjewyo wrote:


It was either Keith Richards or Marc Ribot...most likely Ribot....good arrangement and guitar, but Tom's
voice{#Yell}!!
 

actually it's GE Smith on this track...but Ribot, Keith Richards, and Robert Quine are on other tracks

jkhandy
(Near the ocean (in my mind))
Posted: May 10, 2010 - 11:38
 
 weevilkinevil wrote:
It hurts to listen to this.
 
sounds like it hurt him to sing it


weevilkinevil
(close to Paradise)
Posted: May 10, 2010 - 11:38
 
It hurts to listen to this.

Proclivities
(Carrboro, NC)
Posted: May 10, 2010 - 11:37
 
 westslope wrote:
You gotta admit that Tom Waits is typically an acquired taste.  And this one is almost like bubble gum pop.
 
I admit nothing...


calypsus_1
Posted: May 08, 2010 - 23:49
 

Tom Waits by ~Peor-Imposible
Matias

Hacia rato que queria pintar una caricatura pero no tenia tiempo, ahora pude asi que aca esta, Tom esperas
.


westslope
(BC coast)
Posted: Apr 08, 2010 - 18:16
 
You gotta admit that Tom Waits is typically an acquired taste.  And this one is almost like bubble gum pop.

craigf
(Cambridgeshire, UK)
Posted: Mar 08, 2010 - 03:33
 
{#Confused}  6.6?

are you kidding?

this is about as close to GOD you can get without LSD!!

—-
craig



rjewyo
(Ventura, CA)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:48
 
 mcYammer wrote:
anybody know the guitar on this /Rain Dogs in general?
 

It was either Keith Richards or Marc Ribot...most likely Ribot....good arrangement and guitar, but Tom's
voice{#Yell}!!

westslope
(BC coast)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:37
 
 natural_tools wrote:
Cookie monster sings the blues. (But still fun.)

 Yes.

Not too often but sometimes.




sirdroseph
(Outer Mongolia)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:36
 
I love Tom Waits and it is better than the Rods version, but even he could not save this sorry song!{#Eek}

Dave_Mack
(Five bus, Jive bus!)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:35
 
 ca1vinandhobbes wrote:
For some reason I always think about Cookie Monster when I hear Tom sing...that makes me smile.
 
D is for Downtown, good enough for me!


rjewyo
(Ventura, CA)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:35
 
Bruce...hands down the best rendition!

natural_tools
(Dallas, TX)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:35
 
Cookie monster sings the blues. (But still fun.)

mcYammer
(Beervana)
Posted: Feb 04, 2010 - 15:34
 
anybody know the guitar on this /Rain Dogs in general?

Dog_Ear
Posted: Nov 02, 2009 - 11:04
 
 khw77 wrote:
I think I like the original better.
 
That WAS the original -from Rain Dogs 1985