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Tom Waits — San Diego Serenade
Album: The Heart of Saturday Night
Avg rating:
7.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1191









Released: 1974
Length: 3:18
Plays (last 30 days): 1
I never saw the morning till I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine till you turned out the light
I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody until I needed the song

I never saw the white line till I was leavin' you behind
I never knew I needed you until I was caught up in a bind
I never spoke I love you till I cursed you in vain
I never felt my heart strings until I nearly went insane

I never saw the east coast until I moved to the west
I never saw the moonlight until it shone off your breast
I never saw your heart until someone tried to steal, tried to steal it away
I never saw your tears till they rolled down your face

I never saw the morning till I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine till you turned out your love light, baby
I never saw my home town until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody till I needed the song
Comments (77)add comment
My favorite Drunken bar owner!
 zipper wrote:

damn... I was quietly sitting at my desk, comparing numbers on paper. This song poured into my soul and almost made me weep at work.



same. i think it's the first time i've heard this one and i think it's my favorite of his stuff.
A very clever segue from CWNN's Swept Away.
This sounds so unlike his later singing. 
love does crazy shit ... and then poetry happens
Simply a great song.
 bachbeet wrote:

A terrific song!  Dion did a good cover in the late 80s.



Nanci Griffith also did a great cover on her album "Late Night Grande Hotel"  - well worth a listen
Back when Tom could actually sing. These days I can’t stomach his barking, phlegmy growl.
 d-don wrote:
One of the saddest, most beautiful love songs ever written.
 


A terrific song!  Dion did a good cover in the late 80s.
Listening this while reading the local news.... Sign on San Diego.... stay classy San Diego.

The best thing about this station is that you are guaranteed to hear Tom Waits almost every day!!!
One of the saddest, most beautiful love songs ever written.
Must get that album.
Absolutely haunting. :)
Sheesh and I thought I had problems.

I still like San Diego though!

{#Drunk}

great song
Never heard him sing like this....nice.
 nagsheadlocal wrote:
I know that the argument between the Old Tom Waits fans and the New Tom Waits fans is something like a Ford v Chevy, Mac v PC kinda thing, so I'll skip that.

 
It's bourbon vs rye.   :)

Beatimous tune from the incomparable Mr. Waits.{#Notworthy}
Beautiful.  Reading the lyrics while listening is giving me goose bumps.
 Antigone wrote:
 


I never saw the morning til I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine til you turned out the light
I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody, until I needed a song.

I never saw the white line, til I was leaving you behind
I never knew I needed you til I was caught up in a bind
I never spoke i love you til I cursed you in vain,
I never felt my heartstrings until I nearly went insane.

I never saw the east coast til I move to the west
I never saw the moonlight until it shone off your breast
I never saw your heart til someone tried to steal,
Tried to steal it away
I never saw your tears until they rolled down your face

Just lovely. The orchestra in the background, beautiful and just far enough back.

{#Clap}

 
Very nice indeed!!

I know that the argument between the Old Tom Waits fans and the New Tom Waits fans is something like a Ford v Chevy, Mac v PC kinda thing, so I'll skip that.

But, jeeze, Heart of Saturday Night is about as perfect an album as it gets. It's as interesting today as it was the first time I heard it in '75.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the genius that is Tom Waits.  He creates beautiful music.
This was a young melliflous throated Tom Waits. After this... years of whiskey, polyps and life in general VASTLY improved his pipes over this. He now growls and churns and skips the human auditory system altogether! {#Cool}


 
TanteJensen wrote:

Dunno about the others. I enjoy this one and many, many others by Mr. Waits. There are others that I just wait to be over, although they grow on me (slowly, i.e.).

 


 smehan55 wrote:
Hey this is nice, I'm enjoying this. A Tom Waits song that doesn't grate on my nerves and make my ears bleed. Does this mean that the Waits fans hate this one? 7 from me FWIW
 
 I concur. I am astounded that it's him... it's an exquisite song and performance. Usually, I can't listen because I find his voice is painful to hear.

Tom Waits!!! That guy owes me money!

Brilliant song!
The only thing that can make me homesick for San Diego!
Brilliant, beautiful song.  Hard to believe it was released about 35 years ago.
 Rotterdam wrote:
Interesting example of how an artist's entire opus should be exampled before judging one part of it. Had I hear this without having heard the rest of the album, I would have hated it and especially his voice on this cut. I am a huge fan of Waits, however, and so I force myself to try to appreciate this as a part of the whole.
 

oops, I meant 'examined,' not exampled!
Interesting example of how an artist's entire opus should be exampled before judging one part of it. Had I hear this without having heard the rest of the album, I would have hated it and especially his voice on this cut. I am a huge fan of Waits, however, and so I force myself to try to appreciate this as a part of the whole.
smehan55 wrote:
Hey this is nice, I'm enjoying this. A Tom Waits song that doesn't grate on my nerves and make my ears bleed. Does this mean that the Waits fans hate this one? 7 from me FWIW

Dunno about the others. I enjoy this one and many, many others by Mr. Waits. There are others that I just wait to be over, although they grow on me (slowly, i.e.).

 Derecho wrote:
I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
 

 segueman wrote:
If Tom Waits' name was "not hung on" this song it would not exist.
 
Perfect!

Hey this is nice, I'm enjoying this. A Tom Waits song that doesn't grate on my nerves and make my ears bleed. Does this mean that the Waits fans hate this one? 7 from me FWIW
When he is good, he's phenomenal.  This is one of those times.
(When he's bad, I just can't listen....)
Unreal...a Tom Waits song that I actually like!  I know, you say I'm ignorant, unschooled, closed minded, etc...but I can't hep it!
 Fnords wrote:


Wow. I didn't know there was a "pre-raspy voice" time. Thanks; I listened and it's a nice song.

 

Just what I was thinking.
{#Clap}

8.
Thought this was Michael McDermott at first.
 


I never saw the morning til I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine til you turned out the light
I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody, until I needed a song.

I never saw the white line, til I was leaving you behind
I never knew I needed you til I was caught up in a bind
I never spoke i love you til I cursed you in vain,
I never felt my heartstrings until I nearly went insane.

I never saw the east coast til I move to the west
I never saw the moonlight until it shone off your breast
I never saw your heart til someone tried to steal,
Tried to steal it away
I never saw your tears until they rolled down your face

Just lovely. The orchestra in the background, beautiful and just far enough back.

{#Clap}

Fnords wrote:
Wow. I didn't know there was a "pre-raspy voice" time. Thanks; I listened and it's a nice song.
I must admit that I usually have to brace myself when I hear a Tom Waits song coming on, but I'll be darned this has got to be at least the 3rd one I am rating a "9" - yet another occasion where RP has completely changed my opinion of an artist...
shivers, man very poetic stuff!
exactly... zipper wrote:
damn... I was quietly sitting at my desk, comparing numbers on paper. This song poured into my soul and almost made me weep at work.
Wow.
damn... I was quietly sitting at my desk, comparing numbers on paper. This song poured into my soul and almost made me weep at work.
Is that Kelly Bundy on the cover?
segueman wrote:
Again, Springsteen wishes he was worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as Tom Waits. Waits is an original. If Tom Waits' name was "not hung on" this song it would not exist. This album and Closing Time are must haves.
Agree 1,000%
thank you RP.....
The maximum rating says it: godlike!
Simply breathtaking.
Go Chargers!
aww hell yeah!
Derecho wrote:
The definition of mediocre. Bruce Springsteen gone AM radio. I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
Again, Springsteen wishes he was worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as Tom Waits. Waits is an original. If Tom Waits' name was "not hung on" this song it would not exist. This album and Closing Time are must haves.
I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
...i wonder the same - skirts the narrow edge between heartfelt confidance and sappy cliche...
Fnords wrote:
Wow. I didn't know there was a "pre-raspy voice" time. Thanks; I listened and it's a nice song.
Same here. I actually enjoyed this!
SnoKoneManiac wrote:
Ahh, Tom Waits' younger days. Before his extremely raspy voice.
Wow. I didn't know there was a "pre-raspy voice" time. Thanks; I listened and it's a nice song.
every real artist changes and grows, and I admire Tom Waits for always pushing the envelope. But I sure do miss this era of gorgeous story songs from Waits. moving, timeless classics.
A perfect 10 on the lyric alone. ;)
Another perfect 10.
Derecho wrote:
The definition of mediocre. Bruce Springsteen gone AM radio. I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
Oh please.
Easy to give godlike ratings to a god like Tom Waits... Websters should link to this song next to the definition of "soul"
My wedding song, actually
Each song on this album paints/tells a vivid picture/story...one of my favorite Waits records.
Derecho wrote:
The definition of mediocre. Bruce Springsteen gone AM radio. I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
Disagree (my rating of this song * 10)% = 100 % with this nonsense. Mr. Waits is (to me) quite the opposite of "skin deep" fluff. Scratch a little, pay close attention to the lyrics and the emotion they convey and you will find the beauty within.
The definition of mediocre. Bruce Springsteen gone AM radio. I doubt this song would have a rating nearly as high were Tom Waits' name not hung on it.
A nine? What was I thinking? 10!!!
SnoKoneManiac wrote:
Ahh, Tom Waits' younger days. Before his extremely raspy voice.
And before he started making extremely weird music. I lost him after Raindogs, but the period before that is still haunting.
Ahh, Tom Waits' younger days. Before his extremely raspy voice.
gorgeous song.
How does he do it ? I've never managed to understand how a person like Tom Waits get his inspiration, but he has always inspired me. This is just one of the many good songs that he has recorded over the years. Thx Tom for the great music, and thanks to Radioparadise for playing it.
Great song. This guy's got so much talent.
I HAVE to get this album!
Glad to see Mr. Waits is getting more airplay...
Shawneeo wrote:
Thanks, RP, for playing one of my favorite songs by my favorite artist. It never fails to break my heart. The album is definitely desert island material.
Ditto. Anything off Closing Time is also always welcome.
Thanks, RP, for playing one of my favorite songs by my favorite artist. It never fails to break my heart. The album is definitely desert island material.