I like Tom Waits, and I was thrilled when he was finally honored by the top echelons of rock and roll to the Hall of Fame in 2011. Yes, the songwriter for the “brawlers, bawlers and bastards” richly deserves it.
Tom Waits is kind of unique in the music world or, rather, I should say, an original among songwriters and singers. He is a street poet who sings about the lost, the losers, the heartbroken, and the downtrodden who linger in the dark alleyways and seedy places. He also sings in this growling voice, which makes first-time listeners cringe, an end result perhaps of too much drinking and smoking in his early years. Yet, that distinctive voice gives life to his poetic lyrics and melodies that are both sad and sweet. His musical tastes are eclectic. He tackles pop, jazz, blues, waltz, polkas, cabaret songs, vaudeville, and beat poetry. He is amazingly talented.