Film Noir

I'm all washed out by the side of the road
Broken bones Matilda left a note and a rose
Saying "Baby honey child, I loved you so long
but you deserve much better than me"

So I'm just burning all around
All the miles in the road
And I'm never going back
And I'm never going home
I've been gone too long
I've been less right than wrong
I've lost so much blood in the falling out

And I lit a fire that wouldn't go out
Until it consumed the walls and roof of this house
Until all I remember was burning away
And all I remember, you're burnin' away

See for 10 long years I've been hustling around
Tryin' to wash the sins and sweat from my brow
Just trying to find a better life for me and my own
Just some rest for these tired working fingers

But nobody never gonna tell you the way
You gotta figure it out boys and suffer the rain
And the fools in the night, and the heat of the day
When all you ever really wanted was for someone to understand

And I lit a fire that wouldn't go out
Until it consumed the walls and roof of this house
Until all I remember was burning away
And all I remember, you're burnin' away
Well don't you take it so hard and baby don't you cry
You cross your hard heart and hope to die
Don't you tell me no more lies, you lied all the time
Don't you tell me no more lies, you lied every night

And you're sugar and spice, and everything nice
You got Monroe hips, your poison lips and knives
And your sugar and spice, and everything nice
You got open wounds in a young boy's pride

And I lit a fire that wouldn't go out
Until it consumed the walls and roof of this house
Until all I remember was burning away
And all that you left me you're burning away
Well don't you take it so hard and baby don't you cry
You cross your hard heart and you hope to die
Don't you tell me no more lies, you lied all the time
Don't you tell me no more lies, you lied every night

Time, time, tickin' away
Time, time, tickin' away
Time, time, tickin' away
Time, time, tickin' away

Tom Waits Series: 1973- Closing Time

Let's get March started off on the right foot, yeah? February was a weird month and I'm ashamed to say my blog was an unfortunate (and unnecessary) casualty. I promised new posts (that weren't being an emo bitch) and I have not delivered. But here's to a fresh start!

First up is an account of Tom Waits' first album, "Closing Time", as you may or may not recall the little experiment I undertook...well, about a month ago. I knew it'd be slow going, but I didn't think I'd be this ADD about listening to (and reporting on) music.

Anyway, I feel as though I have digested "Closing Time" about as much as I can hope to. So what's the verdict for Mr. Waits' first album? Not much. It took me a few weeks of repeatedly coming back and listening to the album to come the the conclusion that...it's just not very good.

Thank god this wasn't my first exposure to Waits or it could have been a while before I gave him a second chance. To put it plainly, there isn't really much evidence--at all--of what makes Tom Waits the Tom Waits people know and love today. I talked to my brother about this, and he made an interesting point that he knew people who have said "Closing Time" was their favorite Tom Waits album.

I find this incredibly fascinating because it's so totally different and indistinguishable from his later work--and I'm not even talking just shit from the past couple decades. The album itself is, well, pretty bland. That isn't to say it's not enjoyable, but there really isn't anything here that might indicate the long transformation to come. "Closing Time" is a poppy, folksy, bluesy debut that just reeks "sap". Honestly, the best word to describe the album is "cheesy".

Those of you who know Tom Waits now know that sentimentality is not really his trademark. But you wouldn't know this from listening to his first singer-songwriterly debut. There are a couple fun, catchy songs--in particular I was attracted to "Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards)"--but in the end it's impossible for me to get past the cheesiness of the lyrics, the simplicity of the writing, and the general blah-ness of the songs. A good example is "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You"--yes, that's what it's called. This title comprises the chorus of the song, but it ends even worse, with Waits crooning: "And I think that I just fellll in love with you." Really? Really Tom Waits?

Lastly, every time I listen to the album it begins to sink into obscurity at about the mid-way point, and to me this is the death rattle of a very unremarkable album. So all in all, a mediocre affair. It took me a while to realize that if I detached his name from the album it probably wouldn't be something I'd have more than a few days on my iTunes library.

Unfortunately, his next album, "The Heart of Saturday Night", isn't too far from this one.

Thankfully, though, I know what is to come. And from an early listen, if I strain real hard I start to pick out the faint resemblance of some of the brilliance he is known for today. Until next time though! Hopefully the wait won't be as long...cheers to a new month and second chances!