For lack of a better word, "SQUEE!"

[sabotabby]

This unusually subdued interview with Tom Waits features three unreleased songs from Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards* at the end of the article and a bunch of audio clips.

Unfortunately (and despite Waits' humanist worldview and good intentions), "The Road to Peace" is a pretty awful song (albeit not as bad as Billy Bragg's cringe-inducing song about Rachel Corrie). He's the last songwriter I'd believe would write an earnest, literal song ripped from a newspaper article.** The other two, though, are awesome.


* WANT!

** Especially because he has written a bunch of political songs that are so cleverly written that you don't immediately notice the political statement.

Comments

[culpster.livejournal.com]

Now that Tom's seen the light, him and Billy should get together a sententious-folkie supergroup and do "We Are The World". David Rovics! Holly Near! That Canadian guy! Who else?

Can't you just hear Waits grunting "There's a choice we're making! We're saving our own lives!" I can.

[culpster.livejournal.com]

"Dere cums a toim/When we eed a soitan cwall..."

Someone should really make this happen.

[sabotabby]

I'm still disappointed that his version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is a different song than the one in Wizard of Oz. Not that I don't like his song better, but if he'd covered the other one it'd be hilarious.

I wonder if he takes requests. Probably not.

[human-loser.livejournal.com]

He also has a lovey cover of "Somewhere" from West Side Story on his album Blue Valentine.

[sabotabby]

That one makes me bawl like a wee girl.