Tom Waits - "Hell Broke Luce" (Reaction)

Follow me on Instagram & Twitter and subscribe to the channel guys!
/ teezmcgee
/ teezmcgee
For song requests email me [e-mail]
We do paid/non-paid requests - Paid request will be pushed out faster
Please set up PayPal or Cashapp for paid requests guys, love yall!
Donations
PayPal - paypal.me/TeezM...
cash.app/$Teez...
Understand that your viewership is enough! I would do this for free! And I basically do lol Thank you all sincerely! Love! P.S. if you choose to donate please drop a request in the “Note” section! Those requests will get pushed out much faster than my usual uploads.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment op, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

[@TommiBrem]

One of my favourite songs against war and dealing with how soldiers are just treated like cannon fodder, and when they make it home alive but broken, they just get dropped, because a broken soldier doesn't fit the narrative. At least that's what I'm hearing.... While I was over there I never got to vote. I left my arm in my coat.

[@TeezMcGee]

Man this was deep af and dark lol but that’s what made it special 🔥🔥🔥

[@alltogetherfitandproper4252]

Man Tommi you took all my words first! But glad you Teez are putting well deserved light on this song and Waits in general.

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

@@alltogetherfitandproper4252 It's shocking that a singer/songwriter can be a national treasure loved by millions yet unheard of by most Americans.

[@marktyron479]

I hope that I don' t fall in love with u or anything off his closing time album. Used to fall to sleep a bit drunk to it

[@IndieRockerHippy]

I assume you also like Masters of War by Dylan?

[@davidn5269]

I think the song is inspired by a marine named Jeff Luce who killed himself after coming home from Iraq

[@outernothingness1177]

His actual name was Jeff(rey) Lucey. But otherwise correct. carnegieendowment.org/2007/08/06/american-suicide-what-war-did-to-jeffrey-lucey-pub-19476

[@davidn5269]

Outer Nothingness thank you! One thing I love about youtube is that I can post some info from memory and someone will come along and graciously make corrections or fill in the blanks.

[@outernothingness1177]

@@davidn5269 We are all each other's memories. Thank God. Sooner or later you're going to fill in my blanks as well.

[@RockandrollNegro]

This song was written in 2004 for a war opera he never finished. It had nothing to do with Jeff Lucey's imaginary trauma. "Hell broke luce" was graffiti scrawled on the walls of Alcatraz during a failed 1934 prison break. Tom saw it in a photobook and thought it would make a good title for his opera.

[@FrancisCastiglione]

@@RockandrollNegro how the fuck is PTSD "imaginary trauma"

[@joshuachambers7681]

You just watched an audio representation of PTSD. It's emotional. Jeff Luce was a war vet that committed suicide due to lingering mental health effects of war and isolation from family and friends...

[@cdg1k]

The reason he spelled it Luce and not loose is becassue this song was kind of a tribute to Jeff Luce who (I think was a marine), a cool and sad fact about this song is that all if not most of the lyrics were straight from Jeff Luce's suicide poem

[@travishabursky4362]

To the USMC’s own Lance Corporal Jeffrey Lucey. Know that you are gone but never forgotten. Semper Fidelis and may God’s love be with you.

[@fatback2]

Waits is a trip for sure! Some earlier tunes, "Step Right Up" and "The Piano Has Been Drinking" will show a very different side.

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

Yes, definitely

[@lykkeej]

Apparently "Hoist That Rag," a song that (IMHO) belongs on the deck of a pirate ship, is also an anti-war song. Also shout out to Flea for the bass in this song

[@purdueman2012]

A song about coming home from the wars..and the effect on soldiers..what a talent..seen this cat live about ten times...amazing song writer...

[@kylefer]

His versatility is amazing. He writes great piano/romance tunes then cranks out things like this. Going out West is another staple favorite of mine.

[@TechnicJunglist]

Jeff Luce grew up/ lived a couple towns over from me. Tragic story & Waits does him justice.

[@kylefer]

This mans age finally caught up with his voice. He was also the gold panner in Ballad of Buster Scruggs. So in a way he finally did go out west like he said he would.

[@demonicrebellion6903]

Tom waits is always amazing. Always delivers exactly what he tries to convey. It's beautiful always.

[@katiecannon8186]

Certainly one of the best anti-war songs ever.

[@hilarietriller7891]

You can't fall down the Tom Waits rabbit hole without reacting to Chocolate Jesus

[@TommiBrem]

Absolutely!

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

Listen, man, your patrons are putting you through the paces. There's much more accessible tunes, some intense in a refined way, some even more experimental than this. Truly a varied and brilliant artist.

[@kerrydarensbourg5557]

This is Specialistic theater and a brilliant voice.

[@MouthMIKe]

From Tom Waits i would check out also : Going out west, gun street girl, gods away on business and i dont wanna grow up!

[@rarebond7250]

"The day after tomorrow" is another unforgettable "soldier song" by TW. Real GONE is the c.d. And completely a favorite...hear😁

[@Day0One]

I like this song by Tom Waits. This song is about the horrors of war. Waits took the title from graffiti that he read had been scribbled on the walls of Alcatraz, which was a notorious prison located on an island off San Francisco, and is now a popular tourist attraction. It finds Waits towing a house in an aquatic war zone. "Matt Mahurin has created an apocalyptic war dream to accompany the song 'Hell Broke Luce,'" explained Wait. "Kathleen [Brennan] and I envisioned it as an enlightened drill sergeant yelling the hard truths of war to a brand new batch of recruits. The video grew from the gnawing image of a soldier pulling his home, through a battlefield, at the end of a rope." A musician never knows if they're going to end up on a Tom Waits record. Percussionist Gino Robair recalled to Uncut: "I spent three days on 'Hell Broke Luce.' He (Waits) sent me a 20-second drum sample from this record from the 1920s, he wanted to loop it and for me to play a drum part,.We tried everything on all these old snare drums - out in the yard, inside, wherever. When the record came out, he'd replaced everything we'd done. He decided the song had to go in a different direction, and it's one of the best tracks. So you never really know. He's an improviser. You just have to go in there and have fun."

[@StonefieldJim4]

"His music is really more than just music." Yup.

[@screamingpeace956]

Y’all I ain’t gonna edit my other comment, I’m gonna make another: RIP Jeff Lucy and Sir; thank you for your service. We love you brother.

[@atomicwest995]

Tom Waits is the MAN. Check out his songs MAKE IT RAIN and HOIST THAT RAG.

[@orreongman]

luce is a guy that committed suicide and the song is based off the note. Its like life was hell for luce and it broke him.

[@stevenbanks1548]

Tom is the best American songwriter

[@gulliegulliver4546]

Tommi Brem below, explains it perfectly. Tom Waits is one of my favourite singer/songwriter/storyteller.

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

There's so much great Tom Waits to explore.

[@georgeclarke8137]

The perfect protest against the insanity of war.

[@Igot6Strings81]

Tom Waits is also in a bunch of movies. Most just cameos however he is one of the main actors in Down By Law. An excellent film.

[@Blue-qr7qe]

He co-starred with Jack Nicholson as his sidekick in IRONWEED, a depression era tale also starring Meryl Streep.

[@christuttle6100]

Truth unabolished ....Truth

[@sarahbarber8775]

Chocolate Jesus or any song of his album Mule Variations. Another good one is Telephone Call from Istanbul.

[@robertkees6048]

That's Flea from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers on Bass, and Keith Richards from you know what on Guitar.

[@MiyuMedia]

OMG YES!! This song is so TRUE, sad and dark, but the instrumental is kinda upbeat and has that hip hop influence with some industrial and blues. Only Tom Waits can mix genres with that level of genius. Pure fire🔥 His lyrics are always amazing, mostly little urban stories about common, broken people and his sound is always super eclectic: sometimes layered and wild, other times just a piano or a guitar. I loved what you said about him: "It's almost like going into a book" that sounds about right! Please check "Goin Out West", "Blue Valentines", "Hoist That Rag", his live 1988 version of "Rain Dogs" and the live 1978 version of "Romeo Is Bleeding"

[@MarcosElMalo2]

A bit of Trivia: Keith Richards (Rolling Stones) plays guitar on this track.

[@christuttle6100]

Tom has been making music since 1972 he is a musical geniu brother.

[@lyletuck]

I'm always glad to see any reaction to Tom Waits. He has two main phases to his career. When he started out, he was a sort of lounge lizard / smoky piano bar type of performer. After Kathleen Brennan (his future wife and co-writer) got him to listen to Captain Beefheart, he became a Much More experimental sort of artist. Both phases of his career are simply spectacular. His early works like "Ol' 55" "Shiver Me Timbers" and "Jersey Girl" were covered by Eagles, Bette Midler, and Bruce Springsteen. Rod Stewart had a hit with a cover of the Waits song "Downtown Train." Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, and Richard Thompson are among my all-time favorite artists. Thanks for reacting to Tom!

[@Blue-qr7qe]

Not so sure about that call. Tom's voice was being described as a cross between Louis Armstrong and a cement mixer long before he met Ricky Lee Jones and had a big fling with her. She was with Waits long enough (maybe an album or so) before his meeting and marrying Kathleen. So i don't think she coaxed him into doing a Beefheart imitation.

[@FrancisFurtak]

Serious shit! War may be coming our way and this says it all. Wake up everybody! I think Luce was a friend he lost in a war!

[@alexstewart6125]

Waits' catalog is a deep well, that's nearly 50 yrs deep. Some tracks worth checking out, 'Fish in the Jailhouse', 'Clap Hands'( live version here; kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZfCmJiQos2pgKc) 'Cold Cold Ground', 'Hold On', or something completely different, his duet with Bette Midler, 'I Never Talk to Strangers'.

[@yenza123]

dude, much love for the smooth shit

[@frankziffle2469]

I have never seen this video of Tom. Its fantastic. Thank You!

[@kerrydarensbourg5557]

You got it right the 1st time when you said genius.

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

His voice was sweeter in the early years, then he started to sound like Captain Beefheart, which you should check out. Something less experimental like Tarot Plane or Plastic Factory, because Capt. Beefheart was pretty out there at times.

[@goldenboy140]

His voice sounds more like Howlin' Wolf. I think both Waits and Beefheart took inspiration from the Wolf

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

@@goldenboy140 Probably so!

[@Drue7]

Love Captain Beefheart!!

[@ThinkerOnTheBus]

In his reaction to "Singapore" by Tom Waits, at one point he states that Tom is "kinda rapping." Well, if you want to hear a track by him that is even more in the style of delivering lyrics like a emcee, then take a listen to "Pasties and a G-String". kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnmYYpmYr72alac

[@MrPboys1]

Tom makes me happy...as I mentioned on your previous reaction love that your getting it with Mr Waits his voice can put some off but he is easily one of the great artists and a personal friend and companion for me over the last nearly 30 years. He is the artist that truly opened my ears to the limitless possibility of what great music can be. Some other under appreciated artists I hold on a similar pedestal I think you would dig would include the sublime Scott Walker, Micheal Gira of the Swans, Nick Cave and the bad seeds/birthday party(the members of the bad seeds are worth a deep dive as well being unique brilliant artists e.g the coolest mofo in rock Blixa Bargeld of the truly unique einstruzende neubauten as a prime example)Tim Smith of Cardiacs truly insane tunes, Mark E Smith of the fall, PJ Harvey, Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, the tindersticks, Mark Sandman of Morphine, Todd A of cop shot cop/firewater, Iain Mackaye of minor threat/fugazi in and the arch druid Julian Cope all worthy of laudation.

[@teddyhutchinson5567]

Blue valentine!!! By tommy

[@kimberleyblair3392]

Thanks 😊

[@timmaloney6739]

Great guitar work by Keith Richards from the Stones on this track..

[@ArvelleWhitaker]

wasnt ready lolol!

[@michaelsmith1262]

Waits is a genius. One of the best anti-war songs there is.

[@timdavis6050]

i dont know what the hell we just watched...lmao my 1st reaction as well love it

[@TeezMcGee]

😂😂💯🔥🔥🔥

[@andrew_owens7680]

It's based on a suicide note from a soldier named Luce who got back from Iraq and went crazy.

[@adrock1011]

Others have probably mentioned... but this song was written as a response to Tom hearing about a soldier committing suicide upon returning home following his service. Jeffrey “Luce” Lucey. “What was your name? It was Jeff”. Waits rarely delved into politics/protest songs etc... but this was one such occasion. And when he does do something like this, its usually on a personal (singular) level - meaning its about an individual rather than an ethos. At any rate - loved the reaction... peace

[@davidfisher8821]

Tom is a genius, no one else like him!

[@screamingpeace956]

RIP Jeff Lucy y’all

[@ravenstrange8466]

It was a protest song against war

[@falcon215]

'Kentucky Avenue' and 'Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Mathilda)' are a couple more to check out from this American treasure.

[@LilFireFox]

I know this was written later, but I always hear the Vietnam War in this song. Soldiers going over there, giving their all, then they come home mentally damaged and the Government and Society just throw them away.

[@yeolcrow6705]

Now I know wy they used this song in the punisher

[@carojayess1723]

I don't know what the hell we just watched either, but it was dope AF! ❤️

[@TommiBrem]

I think we have at least one more coming 😉

[@TeezMcGee]

Yes indeed lol

[@williamkuhn2053]

tom moves me like no other..except maybe zappa but in a another kind of way

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

You should search the Cookie Monster Tom Waits mash-up "God's Away On Business"

[@pianoface]

It's Luce as in Lucifer broke out of hell ❤️

[@pianoface]

War is hell

[@Sfcfan120]

@@pianoface nah its named after a marine called Jeff lucey who killed himself

[@georgeclarke8137]

The horrors of war.

[@yenza123]

dude, great reaction.

[@TeezMcGee]

Thank you buddy 🙌

[@IndieRockerHippy]

Dog Door is a great tune from Waits. I can never listen to it once, has to be listened to at least twice!

[@goldenboy140]

Try Tom Waits - Blue Valentine

[@fargoweb]

It's about a US soldier in Iraq whose life was ruined by the war, I believe.

[@StonefieldJim4]

Cast iron masterpiece. The greatest anti-war song of our times.

[@kimberleyblair3392]

Subscribed! Good channel. The tom waits song got me here. Thanks so much. Tom is also an accomplished actor.Check out"Ironweed". He's just wonderful in that.

[@Igot6Strings81]

Dude you need to listed to 'On the Road', 'Goin Out West', 'Lucinda', 'Shoreleave' and the entirety of the Orphans Albums. If you do a video reacting to Orphans I'll buy you a bottle of Scotch. It's necessary. You'll understand if you do it. Keep on listening to Tom Waits. When you want something equally bizarre but completely different try some Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Rock on!

[@Igot6Strings81]

I'm serious about the Scotch Orphans challenge. It's 3 albums of orphaned songs labelled Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards. Personally my favorite set to listen to with a nice bottle of scotch. If your up for it I'll PayPal you the funds for a decent scotch of your choice.

[@nobbynoris]

Funny you mention Screamin' Jay, he covered Tom Waits' song Heart Attack and Vine. His version was used without Waits' permission on a 1993 Levi jeans advert. Waits never allowed any of his music to be used in adverts, which is pretty cool if you ask me. I believe Waits sued and won.

[@aaronlane8405]

I would like to suggest Ruby's Arms, Shore leave, Invitation to the Blues, anything off Bone Machine....I should stop now :D

[@T23000PLUS]

dude! I like your reactions. I just subscribed tonight. You really need to listen to 'Bone Machine'' (a Tom Waits album) and do some reactions! Tellin you...

[@michaelsmith1262]

That's how you do an anti-war song.

[@johnbryson1019]

Poetically, Luce/Lucifer.

[@rohspeed]

My man... Try react to ONE DAY AS A LION

[@stanley2681]

you should check out god's away on business by him...he is such a unique experience. please please also do frenzy by screamin jay hawkins!!!! please

[@purdueman2012]

Keith Richards doing guitar work...

[@punklover99]

Makes me wanna pick up a hammer

[@markjohnson4217]

The boogey man checks under the bed for Tom Waits..

[@LilFireFox]

I first heard this song from the Netflix series The Punisher and after REALLY listening to it.... I thought RIGHT of the Vietnam War. Which is why I HATED First Blood. The first Rambo movie. B/c in said movie he was treated like SHIT for fighting. After being drafted, killing ppl, captured, tortured and having severe PTSD, he's treated like a Leper.