Tom Waits - "Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards)"

[@fluffypuppy720]

If Tom were the only musical artist in the world I would be musically satisfied for this life on his music alone.

[@randalldickson4603]

Well put!

[@arnoldpepper3172]

That is beautifully said.

[@jeffweaver6708]

I have specified that this song be played at my celebration of life ceremony. When that time arrives. Tom Waits is an American Treasure, man! ❤

[@jasonklock7731]

Can't think of a better way to burn a Friday afternoon then getting a little toasty and listening to Tom Waits

[@randalldickson4603]

This is my go-to for a Sunday morning.

[@andersgimse1190]

This is the song that made me fall in love with Tom's music back in 1973.

[@lindagarland5223]

Me too...still listening 🎶. Wiw, it's been 50 years!

[@jackcurtin5772]

I just heard it. Give me some others please

[@maxbailey1249]

@@jackcurtin5772try out Mule variations and the rest of this album

[@hilux0094]

Been trying to learn this one on piano. Love Tom’s music. I don’t want to be friends with anyone who doesn’t like his music.

[@endamccallion1073]

You need three chords to play this on piano. G. C. and D. It is an easy but beautiful experience.

[@mateuszmattias]

So many people associate Waits with the growly bar-fly voice he developed gradually mid-70s- early 80s, and I guess it's a cool persona to have as an artist, but I really like his actual "clean" singing voice as on the first 2-3 records. (And at least for many years I do beleieve it was a role, since there are snippets of him using his normal voice every now and then on later live performances as well.).

[@k.b.7718]

agreed, the rougher voice does come across a bit artsy at times imo

[@jamesmccormick211]

Couldn't agree more. He had a splendid singing voice over these albums and I don't know why he went for 'full gravel' after this.

[@jfarrmhouse]

I watched a VH1 special 30 plus years ago about Tom waits and he purposely did that gravelly voice. he would smoke cigars and drink whiskey before he went on to help him perform in such a gravelly voice

[@thefancullinibrothers1983]

He “went “ for full gravel because he has been drinking for years, bottles of whisky etc etc, he has also been through it all… Didn’t he get brought up in a brothel? Anyway, if you know music and culture and life you’ll you’ll get Tom 🎉

[@mateuszmattias]

@@thefancullinibrothers1983 Well, yes and no. As I wrote (and mind you, I know both Tom Waits' music and music as well as life in general very well, at 53 I even sing in a band myself although not professionaly). The fact of the matter is that his cultural persona is in part just that, a persona. Not him. It's important to make and maintain that distinction. As for the voice, if it were only due to drinking and smoking it would be more or less the same all the time, and it is not. You have songs like In the neighborhood from 1983 (Swordfishtrombones), Innocent when you dream from 1987 (Franks wild years) and several ones on Rain Dogs just to mention a few from his 1980s period. But you also have Time from that same record, and there he clearly sings in a very different voice. So no, it's not all just the result of drinking and smoking, although he did his fair share of that. As I wrote in my original comment it is kind of a cool persona to add to your artistry, but that is not the same as him actually being that. Remember he may have been drinking through the 80s, but he has also been a family man, married to the same woman (Kathleen Brennan) since the early 80s, raising kids and leading a rather quiet life. I maintain the picture is more complicated than just the barfly image some people like to attribute to him.

[@wafler99]

One of my favorite albums. Pure simplistic brilliance.

[@mikereid4707]

The greatest artist EVER!

[@jays1752]

Waits first two albums are more emotionally genuine than the entirety of his subsequent career. The fantastical word play of the later albums is something to behold but has none of the charming endearment of Closing Time and Hearts of Saturday Night. He’ll never return to this oeuvre but at least we have these songs to remind us of what a open book he once was.

[@brigittemetz8324]

My favorite album for 30 years I love it.

[@Mr.Z30-06]

Still my favorite.........peace and love all......cheers....whisky all around...

[@raidrfrk]

Cheers ........ toasting you right now as I make one

[@nepiahemopo1702]

Sublime yet brief guitar solo.

[@johnmccann8319]

This is beyond beautiful and so sad

[@SeanLKearns]

The only song that cures it.

[@heatherbrown5424]

Agreed!!

[@bsnf-5]

"ain't no medicine for that kind of pain"

[@brianflynn7598]

i an about to be 46 rotations around the Plasma Ball and for over half of that ive been singing this song in a Bluegrass style. Thanks for the material Mr. Waits 🙏🌹

[@olivercarlton7731]

tom is a demi god.…..pure and simple

[@KeithGorman-v7m]

this is the song when you walk away ! i dont want to leave her , " but this heart aint for taming"

[@bluej2k]

Hello Mr Pocket.......

[@stevemcintyre1262]

Found the gold

[@shawntingstad4254]

Wow

[@yangshen5540]

"So I'll leave you to cry in the rain" BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, even Bob Dylan wasn't this snarky....

[@bsnf-5]

"I didn't ask for your crotch, now don't ask for mine"

[@missaleromanum5614]

@@bsnf-5 crutch?

[@giorgigudadze7110]

[@johnmoore1798]

Kinda looks like hellboy