POLL: Best Track on Tom Waits' "Swordfishtrombones"

actually no, i always thought i preferred rain dogs, but on second glance this is MUCH better. "in the neighbourhood" is classic, but it's preceded by the suitably glum "town with no cheer", also the beautiful short'n'sweet "Johnsburg, Illinois" and the terrifying "Underground". Even the instrumnetals on here are perfect listening.

"shore leave" might be my fave tom waits song ever, so that one ... this is a really killer album though isn't it? not sure if he's topped it.

16 Shells from a 30-06, but that was tougher than the other two.

"In The Neighbourhood". Boring pick. I know. But still so obvious.

"Trouble's Braids"

Trouble's Braids is my favorite example of the off-kilter weirdness that he'd never before touched but made his trademark on this record.

'Soldier's Things' was the first song by Waits I ever heard and loved, so that just pips it past 'Shore Leave' for me.

That was almost my vote.

"Town With No Cheer"...This is a great record to cook to...

This is easily one of my favorites by him; it's almost all equally good.

All-time classic, almost impossible to pick one. "Soldier's Things" always nails me with the recollection of going through my grandad's random last effects with my father, and has to be it. Honorable mention to "16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six", the first I heard of Waits, live on "The Tube" (it's on youtube. somewhere . .). At the time, I thought that it made Nick Cave's then-new solo career totally unnecessary, and I've heard nothing to really challenge that judgement in the last quarter century.

Waits and Cave, like Dylan and Young, can co-exist!

Yeah, you're right, of course they can. (But ultimately, if I had to pick one . . sorry, Nick!)

I know. But Lyre Of Orpheus/Abattoir Blues (off the top of my head) is amazing, a completely different thing from what Tom Waits is trying to do. Also, I was badly conflicted in this poll, but went with "Soldier's Things" too.

(That "I know" isn't meant to be as snotty as it looks.)

No worries. As you say, they are very different when you get down to it, but they both do that kind of Beefheart blues thing.

Incidentally, I recently shelled out for one of Tom's UK gigs. Anyone else going?

Trouble's Braids is my favorite example of the off-kilter weirdness that he'd never before touched but made his trademark on this record.

It's not so different from "Potter's Field" off of the "Foreign Affairs" album iirc

I thought there was only one Tom gig up in Scotland - where are the other UK gigs?

Two nights at the Edinburgh Playhouse. He must like the place!

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

shore leave

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Hmm, really didn't expect that one to win.

Johnsburg, Illinois 0