POLL: Best Track on Tom Waits' "Frank's Wild Years"

more than rain, maybe. dunno. these are almost impossible

fuck.me. so many good ones. probably the 78 version of innocent when you dream, although i do love "way down in the hole" (despite it sounding like it's been cut off too early). cold cold ground is amazing too, but i prefer the big time version. then there's "i'll be gone" in all its raggedy scarecrow glory.

way way way way down in the hole

Telephone Call from Istanbul

"cold cold ground."

Another for Cold Cold Ground

innocent [78]

"Cold Cold Ground" by a mile.

I must recuse myself. There's no way to choose.

This is my favorite Waits album. I give it to "I'll Be Gone." I love the way he sings it.

I went with Straight to the Top (Rhumba). Probably should've gone with Telephone Call from Istanbul, but Straight's the one I find myself singing most when I'm just walking down the street or whatever.

my favorite waits album also probably (it's either this or blue valentine or closing time). picked 'cold cold ground', love the whole thing. just watched big time again a couple of weeks ago - alot of fun still if very much alot 'lol 80s' also.

perfect album

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Teeeeeeeemptation, teeeeeeeeeeeemptatio-ooon, teeeeemptation, I can't resist, widahaaaaaaahaaaaaahooooooooooo.....

his best album by a mile. i go for train song.

honestly, i could choose 8-10 tracks here.

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

Best use of "Cold Cold Ground" is the preview for Leolo, a genius black, black comedy from around 1990. Sadly they didn't actually use it in the movie, kind of like how "Mr. Blue Sky" was used for the previews for both Being John Malkovich and another movie at the time, but not found in the actual soundtracks.

perfect album

-- PappaWheelie V, Wednesday, June 11, 2008 4:32 AM (1 week ago) Bookmark Link

yeah everything on here is great. and it's a genuinely disjointed album, it doesn't want to be loved so much as some his other (classic) stuff, even the ostensibly darker ones. i would have voted 'telephone call', he gets that murder shuffle boogie thing down pat.

I'm seeing Tom Waits in Houston tomorrow night. Can't wait.

Telephone Call from Istanbul

― Soukesian, Tuesday, June 10, 2008 3:05 PM (5 months ago) Bookmark

I'm too late for this poll, but Straight to the Top is so cinematically poignant, complete with coughing fit. Also Blow Wind Blow sends the chills through me.

Innocent When You Dream would've been my pick. I forgot if it was in Smoke or the strange sequel.

In the middle of my first real Tom Waits obsession. Always loved the debut and have heard Rain Dogs through his early 00s stuff to varying degrees. I've acquired Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, and Frank's Wild Years the last couple of months. Just really great stuff.

Re: the poll, I think it's Innocent When You Dream (Barroom) v. Straight to the Top (Vegas). In the latter I think he's channeling the Telly Savalas commercials for the Player's Club.

Putting aside Way Down in the Hole, that wheezing dissonant transition from Straight to the Top (Vegas) into I’ll Take New York always sounded like a true descent into hell to me, one of my favorite moments on the album