It's Not A Song . . .
. . . it's an entire album. Tom Waits' "Small Change", to be precise.

(delurk)

Back when I was a young and tender lad rather than the ageing miscreant I am now, I went through a bad breakup with a woman. Previous to this, I'd never even heard a Tom Waits song in my life - yes, heretical, I know. Nevertheless, I was drinking quite heavily and indulging in far too many recreational substances. One day during this repeating cycle of misery and inebriation, a friend of mine told me that I needed to stop all this self-destructive bullshit. I simply laughed him off, as is my wont.

He got angry at me, and gave me (what I thought at the time) was a rather sanctimonious little speech, the practical upshot of which was basically the phrase "You think you're the only person that has ever felt this way, or that this has happened to? You selfish little shit!" He was very obviously right, but I just didn't want to know . . . you very rarely do in those circumstances.

Before leaving, he placed a CD on my table, amidst the overflowing ashtrays and puddles of whiskey. I thought nothing of it until later that day, when I put it on the stereo, sat down and listened to it.

Have you ever gotten that feeling when you listen to a certain album that the songwriter had basically looked through your diary and said "Hell, this would make a great song"? Well, I got that with Tom Waits. He expressed every miserable, shitty feeling I was going through. I finally managed to stop weeping copiously about halfway through the album . . . and then "Bad Liver And A Broken Heart" came on, and the waterworks started all over again.

I still love that album to death.

(relurk)
(thanateros Does Not Play Well With Others, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 12:35, 2 replies)

Great album
There's a local lad here called David Irvine plays a set of Tom Waits Early Years dressed up like ol' Tomcat and everything. Not a patch on the real thing of course but still great. He's playing Feb 14th. Get yourself on an Aer Arann flight to Shannon. In fact you should all do that - yiz can kip on me couch.

rafter
baz
(bazmorningstar efil4nat3b, Mon 1 Feb 2010, 13:39, closed)

Clicked
For correct use and spelling of wont.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Mon 1 Feb 2010, 15:55, closed)