62 Mules to Pull That Train

Happy Birthday, Tom Waits!

So on the 7th of December, 1949, they got what they were wishing for all the time. He grew up in trailer by the time he was nine, Rolled off to join the circus telling fortunes on the side......

(Copyright Tom Waits, 1999, "Eyeball Kid", Mule Variations)

This is the greatest song writer you probably have never heard of. Do yourself a favor: BUY Mule Variations (or any of his other 20 or so that have come out since 1972).

Now, BEFORE you give up on it as something that sounds hard, gravely voiced, overly percussive, or confusing: LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN to it over and over again, at least five times.

If you know anything about music, you will start to hear the layers, the depth. The stuff that absolutely gets under your skin and into your brain and won't let go.