Rain Dogs

 

In September 1985 Tom Waits released Rain Dogs, an album that marked a turning point in his music. He started his career as another folk singer who was inspired by the beat generation. It was a mixture mixture of Delta Blues, jazz and funk dominated by a voice seemed like be ruined by too many bars and cigarettes. The next years he turned more and more to rock music and great songs that were covered by many artists.

His musical style turned in 1984 when he released Swordfishtrombones, when he left classical instruments behind and replaced them with marimbas for example. It was a great album and got many critical acclaim but with Rain Dogs he made his masterpiece. 

'Rain Dogs is a term I coined for those poor devils who sleep in doorways without a home. Dogs in the rain lose their sense of direction because the water mercilessly washes away all their markings and scent trails. After heavy rain, you see these stranded creatures everywhere on the streets, turning their heads towards you, their pleading eyes begging you to show them the way home. It's hopeless. Just like them, all the people sung about on this album are connected to each other. Sewn together by a thread of pain and hardship.' Waits once said this lovingly and warmly about his milestone. These words run through all the songs on this album.

Anyone who listens to this record will find a colorful bundle of addictive melodies and lyrics that stand completely naked before the listener, without a safety net or double soundboard. Lyrically, he is as adventurous as Kerouac and as hopeless as Steinbeck. Musically, it sounds like a session between Howlin' Wolf and Kurt Weill. With so many good songs, the quality wasn't compromised by Keith Richards being allowed to play along and Marc Ribot having some of his finest moments.

In the early 1970's, Swedish photographer Anders Petterson hung out on Hamburg's Reeperbahn and photographed the guests of the legendary Cafe Lehmitz. This photograph perfectly captures the mood of the entire album.

Tom Waits - Singaphore

Tom Waits - Clap Hands

Tom Waits - Time

Twanging Tuesday # 76

Today an accumulation of a song by Eddie Cochran. Something Else was covered during the last 50 years by a lot of bands and artists and became a standard for a lot of band playing Rock 'n' Roll. Here are few versions by a couple of bands that played this song in their very own way.

Twanging Tuesday # 61

Scotty Moore was known as the leading guitarist in the early backing band of Elvis Presley. He played on many songs his unique guitar. After leaving Elvis he came along with a new band and this instrumental. Way back many well known guitar players like Keith Richards and Eric Clapton named him as a main influence of playing guitar. If nothing last from him - his thump-picking playing will.

Scotty Moore Trio - Have Love Will Travel