Tom Waits – Second Hand Stories (2006) is an overview of this maverick performer’s career since 1983 and the release of the magnificent Swordfishtrombones, up to present times. An insightful documentary reviewing the second incarnation of the legendary performer, arguably his more creative and experimental period. Through a blend of studio and performance footage, interviews and photographs, the programme tell us the story of these important Tom Waits years.
Also known as,Tom Waits: Under Review 1983-2006 (2006)
This is the pro-shot of a rare concert from Tom Waits at the Danish TV Channel in 1976, Sange efter lukketid/Songs After Closing Time also known as Elephant Beer Blues – Songs After Closing Time.
The whole show (songs and words) is subtitled in Danish. Tom is standing in the bar with a Carlsberg Elephant Beer (a very strong beer), hence the alternative title, while giving a good long rant along a jazzy tune. He then moves over to the piano and the real concert starts.
00:00 – Elephant Beer Blues (Incl. “Ghosts Of Saturday Night”, “Gee Baby Ain’t I Been Good To You” and others)
09:24 – New Coat of Paint
12:05 – Warm Beer Cold Women
18:21 – Emotional Weather Forecast
24:39 – Bad Liver And A Broken Heart
27:10 – Semi Suite
30:44 – Spare Parts I
Coffee and Cigarettes: Somewhere in California (also known as Coffee and Cigarettes III) is a 1993 black-and-white short film directed by writer/director Jim Jarmusch shot in Northern California. The film consists primarily of a conversation between Tom Waits and Iggy Pop in a coffee shop. The film would later be included in the feature-length Coffee and Cigarettes released in 2003.
The film won the Golden Palm at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival as best “Short Film”. We love the deadpan humour and the awkward dialogue. It gets better with age.
Racing in the Street is a ballad written by Bruce Springsteen, it was originally released on his album Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978). The song has been referred to as Springsteen’s best song by a number of commentators. I think it’s a great song, and some nights it’s my favourite Bruce Springsteen song.
Darkness on the Edge of Town version:
“…And “Racing in the Streets” is still perhaps the best Springsteen song ever.” – Rolling Stone magazine
Like so many times, before and since, the car is a symbol of freedom in Springsteen’s universe. Driving a car gives you the ultimate feeling of freedom in this world.
The song begins with two friends fixing up an old car. The story is made believable through Bruce’s attention to detail, he seems to know what he is talking about, “I got a ’69 Chevy with a 396, Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor”. The two friends needs the car to go racing, to earn money from street racing. As the story is told, they go from town to town and win easy money. They’re like cowboys in the old west, riding where the work is, no strings attached.
Live version from The Darkness Box, 2010, Racing in the street (-78),”Songs from The Promise”:
The protagonist/the racer and his friend Sonny hasn’t stopped living, even if they have ordinary day jobs. They come home from work, get cleaned up and starts living, they go racing in the streets.
It’s time to present some of our new favourite videos, collected here for your convenience. When I say new it just means that they’re new to us. We just found’em and want to share them. They may be from the 30s and up to the present. Enjoy!
Colter Wall’s performs songs for CBC Music’s First Play Live. Set list:
0:00 Railroad Bill
2:57 You Look to Yours
8:14 Codeine Dream
11:47 Thirteen Silver Dollars
14:54 Motorcycle
17:24 Mule Skinner Blues
20:59 Kate McCannon
King Leg – Great Outdoors (directed by Gregory Alosio & Dwight Yoakam), new to me but clearly a Yoakam influenced act, with a bit of Roy Orbison thrown into the Bakersfield stew:
Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 – January 10, 1976), known as Howlin’ Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player.
With a booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett is commonly ranked among the leading performers in electric blues; musician and critic Cub Koda declared, “no one could match Howlin’ Wolf for the singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits.” A number of songs written or popularized by Burnett—such as “Smokestack Lightnin'”, “Back Door Man”, “Killing Floor” and “Spoonful”—have become blues and blues rock standards.
Allmusic:
“A Robert Johnson may have possessed more lyrical insight, a Muddy Waters more dignity, and a B.B. King certainly more technical expertise, but no one could match him for the singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits.”
Very fine documentary, The Howlin’ Wolf Story – The Secret History Of Rock and Roll (playlist with 8 videos):
“And he used to put on such a show. He would get down on the floor, crawl like a wolf and sing in that voice: “I’m a tail dragger.” He would do this boogie-woogie thing, around and around — like the kids used to do with the hula hoops, where you had to go around and around at your waist, to keep the hoop going. That was the kind of shit he was doing. I’d see that and think, “Man, there goes the Wolf.“”
