On December 7 in 1949, Thomas Alan Waits was born in Pomona, California. While in elementary school, Tom began learning to play some instruments. His father, who would divorce Tom’s mom when Tom was ten, taught the boy to play the ukulele. And an uncle’s gravely voice would later inspire the singer-songwriter to adopt his own singing voice as the adult Tom Waits.
One of my favorite Tom Waits song is “On the Nickel,” a song he calls “a little wino’s nursery rhyme” in the video below from a 1978 Austin City Limits episode. I first fell in love with the song when it stood out for me on his 1980 Heartattack and Vine
As Waits further explains, the name “the nickel” is a reference to Fifth Avenue in Los Angeles. But even if you did not know the song was about the homeless, you cannot help feeling the melancholy sound of the song. “On the Nickel” intertwines nursery rhymes that connect hopeful childhoods to lost adults, with themes that could apply to anyone.
So what becomes of all the little boys?
The sandman takes you where
You’ll be sleepin’ with a pillow man,
On the Nickel over there.
If you know the song, you may have wondered about the reference to Grady Tuck (“You can skip the light with Grady Tuck on the nickel over there”). Tuck was a San Diego musician.
Check out this live 1979 performance of “On the Nickel.”
What is your favorite song by Tom Waits? Another one of my favorites is “San Diego Serenade.” Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
Hey chimesfreedom, so grateful for your offerings on this page. I had Mule Variations in my cabinet and while packing to move, I played it. Wow, I fell in love with all the ways you can describe this man, his voice and the words he puts into the music. He is deep, amazing, I can’t stop listen and the more I do the more I discover. What is the best way to instantly or close to it, hear what you want? Pandora doesn’t work for me. Youtube is instant, but not mobil. How do you collect the music you feel you want to own, or is it better to just tune in. Tom Waits forever, the man is a total talent, I am so grateful for his presence, he has given me such joy but I am affected by his words profoundly, so moving. I lost my brother to alcohol and drugs at 56, in 1998, I pray… And God Bless you and all you do, you too have enter my life. XO
Thanks for the comment. I agree Tom Waits is great, and Mule Variations is a wonderful album. Sorry about your brother, take care of yourself.
As for listening to music, I’m still a little stuck in the past as I buy the music and take it with me on my iPod or phone. I used to like Google Play service until they ended it. There are some services like Amazon Prime where you subscribe for a monthly fee and they let you download any albums for travelling (although you lost them when you stop the subscription).
Spotify has a good selection of Waits’ work. Check out Sean Rowe too.
Thanks. Take care.