Shiver Me Timbers - The Early Years vol 2 [249]

Still no pirate-clown voice for Jeremy and Elizabeth, as Song by Song revisits this most sea-faring of Waits songs. We discuss its eulogistic tone, Waits's other oceanic music, as well as comparisons to a very different style of singing.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Shiver Me Timbers, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)

Poor Wandering One, The Pirates of Penzance, Linda Ronstadt/Gilbert & Sullivan (1981)

Poor Wandering One, The Pirates of Penzance, Linda Ronstadt - from the Wilford Leach film (via YouTube) (1983)

Both Sides Now, Both Sides Now, Joni Mitchell (2000)

The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze, The Mikado, Gilbert/Sullivan/Valerie Masterson (1885/1973)

The Sun Whose Rays, Love Waves, Veda Hille (2016)

Topsy Turvy trailer, via YouTube (dir. Leigh, 1999)

Romantic Comedy trailer, via YouTube (dir. Sankey, 2020)

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I Want You - The Early Years vol 2 [248]

Elizabeth and Jeremy return for this gentle pastoral sketch of Waits's desire for another, and discuss the universality of this wanting sentiment, traditional masculine presentations of desire in music, and the irresistible rise of girl-power.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
I Want You, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)

Wannabe, Spice, The Spice Girls (1996)

Wannabe music video, dir. Jhoan Camitz, via YouTube (1996)

Viva Forever, Guilt by Association, Jim O'Rourke (2007)

I Want You, I Want You, Marvin Gaye (1976)

I Want You (She's So Heavy), Abbey Road, The Beatles (1969)

I Want You, Blonde on Blonde, Bob Dylan (1966)

I Want You, Welcome to Condale, Summer Camp (2011)

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Nobody - The Early Years vol 2 [247]

Together again for the first time, Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley (aka Summer Camp) visit Martin and Sam for a discussion over demo-to-final-version transitions, the process of choosing tunes and harmonies, and of course… clown-pirates.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Nobody, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)

Love of My Life, Romantic Comedy, Summer Camp (2020)

Love of My Life - Electronic Demo, single b-side, Summer Camp (2020)

Exploring the Whole Tone Scale, Kari Juusela & Berklee Online via YouTube (2017)

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Innocent When You Dream - Big Time (film) [170]

Jeremy Warmsley returns for everyone's favourite, Tom Waits In A Bath. With discussion of the fusion of embodied and distanced performance, the post-modern nature of telling a story about stolen memories, and the slightly repetitious nature of the verses, we pick over our final track from Big Time.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Innocent When You Dream, Big Time (film), Tom Waits (1988)

Innocent When You Dream (Barroom), Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)

Innocent When You Dream (78), Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)

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Innocent When You Dream (Barroom) - Franks Wild Years [130]

Jeremy Warmsley returns to Song by Song for a third week to dive into one of the most sentimental songs from Franks Wild Years, and also one of our favourites. As Waits plays with truth and dreams, the image of the confident Frank against the sorrow of this ballad, and reaches back to some of his earlier writing styles, we take a listen to this track as well as another Ralph Carney collaboration with Tin Huey.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Innocent When You Dream (Barroom), Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)

New York's Finest Dining Experience, Contents Dislodged During Shipment, Tin Huey (1979)

Puppet Wipes, Contents Dislodged During Shipment, Tin Huey (1979)

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Temptation - Franks Wild Years [129]

Back with a song that appeals slightly more to him, Jeremy Warmsley debates some of the effects of Waits's pitching with Sam and Martin in this week's episode, as well as the moral questions raised surrounding sex, relationships and identity in the music of Prince.

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Temptation, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)

If I Was Your Girlfriend, Sign 'O' The Times, Prince (1987)

Temptation (music video), Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (Dir. Betzy Bromberg)

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Blow Wind Blow - Franks Wild Years [128]

Guest Host Klaxon! A hearty welcome to Jeremy Warmsley who joins us for the next few episodes of Franks Wild Years. There's some mixed feelings about the song this week, as we talk around the accessibilty of this track, meaning and tone of lyrics, and the way that even recording fidelity can make an impact on the meaning of a song. 

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Blow Wind Blow, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)

Blow Wind Blow (music video & interview), dir. Chris Blum, Franks Wild Years (1987)

I Want Wind to Blow, The Glow Pt. 2, The Microphones (2001)

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