The Tom Waits Project: #11. "Frank's Wild Years" (1987)

There are few artists who have had as enjoyably weird of a career as that of Tom Waits. With a career spanning over 45 years, he has reinvented himself countless times while providing some of rock's strangest, most eclectic tunes imaginable. Over the course of 2019, my goal with The Tom Waits Project is to explore every single one of his studio albums as well as live albums and soundtracks (no compilations) and chart the shifts in his career as well as hopefully understand what makes him so ubiquitous in pop culture. He's an artist who has always been there, making things weird, but there's a good chance you haven't truly noticed him. Here's your chance to join me every other Wednesday on a quest to find out what makes him so special.

Album: "Frank's Wild Years

Release Date: August 17, 1987

Label: Island Records

Certifications: N/A

Singles: 

-N/A

Track List:

1. ""Hang On St. Christopher"
2. "Straight to the Top (Rhumba)
3. "Blow Wind Blow"
4."Temptation"
5. "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"
6. "I'll Be Gone"
7. "Yesterday is Here"
8. "Please Wake Me Up"
9. "Frank's Theme"
10. "More Than Rain"
11. "Way Down in the Hole"
12. "Straight to the Top (Vegas)"
13. "I'll Take New York"
14. "Telephone Call From Istanbul"
15. "Cold Cold Ground"
16. "Train Song"
17. "Innocent When You Dream (78)"

*NOTE: Listen to it here.

Track Analysis

This section is a song by song breakdown in hopes of understanding what makes each song special in his catalog. Other things considered will include best song, most interesting standout, and other fields deemed relevant to the album.

"Hang On St. Christopher"

This is the end of a trilogy that started with "Swordfishtrombones," so one has to wonder what the connecting tissue has been. One of the clear signs is that each album has begun with some sort of transport as if Tom Waits is taking us to a place we've never been. In this case, he manages to make the drums and horns sound like a railroad track as he sings in a distorted voice. Is he talking through a pipe or maybe an intercom? Whatever the case may be, it's exciting to hear him try to get St. Christopher's attention. He wants to stop for something, and hopefully, the album will continue to explore just what that is.

"Straight to the Top (Rhumba)"

Once again, the album has settled into a rhythm that is unique to itself. Where the previous song was distorted, this one is the familiar yell of Tom Waits as he boasts about going to the top. It may be in the style of rhumba, but the percussion still sounds mechanical, as if he's being lifted to somewhere. In fact, there's a point where the sound of a crowd appears. One has to wonder what he's doing there, but he's sure happy to be there. It's an upbeat song and one that captures him managing to mix his style with narrative lyrics and horns that sound a bit too warped to be there. It's a perfect fantasy of someone succeeding in the face of misfortune, and hopefully, things will turn around from here.

"Blow Wind Blow"

While there have been many ways that Tom Waits has played with his voice over the years, he hasn't quite sounded like this. His voice sounds ancient as if coming from an old vinyl record that has been warped. It's a nice juxtaposition to the glockenspiel that plays next to it. While the instrument connotates something more upbeat and positive, its slow patterns capture something sadder in Waits' performance. He's singing about the miseries of life, which is an interesting juxtaposition to the previous song. Is it supposed to be a compare and contrast to success and failure? Or is it part of Frank's wild year that he's constantly out on the street and wasting his good fortune?

"Temptation"

If this is isn't Tom Waits' best record, it definitely ranks among his weirdest choices. Whereas he's established patterns and a vocal style by now, there hasn't been a song that's felt the same since. While that's a good thing, it's also bizarre to hear him growing high pitched as he sings about temptations. The melody in the chorus though is fun and the random voice adds so much weight to the overall experience. Still, it works with the theory that this is Frank's wild year and he's suffering from his demons in that he needs to not waste his money on diamonds. He needs to have focus, and he's just not getting there. Still, it would be odd if Waits managed to do 17 different voices on this album just to give this a variety that he's never done before.

"Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"

Once again, Tom Waits feels like he's wandering around a neighborhood and has taken himself back to where he's most comfortable: a bar. Unlike his previous rounds here, he seems to be drunk while singing, accompanied by a man who is likely out of time with him because he is also drunk. There is a humming in the background and there's a sense that there are glasses in the air, singing in unison with someone as a piano clangs two notes randomly throughout the song. Even if Waits believes what he's singing at the moment, there's a sense that he's done some shady stuff and is trying to justify his negative actions. It's another subversive song that has layers, even if just in the sense that nobody trusts him and he believes that he's a good person.

"I'll Be Gone"

The sound of a rooster is definitely a nice little connection to the previous song. Considering that he likely woke up hungover, he wakes up and decides to "steal your paychecks" after "drinking shipwrecks." There's so much imagery in this song that is accompanied perfectly by a harpsichord and makes the jaunty beat feel far more lively than this song should be. It's one of the more fun songs so far and manages to create another interesting juxtaposition. If he's doing this at night, why is a rooster crowing? It seems like it's a little joke on the listener, asking them to try and understand the psychology of a night owl who has all sorts of problems going for him.

"Yesterday Is Here"

Considering the trajectory of songs as of late, it does seem like this is one of those break-up songs that seem inevitable. He's singing to someone who wants to go back to the ways of yesterday. However, there's way too much grey clouds and sadness in the future for him to have any way back to it. Considering how it feels clairvoyant in comparison to the other songs, it feels like one of those moments where he's thinking soberly, accepting his fate in life and simply going for the ride. Add in that the guitar seems to be trudging along with, it's a bittersweet tale of a criminal, who doesn't sound the least bit regretful for his actions.

"Please Wake Me Up"

It's continuing down a certain hole of some kind. The voice has once again fallen into a bit of a retro vibe, lowered into a hole that is singing about divorce from a woman. This comes after a chaotic opening that clashes with itself as high notes make an incoherent pattern, suggesting a fight that leads to another clairvoyant thought. Tom Waits sounds excited about the divorce and that everything will be better when he sleeps. But, is he really all that happy otherwise? It's hard to say, though waking up would suggest that he's in some delusional sense of joy. The final instrumentation clicks like a mix between peace and a demented circus, buzzing along and waiting for something more in tune to happen. 

"Frank's Theme"

It's once again hard to tell what's really happening here. On one hand, it sounds like he's still in a state of rest. He's singing about dreaming away in that hollowed-out voice and doing so in a peaceful, swaying melody. The instruments sound once again romantic, but maybe a bit off as well. He's singing to someone about their favorite song, but following a divorce, it's hard to imagine that he's actually singing to anyone at all. Maybe this is the point of delusion where he's looking inward and talking to himself, wanting to find comfort in something that's not there. It's a song of desperation and depression, which makes it all the more deceptive in its short running time. Is this spiraling into madness? Maybe. 

"More Than Rain"

The revelation has just set in. Tom Waits is seeing the bigger picture. When he says that it's more than rain and grey skies, he's recognizing the sadness that he's currently in. He has to say goodbye to his past way of living, whether it's to his ex-wife or to whatever problems he has in his life. To place it alongside an accordion is excellent, as it emphasizes the ennui as he continues to sing in the hollowed-out style that he has for the past few songs. But his voice sounds a little louder and clearer now, meaning that something positive could be coming soon. Everyone just has to wait and see.

"Way Down in the Hole"

It is extremely difficult to hear this song and not have some preconceived notions about The Wire. It's such an integral part of what made that show so exceptional, and this Tom Waits song delivers thanks to the jumpy beat that sounds like an agitated man trying to keep it calm. Even the opening passage about walking through the garden suggests that he's trying to keep things in order. Considering the recent run of events, it makes sense why he would want to do this. Everything about this song is nervous, and it only helps to make the idea of keeping the devil way down in the hole (likely where he was) all the more poignant. Still, good luck not picturing Omar Little every time you listen to this.

"Straight to the Top (Vegas)"

After a pretty wild ride, we return to one of the motifs that started the album. Where he sounded like was going to the top before, it does sound like he's more in tune with himself now. But the question is, what is he doing in Las Vegas? He couldn't just be the lounge singer that is playing. That seems like he got his life too much in order since the last song. Odds are that he's using this as a metaphor for Frank's gambling, where he will win enough money to skyrocket to the top and make a difference in the world. While it is a cliche, even the way that the band ends the song sounds like something is out of whack. Something is going to keep him from getting there, and one has to wonder what.

"I'll Take New York"

Even if you like it, it's easy to admit that this is the worst song on the album. It has to be the worst because it embodies Tom Waits at his absolute lowest point. His trip to Las Vegas clearly didn't work out for him. He's stuck in New York now, believing that he can take the world by storm and make a difference. The only problem is that nothing is working for him. The instruments are all playing out of time and don't really have a rhythm. Waits sound drunker than usual, and the only upside is that this isn't the most incomprehensible song on here. It feels like a callback to Frank Sinatra, who went from lounge singer to doing music like "New York New York." The only difference is that he did it with class. Waits is merely there, likely out in the streets on a park bench. It's the most out there song for sure on the album, and one can hope that he gets things together.

"Telephone Call From Istanbul"

Whether or not the previous song is considered rock bottom, there's one thing for sure, there's a better sense of purpose to this song than what's been previously established. He is singing more clearly, likely because of the telephone call. He has learned not to trust a man in the blue trenchcoat, likely because he is a drug dealer who put him in that misery in the first place. This feels like the turning point for Tom Waits and vicariously Frank because it does sound like things will be getting better soon. 

"In the Cold Cold Ground"

The tone of the album seems to have shifted to something more somber. The question now is what will Frank do to redeem himself after this wild year? The answer seems to be two options: military or be dead. There's a need to find some order in his life, and he's having trouble finding it. Tom Waits sings in his gruff voice as if holding back tears, realizing the desperation that his life currently has. Accompanied mostly by an accordion, it manages to capture the sparse reality that is coming for him. The wild year is almost over, and he needs to make up his mind. Will he end up dead by the end of this album? It's really hard to say.

"Train Song"

There's even more remorse on this song, which manages to get to the heart of the matter in the clearest terms yet. Instead of merely saying that he's depressed, he explores the reason for his misery, which was an addiction that threw him into the misery that has been displayed on this album. As the chorus says succinctly, a train can take him away, but it can't take him home. There's so much heartbreak in this song and you'd wish that Tom Waits would be able to return to yesterday when things were less miserable. There's so much in the somber tone here that works, and it all feels so personal in the process. A definite standout on the penultimate track of this album.

"Innocent When You Dream (78)"

While it could be still read as a bit cryptic, it's easy to see this as the death of Frank. After all, his voice once again hollowed-out, making it sound like he's going back into the hole. Also, the imagery is more striking this time around with green hills and graveyards being referenced. There's clearly some form of death in this song, and it's the culmination of an album where Frank never found control. It's a bit anticlimactic, but it's the perfect antithesis to "Rain Dogs," which ended with something that sounded a bit more positive. Maybe this was all a three album arc of someone slowly losing their mind. Between this and the previous song, there definitely was some death, possibly suicide.

Closing Remarks

This is the ultimate conclusion of Tom Waits' trilogy of albums that started with "Swordfishtrombones," continued with "Rain Dogs," and ended with "Frank's Wild Years." What is the big message? One could get a vision of the working class struggling to make ends meet and falling into depression and addiction. That is clear. It's also among his most creative work and features a lot of great instrumentation on here that is jarring at worst and transcendent at best. It all has a thematic build that is beautiful and the way that Waits plays with his voice is always interesting. Even if this is the weakest of the three, it still conveys so much power in its execution that it's hard to ignore the artistry by which he now resides. This is the introduction to a more experimental Waits, and here's hoping it only gets more interesting from here.

Coming Up Next: "Big Time" (1988)

Album Rankings

This section is dedicated to ranking the albums from best to worst in hopes of finding which Tom Waits album is the best.

1. "Rain Dogs" (1985)
2. "Blue Valentine" (1978)
3. "Swordfishtrombones" (1983)
4. "Small Change" (1976)
5. "Frank's Wild Years" (1987)
6. "Heartattack and Vine" (1980)
7. "The Heart of Saturday Night" (1974)
8. "Nighthawks at the Diner" (1975)
9. "Foreign Affairs" (1977)
10. "Closing Time" (1973)
11. "One From the Heart" (1982)

Song Rankings

This section is dedicated to finding the best songs from each album and comparing them to each other in hopes of finding which one is Tom Waits' best song.

1. "Hang Down Your Head" from "Rain Dogs" (1985)
2. "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard" from "Blue Valentine" (1978)
3. "I Wish I Was in New Orleans" from "Small Change" (1976)
4. "Way Down in the Hole" from "Frank's Wild Years" (1987)
5. "Martha" from "Closing Time" (1973)
6. "Jersey Girl" from "Heartattack and Vine" (1980)
7. "Shore Leave" from "Swordfishtrombones" (1983)
8. "Potters Field" from "Foreign Affairs" (1977)
9. "Eggs and Sausage" from "Nighthawks at the Diner" (1975)
10. "Please Call Me Baby" from "The Heart of Saturday Night" (1974)
11. "Picking Up After You" from "One From the Heart" (1982)