The Tom Waits Project: #13. "Bone Machine" (1992)

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: "Bone Machine"

Release Date: September 8, 1992

Label: Island Records

Certifications: N/A

Singles: 

-"I Don't Want to Grow Up"
-"Goin' Out West"

Covers:
-The Blind Boys of Alabama - "Jesus Gonna Be Here" ("Spirit of the Century")
-Queens of the Stone Age - "Goin' Out West"
-Gomez - "Goin' Out West"
-Widespread Panic" - "Goin' Out West"
-Gov't Mule - "Goin' Out West"
-Ash Grunwald - "Goin' Out West"
-The Ramones - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Adios Amigos")
-Holly Cole - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Temptation")
-Petra Haden and Bill Frisell - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Petra Haden & Bill Frisell")
-Hayes Carll - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Trouble in Mind")
-Scarlett Johansson - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Anywhere I Lay My Head")
-Squeeze - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" ("Cradles to the Grave"
-Emily Kinney - "I Don't WannaGrow Up" (The Walking Dead)
-Kellermensch - "Dirt in the Ground" ("Kellermensch")
-Joan Baez - "Whistle Down the Wind" ("Whistle Down the Wind")

Track List:

1. "The Earth Died Screaming"
2. "Dirt in the Ground"
3. "Such a Scream"
4. "All Stripped Down"
5. "Who Are You"
6. "The Ocean Doesn't Want Me Today"
7. "Jesus Gonna Be Here"
8. "A Little Rain"
9. "In the Colosseum"
10. "Going Out West"
11. "Murder in the Red Barn"
12. "Black Wings"
13. "Whistle Down the Wind"
14. "I Don't Want to Grow Up"
15. "Let Me Down Up On It"
16. "That Feel"

*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.

"The Earth Died Screaming"

In case you forgot, Tom Waits sure loves to experiment with his sound nowadays. In a post-"Swordfishtrombones" career, he has felt more and more like an esoteric artist for the better. Here he manages to even mix styles in a way that create something unnerving and new. While yes the percussion is a fairly familiar tool of his music, it sounds like he's performing in echoing rooms, singing a song in every register from a low demonic voice to a raspy higher pitch that sounds downright horrifying. This song has so much absurdity to it that is crazy that it sets everything off on a note that's almost as bizarre as the cover image. It's the third decade of Waits' career, and he's only getting more interesting it turns out.

"Dirt in the Ground"

It's two songs in, and Waits has never been more nihilistic. Yes, he's singing some depressing songs before, but rarely has an album opened this negatively before. The first two songs are dealing with death, and specifically the idea that humanity is going to become dirt in the ground. With his voice mournful, it sounds like he pulled his vocal cords on the last song, which only adds to the trajectory of things. Will things are getting darker, or will they cheer up? There's a lot to wonder, but at least this somber little ditty is full of creative lyrics that reflect Waits at his best, managing to be sad but also painting a vivid picture of something we cannot probably fathom.

"Such a Scream"

With that said, Waits picks up the tempo a little bit, managing to mix his jazz roots with hollowed-out drums and that raspy voice as he gets to the heart of another story. More than the lyrics, this is one of the things that he's always been great at. While there's plenty conventional about the rhythm, he still manages to create a beat that is unnerving, driven by saxophones and discordant drums that just rattle the nerves. It's so much fun and captures what makes Waits distinct. It's off in a lot of ways, but when he's trying to convey something this bizarre, it's kind of perfect.

"All Stripped Down"

It's about here that one has to wonder if Tom Waits was secretly a fan of industrial music. It begins to make sense about here, especially given that he's using the echoing vocals sound as if he's deep in a factory for half of the song. The other half sounds like it's on a distorted microphone, projecting across the room and over the machines. The guitars sound more like tools than melodies, and it's all perfectly weird. It's hard to make out most of what he says, but it's so much fun to hear him stripping something down, creating a new sound and challenging himself to not be repetitive. 

"Who Are You"

After three tracks of fairly experimental material, things start to return to the center with this mournful song. What's great about Waits is that even when he's being sincere, he can pack a load of imagery into his average song that just packs a punch. He manages to make the idea of carnivals going extinct sound bittersweet. Yes, it's full of questions of identity, but the way that he places it around images of decay and violence is itself a powerful statement about what a legacy truly has. While this continues the trend of echoing voices, it feels more in line with the lyrics than the previous songs. It's hollow, but more to reflect how hollow the life being explored is. Another excellent song on an album that has yet to hit a dud.

"The Ocean Doesn't Want Me Today"

Once again, Waits returns to the world of monologues and produces a fairly melancholic track. This time, he tackles the idea of why he doesn't want to go into the ocean. It's hidden in the droll tones of his voice, contemplating his very existence. However, what makes it far eerier is how the instrumentation is sparse, managing to create its own sense of afterlife horrors that lurk after Waits. As the song fades out, the drums kick in and the heartbeat sounds like it returns the lingering hum also comes, as if creating a different kind of horror. As a whole, it's another subdued track with not a lot exceptional musically, but Waits' lyrics deserved to be parsed through here to fully appreciate his message. 

"Jesus Gonna Be Here"

There's something great about how Waits has slowly moved into using Christianity in his music. It's not the typical praise material but instead tries to find more of a working-class vibe about things. With that said, it's odd that it took him this long to find a song that's downright southern blues. The sliding guitar hits the right notes as he continues to sound like he's deep in a factory, praying that his problems go away in time for Jesus to see the best side of him. As a whole, it's a great song about how tough it is to be a great person, and that the struggles need to go away in order to be seen as a good person. Waits sell every aspect of it down to his ability to sound like a blues singer sitting out on a porch, even as his voice echoes as if boxed in a room.

"A Little Rain"

After songs with the familiar echo, this is the first song that feels entirely removed from the style, and for good cause. It sounds sober as if Waits is finally reaching a moment of clarity on the album. With the previous song suggesting that he needs to better himself, he finally starts wondering how much better he can make his life. After all, a little rain never hurt no one. It's a nice and simple song that captures the earlier days of Waits' style, showing that he still has some care for the straightforward song. Yes, there are a few odd lyrics here and there, but this is one of the more optimistic turns on the album so far.

"In the Colosseum"

Here Waits is with another narration song. This time, he sounds like an announcer introducing the various talents that are going to fight in the colosseum. What's great is once again listening to him rattle off the various details of his opponents, creating this world that is both dangerous and absurd. Luckily the way that his voice echoes and the drums sounding like hammers create this sense of menace that just compels the listener, making them wonder what is going to happen next. It's got one of the simpler choruses on this soundtrack, but it still works at making an engaging industrial-like song that gets you excited to see what happens next. Who will win in the colosseum? The best part is that he never tells you.

"Goin' Out West"

For an entire generation, this is likely the point where they know who Tom Waits is as a musician. The movie Fight Club has managed to stick around for 20 years, and it's likely that this song about absurd masculinity was chosen for obvious reasons. It is definitely one about how manly the individual is, as well as how weird they are at the same time. They're going out west to look for appreciation. With the familiar guitar and hollowed-out drums, the song is a hypnotic little ride, as if driving through the desert on a journey. It's fun and captures the spirit of Waits perfectly, if just because he could only be appreciated out west, whether literally or mentally.

"Murder in the Red Barn"

While this album doesn't have nearly as straightforward of a story as his previous albums, it definitely has a strong theme going through most of it. Here he recounts a murder that happened in a red barn. Why does red matter? I guess to add detail. Still, with the familiar thud of the percussion, it creates this sense of being bludgeoned. It also does his echoing voice justice as it makes it sound more like he's reporting from the scene of the crime. He is once again providing a fascinating story that never lets up, creating something macabre and horrifying, all while slurring his words and making himself suspicious.

"Black Wings"

Continuing through the morose themes of the album is this song that is about someone who is rather demonic. The black wings likely detail an angel who is coming to take a life away. In the imagery, he describes many of things that will disappear in death, such as an innocent child. With his voice raspy but full of conviction, he manages to convey the reality of a cruel world. There's no remorse or worry here. He's accepted fate and is now singing in a style that is direct. Things are bad, but fighting it will only make things worse. 

"Whistling Down the Wind"

Once again the theme of death shows its colors on this album. With sadness in his voice, Waits describes death in a way that's tragic but also beautiful. The idea of the sky is red and the corn taller than him suggests something deeper than an unkempt yard. He once again returns to circus imagery, suggesting that it was the source of his happiness. With the piano playing like a ballad, he's creating the image of acceptance for something he doesn't want to do. It's poetic in that sense, creating a vision that turns the hellish landscape leading up to this song into something more peaceful as if it's all just been a struggle for him to move on with his existence and whistle down the wind.

"I Don't Want to Grow Up"

Another major point on this album is this song, which inspired a popular cover by The Ramones. It's honestly how I first heard the song, and it's incredible how this is both a pop song that could be adapted to many styles and is still raspy and esoteric. Waits is in that cranky vibe again, a perfect juxtaposition to the youthful spirit. Everything about the song is great, if just because Waits is one of the few artists who probably believes all of the things he sings about here. He doesn't want to grow up. However, if you're putting this in the context of the album, it's suddenly bittersweet to think that he doesn't want to grow up because he can't. He's already whistled down the wind with black wings. What could he possibly do to age? Still, this is one of the essential songs of his career.

"Let Me Down Up On It"

The penultimate track is likely the closest that Waits ever got to releasing an industrial music track. A quarter of it is essentially a crank lifting something on a rusty conveyor belt. Meanwhile, he's singing as if trapped in a box, muted and unable to fully get out. If the themes of the album are to be assumed, does this mean that he's descending into hell, or going the other way? It's the beauty of the title even if it's been a largely nihilistic album. 

"That Feel"

As one could expect, an album obsessed with death ends on a bit of a cautionary tale. This time, it's about the value of life. He discusses how he can lose his wooden leg or glass eye, but it's harder to want to lose "that feeling." It's essentially the feeling of life and desire. Once that's gone, everything has been taken away. It's the perfect summary for an album that resonates in the world of the deceased. As one could guess, the title may be a combination of bones of human working like a machine, questioning the value of life. This track summarizes it free of any theatrics. It's straightforward, putting a sweet end to things as a crowd joins in. It isn't just Waits' life that is in question, it's everyone's.

Closing Remarks

There's a lot to love about Waits and his evolution as an artist. Still, if you were to presume that the man who started 20 years ago would make an album like this, you'd be laughed out of the room. It's so bizarre and strange yet delightfully experimental and relevant. Most artists who have aged throughout the decades usually get less interesting with each passing year. Waits has found a way to incorporate new styles into what's worked for him and create a distinctive sound. There's nothing insincere here, even if it's an album so much about death that it's at times ridiculous. Still, there's never a dull moment on the past five studio albums of Waits' career, and that's quite an achievement.

Coming Up Next: "Night on Earth" (1992)

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. "Bone Machine" (1992)
8. "The Heart of Saturday Night" (1974)
9. "Nighthawks at the Diner" (1975)
10. "Foreign Affairs" (1977)
11. "Closing Time" (1973)
12. "Big Time" (1988)
13. "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. "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" from "Bone Machine" (1992)
3. "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard" from "Blue Valentine" (1978)
4. "I Wish I Was in New Orleans" from "Small Change" (1976)
5. "Way Down in the Hole" from "Frank's Wild Years" (1987)
6. "Way Down in the Hole" from "Big Time" (1988)
7. "Martha" from "Closing Time" (1973)
8. "Jersey Girl" from "Heartattack and Vine" (1980)
9. "Shore Leave" from "Swordfishtrombones" (1983)
10. "Potters Field" from "Foreign Affairs" (1977)
11. "Eggs and Sausage" from "Nighthawks at the Diner" (1975)
12. "Please Call Me Baby" from "The Heart of Saturday Night" (1974)
13. "Picking Up After You" from "One From the Heart" (1982)