Tom Waits - Earth Died Screaming

ORIGINATION '92 LP
LAST LISTENED TO last week
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT high
RATING

The song fades in with what sounds suspiciously like bones being played. It's an unusual sound. But then unusual sound was something that Tom Waits had become well known for when he recorded this in 1992. His career had taken a turn for the strange back in '83 when, with encouragement of his new wife Kathleen, he had recorded 'Swordfishtrombones', an album quite different from it's predecessors. This is where he began singing in what has now become his trademark style (a kind of melodic croak) and moved away from conventional pop/rock instrumentation, incorporating some twisted Carny sounds amongst other oddities.

From the album 'Bone Machine' (which could be a clue), this song like much of Waits' material, follows a fairly conventional western structure. In this case it's a blues-sounding form. Of course it's how the song is played (and sung) that makes all the difference. Here it fades in with the curious-sounding rhythm played by 'The Boners' (Waits + wife + one), which may or may not be another clue.

Lyrically, Waits is in apocalyptic mood. Or more precisely, he is in Waits-apocalyptic mood as, with the rest of his work, it's all seen through the Waits-filter. This makes songs rich with unusual imagery that at times are quite dark. For example the second verse/chorus:

"Well hell doesn't want you
And Heaven is full
Bring me some water
Put it in this skull
I walk through the raindrops
Wait in bug house square
Army ants leave nothing but the bones
And the earth died screaming
While I lay dreaming"

It's quite dark (the apocalyptic stuff is more in the third verse) and a little odd too. It also is hard to follow what he is on about, which is all typical of Waits.

The mention of dreaming, is quite appropriate because it fits well with the imagery and feel of Waits work. Everything it slightly unreal, it's all a little scewed, but not so that you can't see were it comes from. And at times it's dark, but it never feels like a real threat, because it's a dream.

So: 'Earth Died Screaming' as a summary for Tow Waits' career since 1983. That's all a bit much for having just gotten out of bed. I fear i may have to go back there now.