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Tom Waits: Closing Time

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Elektra Entertainment
Released: 1973
Time:
 45:46
Category: Progressive Rock
Producer(s): Jerry Yester
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.anti.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.05.21
Price in €: 9,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Ol' 55 (Waits) - 3:58
[2] I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You (Waits) - 3:54
[3] Virginia Avenue (Waits) - 3:10
[4] Old Shoes [& Picture Postcards] (Waits) - 3:40
[5] Midnight Lullaby (Waits) - 3:20
[6] Martha (Waits) - 4:30
[7] Rosie (Waits) - 4:03
[8] Lonely (Waits) - 3:12
[9] Ice Cream Man (Waits) - 3:05
[10] Little Trip to Heaven [On the Wings of Your Love] (Waits) - 3:38
[11] Grapefruit Moon (Waits) - 4:50
[12] Closing Time (Waits) - 4:20

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


TOM WAITS - Guitar, Piano, Celeste, Vocals

BILL PLUMMER - Bass
SHEP COOKE - Guitar, Vocals
DELBERT BENNETT - Trumpet
ARNI EGILSSON - Bass
JESSE EHRLICH - Cello
PETER KLIMES - Guitar
JOHN SEITER - Drums, Backing Vocals
TONY TERRAN - Trumpet

RICHARD MOORE - Engineer
CAL SCHENKEL - Package Design
ED CARAEFF - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1973 CD Asylum 2-5061
1973 LP Asylum 5061



Tom Waits' debut album was a minor-key masterpiece filled with songs of late-night loneliness. Within the apparently narrow range of the cocktail bar pianistics and muttered vocals, Waits and producer Jerry Yester managed a suprisingly broad collection of styles, from the jazzy "Virginia Avenue" to the uptempo funk of "Ice Cream Man" and from the acoustic guitar folkiness of "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" to the saloon song "Midnight Lullaby," which would have been a perfect addition to the repertoires of Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett. Waits' entire musical approach was stylized, of course, and at times derivative — "Lonely" borrowed a little too much from Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" — and his lovelorn lyrics could be sentimental without being penetrating. But he also had a gift for gently rolling pop melodies, and he could come up with striking, original scenarios, as on the best songs, "Ol' 55" and "Martha," which Yester discreetly augmented with strings. Closing Time announced the arrival of a talented songwriter whose self-conscious melancholy could be surprisingly moving.

William Ruhlmann, All-Music Guide



It starts with a sunrise, it ends with "one star shining," and in between Closing Time contains an honest year's worth (1973, to be exact) of sweet, melodic, vintage Tom Waits - minus some of the vocal growl and thematic grit of his later stuff (but you can see it coming). Waltzes, lullabies, blues, jazz, you name it. Driving songs and drinking songs, even an honest to gosh country tune: "Rosie." There are torchers ("Lonely"), scorchers ("Ice Cream Man"), and back-porch senior citizen love songs ("Martha"): "Those were the days of roses/Poetry and prose, and/Martha, all I had was you and all you had was me." Other standouts are "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" (guess what - he does!) and "Grapefruit Moon," in which Waits croons: "Every time I hear that melody, something breaks inside." Hang on to your hearts and hats, folks.

Dan Leone, Amazon.com essential recording
 

 L y r i c s


OL' 55

Well my time went so quickly,
I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy,
God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun's coming up,
I'm riding with Lady Luck,
freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade,
and I lead the parade

Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you
that the feeling's getting stronger.

And it's six in the morning,
gave me no warning; I had to be on my way.
Well there's trucks all a-passing me,
and the lights are all flashing,
I'm on my way home from your place.

And now the sun's coming up,
I'm riding with Lady Luck,
freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade,
and I lead the parade

Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you
that the feeling's getting stronger.

And my time went so quickly,
I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55
As I pulled away slowly, feeling so holy,
God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun's coming up,
I'm riding with Lady Luck,
Freeway cars and trucks,
freeway cars and trucks,
freeway cars and trucks...


I HOPE THAT I DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU

Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue,
Well the music plays and you display
your heart for me to see,
I had a beer and now I hear you
calling out for me
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.

Well the room is crowded, people everywhere
And I wonder, should I offer you a chair?
Well if you sit down with this old clown,
take that frown and break it,
Before the evening's gone away,
I think that we could make it,
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.

Well the night does funny things inside a man
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand,
Well I turn around to look at you,
you light a cigarette,
I wish I had the guts to bum one,
but we've never met,
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.

I can see that you are lonesome just like me,
and it being late, you'd like some some company,
Well I turn around to look at you,
and you look back at me,
The guy you're with has up and split,
the chair next to you's free,
And I hope that you don't fall in love with me.

Now it's closing time, the music's fading out
Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout.
Well I turn around to look at you,
you're nowhere to be found,
I search the place for your lost face,
guess I'll have another round
And I think that I just fell in love with you.


VIRGINIA AVENUE

Well, I'm walking on down Virginia Avenue
Trying to find somebody to tell my troubles to.
Harold's club is closing,

and everybody's going on home:
What's a poor boy to do?

I'll just get on back into my short,
make it back to the fort
Sleep off all the crazy lizards inside of my brain.
There's got to be some place
that's better than this
This life I'm leading's driving me insane

And let me tell you I'm dreaming...

Let me tell you that
I'm dreaming to the twilight,
this town has got me down.
I've seen all the highlights,
I've been walking all around
I won't make a fuss, I'll take a Greyhound bus,
carry me away from here:
Tell me, what have I got to lose?

'Cause I'm walking on down Columbus Avenue
The bars are all closing,
'cause it's quarter to two
Every town I go to is like a lock without a key
Those I leave behind are catching up on me,
Let me tell you they're catching up on me,
they're catching up on me
Catching up on me, catching up on me,
catching up on me.


OLD SHOES (AND PICTURE POSTCARDS)

I'm singing this song, it's time it was sung
I've been putting it off for a while,
But it's harder by now, 'cause the truth is so clear
That I cry when I'm seeing you smile.
So goodbye, so long, the road calls me dear
And your tears cannot bind me anymore,
And farewell to the girl with the sun in her eyes
Can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone.

Every time that I tried to tell
that we'd lost the magic we had at the start,
I would weep my heart when I looked in your eyes
And I searched once again for the spark.
So goodbye, so long, the road calls me dear
And your tears cannot bind me anymore,
And farewell to the girl with the sun in her eyes
Can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone.

I can see by your eyes, it's time now to go
So I'll leave you to cry in the rain,
Though I held in my hand, the key to all joy
Honey my heart was not born to be tamed.
So goodbye, so long, the road calls me dear
And your tears cannot bind me anymore,
And farewell to the girl with the sun in her eyes
Can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone.

So goodbye, so long, the road calls me dear
And your tears cannot bind me anymore,
And farewell to the girl with the sun in her eyes
Can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone,
Can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone,
can I kiss you, and then I'll be gone.


MIDNIGHT LULLABY

Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye
Hush-a bye my baby, no need to be crying.
You can burn the midnight oil with me
as long as you will
Stare out at the moon
upon the windowsill, and dream...

Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye
Hush-a bye my baby, no need to be crying.
There's dew drops on the window sill,
gumdrops in your head
Slipping into dream land,
you're nodding your head, so dream...

Dream of West Virginia, or of the British Isles
'Cause when you are dreaming,
you see for miles and miles.
When you are much older, remember when we sat
At midnight on the windowsill,
and had this little chat
And dream, come on and dream,
come on and dream, and dream, and dream...


MARTHA

Operator, number, please:
it's been so many years
Will she remember my old voice
while I fight the tears?
Hello, hello there, is this Martha?
this is old Tom Frost,
And I am calling long distance,
don't worry 'bout the cost.
'Cause it's been forty years or more,
now Martha please recall,
Meet me out for coffee,
where we'll talk about it all.

And those were the days of roses,
poetry and prose and Martha
all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows,
we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I feel so much older now,
and you're much older too,
How's your husband?
and how's the kids?
you know that I got married too?
Lucky that you found someone
to make you feel secure,
'Cause we were all so young and foolish,
now we are mature.

And those were the days of roses,
poetry and prose and Martha
all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows,
we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I was always so impulsive,
I guess that I still am,
And all that really mattered then
was that I was a man.
I guess that our being together
was never meant to be.
And Martha, Martha,
I love you can't you see?

And those were the days of roses,
poetry and prose and Martha
all I had was you and all you had was me.
There was no tomorrows,
we'd packed away our sorrows
And we saved them for a rainy day.

And I remember quiet evenings
trembling close to you...


ROSIE

Well I'm sitting on a windowsill, blowing my horn
Nobody's up except the moon and me,
And a lazy old tomcat on a midnight spree
All that you left me was a melody.
Rosie, why do you evade? Rosie,
how can I persuade? Rosie...

And the moon's all up, full and big,
apricot tips in an indigo sky,
And I've been loving you, Rosie,
since the day I was born
And I'll love you, Rosie 'til the day I die.
Rosie, why do you evade? Rosie,
how can I persuade? Rosie...

Rosie, why do you evade? Rosie,
how can I persuade? Rosie...

And I'm sitting on a windowsill, blowing my horn
Nobody's up except the moon and me,
And a lazy old tomcat on a midnight spree
All that you left me was a melody.
Rosie, why do you evade?
Rosie, how can I persuade? Rosie...


LONELY

Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely eyes,
lonely face, lonely lonely in your place.
Lonely, lonely, lonely eyes, lonely face,
lonely lonely in your place.

I thought that I knew all that there was to,
lonely, lonely, lonely...

Melanie Jane, won't feel the pain.
Lonely, lonely, lonely eyes, lonely eyes,
lonely lonely in your place.

And I thought that I knew all that there was to
Lonely, lonely, lonely eyes, lonely eyes,
lonely lonely in your place, and
I still love you, I still love you,
lonely, lonely...


ICE CREAM MAN

I'll be clickin' by your house about two forty-five
Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise,
I got a cherry popsicle right on time
A big stick, mamma, that'll blow your mind

'Cause I'm the ice cream man,
I'm a one-man band (yeah)
I'm the ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.

Baby, missed me in the alley, baby, don't you fret
Come back around and don't forget,
When you're tired and you're hungry
and you want something cool,
Got something better than a swimming pool

'Cause I'm the ice cream man,
I'm a one-man band
I'm the ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.
'Cause I'm the ice cream man,
I'm a one-man band
I'm the ice cream man, honey,
I'll be good to you.

See me coming, you ain't got no change
Don't worry baby, it can be arranged:
Show me you can smile, baby just for me
Fix you with a drumstick, I'll do it for free

'Cause I'm the ice cream man, I'm a one-man band
I'm the ice cream man, honey, I'll be good to you.
Be good to you, be good to you,
Good to you yeah, good to you yeah,
good to you yeah, good to you yeah,
Good to you yeah, good to you,
'll be good to you, I'll be good to you...


LITTLE TRIP TO HEAVEN (ON THE WINGS OF YOUR LOVE)

Lazy trip to heaven on the wings of your love
Banana moon is shining in the sky,
Feel like I'm in heaven when you're with me
Know that I'm in heaven when you smile,
Though we're stuck here on the ground,
I got something that I've found
And it's you.

And I don't have to take no trip to outer space
All I have to do is look at your face,
And before I know it, I'm in orbit around you
Thanking my lucky stars that I've found you,
When I see your constellation,
honey, you're my inspiration,
and it's you.

You're my north star when I'm lost and feeling blue,
The sun is breaking through the clouds
don't you, don't you know it's true?
Honey, all the other stars seem dim around you
Thanking my lucky stars that I've found you,
When I see your smiling face, honey,
I know nothing ever going to take your place,
and it's you.

And it's you, and it's you,
and it's you, and it's you, and it's you
And it's you, and it's you, shoo-be-doo, ba-da-da.


GRAPEFRUIT MOON

Grapefruit moon, one star shining,
shining down on me.
Heard that tune, and now I'm pining,
honey, can't you see?
'Cause every time I hear that melody,
well, something breaks inside,
And the grapefruit moon, one star shining,
can't turn back the tide.

Never had no destination, could not get across.
You became my inspiration, oh but what a cost.
'Cause every time I hear that melody,
well, something breaks inside,
And the grapefruit moon, one star shining,
is more than I can hide.

Now I'm smoking cigarettes
and I strive for purity,
And I slip just like the stars into obscurity.
'Cause every time I hear that melody,
well, puts me up a tree,
And the grapefruit moon, one star shining,
is all that I can see.


CLOSING TIME

Instrumental

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


Currently no Samples available!