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Between the release of Heartattack and Vine in 1980 and Swordfishtrombones in 1983, Tom Waits changed labels, and transformed himself from a jazz-inflected poet/crooner into something altogether new. Swordfishtrombones marks the beginning of an obvious trilogy (Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years) that saw the emergence of Waits as a designer of soundscapes (this was the first of his albums Waits produced himself), with an overall tone that blends equal parts German cabaret, the patina of old 78s, and the sentimental power of a John McCormack ballad. Waits began using his voice in extraordinary ways here, from the sideshow bark of ?Underground? to the cough-syrup strain of ?Swordfishtrombone,? and the instrumentation changed with him, with a new clang of Harry Partch-inspired percussion and Salvation Army brass arrangements. In hindsight, there were hints of this sound on Heartattack and Vine, but nothing prepared fans for this full-blown masterpiece. 





album 1 

Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones 1983

1.  "Underground"   1:58 
2.  "Shore Leave"   4:12 
3.  "Dave the Butcher" (Instrumental) 2:15 
4.  "Johnsburg, Illinois"   1:30 
5.  "16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six"   4:30 
6.  "Town with No Cheer"   4:22 
7.  "In the Neighborhood"   3:04 
8.  "Just Another Sucker on the Vine" (Instrumental) 1:42 
9.  "Frank's Wild Years"   1:50 
10. "Swordfishtrombone"   3:00 
11. "Down, Down, Down"   2:10 
12. "Soldier's Things"   3:15 
13. "Gin Soaked Boy"   2:20 
14. "Trouble's Braids"   1:18 
15. "Rainbirds" (Instrumental) 3:05

album 2

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs 1985

1.  "Singapore"     2:46 
2.  "Clap Hands"     3:47 
3.  "Cemetery Polka"     1:51 
4.  "Jockey Full of Bourbon"     2:45 
5.  "Tango Till They're Sore"     2:49 
6.  "Big Black Mariah"     2:44 
7.  "Diamonds & Gold"     2:31 
8.  "Hang Down Your Head"   2:32 
9.  "Time"     3:55 
10. "Rain Dogs"   2:56 
11. "Midtown" (Instrumental) 1:00 
12. "9th & Hennepin"   1:58 
13. "Gun Street Girl"   4:37 
14. "Union Square"   2:24 
15. "Blind Love"   4:18 
16. "Walking Spanish"   3:05 
17. "Downtown Train"   3:53 
18. "Bride of Rain Dog" (Instrumental) 1:07 
19. "Anywhere I Lay My Head"   2:48 

album 3 

Tom Waits - Frank's Wild Years [1987

1.  "Hang on St. Christopher"     2:46 
2.  "Straight to the Top (Rhumba)"    2:30 
3.  "Blow Wind Blow"     3:35 
4.  "Temptation"     3:53 
5.  "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"     4:15 
6.  "I'll Be Gone"    3:12 
7.  "Yesterday Is Here"    2:29 
8.  "Please Wake Me Up"    3:36 
9.  "Frank's Theme"     1:49 
10. "More Than Rain"     3:52 
11. "Way Down in the Hole"     3:30 
12. "Straight to the Top (Vegas)"   3:26 
13. "I'll Take New York"     3:58 
14. "Telephone Call from Istanbul"     3:12 
15. "Cold Cold Ground"     4:07 
16. "Train Song"     3:20 
17. "Innocent When You Dream ( 78 )"     3:08 
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