Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards

Untitled

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Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards is a limited edition three CD set by Tom Waits, released by the ANTI- label on November 17, 2006 in Europe and on November 21, 2006 in the United States.

The set is a collection of 24 rare and 30 brand new songs. Each disc is intended to be a separate collection in itself; the first disc with the more roughcut rock and blues cuts, the second the more melancholy tunes and ballads, and the third disc having the more experimental songs and spoken word pieces. The liner notes claim there are "56 songs, of which 30 are new". Waits has described the collection as

A lot of songs that fell behind the stove while making dinner, about 60 tunes that we collected. Some are from films, some from compilations. Some is stuff that didn't fit on a record, things I recorded in the garage with kids. Oddball things, orphaned tunes.

The Orphans Tour was conducted in support of the album prior to its release.

Subdivision into three albums

On the decision to organize the songs into three themed albums, under the titles Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards, Waits said in interview:

It was just a big pile of songs. It's like having a whole lot of footage for a film. It needs to be arranged in a meaningful way so it will be a balanced listening experience. You have this big box with all these things in it and it doesn't really have any meaning until it's sequenced. It took some doing. There's a thematic divide, and also pacing and all that. There are different sources to all these songs and they were written at different times. Making them work together is the trick.

Brawlers, the most rock and blues-oriented of the three collections, contains songs covering themes ranging from failed relationships ("Lie to Me", "Walk Away"), floods and subsequent havoc ("2:19"), and a song about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ("Road to Peace"); and incorporates musical styles such as bluesy gospel ("Ain't Goin' Down to the Well", "Lord I've Been Changed") and sentimental tunes ("Lucinda", "Sea of Love").

Bawlers is composed of mostly downbeat numbers, replacing the hope of ballads on previous albums with resignation (notably "Bend Down the Branches", "Little Drop of Poison", "Fannin Street", "Little Man", and "Widow's Grove"). The track "Down There by the Train" was written by Waits for Johnny Cash, and was first released on Cash's first American Recordings album. Waits claims to have originally intended to call this part of the compilation Shut Up and Eat Your Ballads.

Bastards is concerned with Waits' more experimental musical styles, opening with an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's poem "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" (music by Kurt Weill) and continuing on "Children's Story", which is an excerpt of Robert Wilson's production of Georg Büchner's unfinished 1837 play Woyzeck, the score of which Waits wrote and later released as his Blood Money album. The disc contains other literary adaptations, including a Charles Bukowski poem about enlightenment ("Nirvana") and two songs, "Home I'll Never Be" and "On the Road", originally penned by Jack Kerouac.

Reception

The album was released to very positive reviews. It ranked #2 on Metacritic's Top 30 albums of 2006, just behind Savane by Ali Farka Toure, and was nominated for the 2006 Shortlist Music Prize and the 2007 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

The album was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipping over 500,000 copies in the United States and sold over one million copies worldwide making it his best selling album to date.

Alternate editions

Some copies of the initial "limited edition" are autographed by Waits.

A limited amount of other copies came with a special vinyl single, including the songs "Lie to Me" and "Crazy About My Baby".

A 7-disc vinyl box set of the album was released on December 8, 2009. This set contains six additional tracks not found on the CD version.

Chart information

Chart	Peak position
Billboard 200	74
Australia	56
Austria	15
Switzerland	22

CD Track listing

All songs by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, except where otherwise noted.

Disc one: Brawlers

1. "Lie to Me" – 2:10
2. "LowDown" – 4:15
3. "2:19" – 5:02
   • Appears on the Waits-produced John P. Hammond recording Wicked Grin (2001)
4. "Fish in the Jailhouse" – 4:22
5. "Bottom of the World" – 5:42
   • Appears in the 2003 documentary film Long Gone
6. "Lucinda" – 4:52
   • (Covered by Jonathan Richard)
7. "Ain't Goin' Down to the Well" (Lead Belly, John Lomax, Alan Lomax) – 2:28
8. "Lord I've Been Changed" (trad. arr. Waits, Brennan) – 2:28
   • Appears on the Waits-produced John P. Hammond recording Wicked Grin as "I Know I've Been Changed" (2001)
9. "Puttin' on the Dog" – 3:39
   • Appears in the 1999 comedy-drama film Liberty Heights
10. "Road to Peace" – 7:17
11. "All the Time" – 4:33
12. "The Return of Jackie and Judy" (Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:28
    • Previously released on the Ramones tribute album We're a Happy Family (2003)
13. "Walk Away" – 2:43
    • Previously released on the Dead Man Walking soundtrack recording (1996)
14. "Sea of Love" (Phil Phillips, George Khoury) – 3:43
    • Previously released on the Sea of Love soundtrack recording (1989)
15. "Buzz Fledderjohn" – 4:12
    • Previously released on the "Hold On" single (1999)
16. "Rains on Me" (Waits, Chuck E. Weiss) – 3:20
    • Previously released on Chuck E. Weiss' 1999 Extremely Cool, then on Free the West Memphis 3 in 2000. This is the latter version.

Disc two: Bawlers

1. "Bend Down the Branches" – 1:06
   • Previously released on For the Kids (2002), an album featuring renditions of children's songs by various artists
2. "You Can Never Hold Back Spring" – 2:26
   • Originally appeared in the 2005 Roberto Benigni film The Tiger and the Snow.
3. "Long Way Home" – 3:10
   • Previously released on the Big Bad Love soundtrack recording (2001)
   • (Covered by Norah Jones, on her 2004 album Feels like Home)
4. "Widow's Grove" – 4:58
5. "Little Drop of Poison" – 3:09
   • Previously released on The End of Violence and Shrek 2 soundtrack recordings. The "End of Violence" version differs from this, which is the Shrek 2 version.
6. "Shiny Things" – 2:20
7. "World Keeps Turning" – 4:16
   • Previously released on the Pollock (2001) soundtrack recording
8. "Tell It to Me" – 3:08
   • Previously recorded as a duet with Ramblin' Jack Elliot as "Louise (Tell It To Me)" (from Elliot's Friends of Mine). This version differs from the original with Elliot's absence, and a change in time signature.
9. "Never Let Go" – 3:13
   • Previously appeared on the soundtrack for the 1992 Martin Bell film American Heart.
10. "Fannin Street" – 5:01
    • Song appears on the Waits-produced John P. Hammond recording Wicked Grin (2001) performed by John Hammond. This version by Waits.
11. "Little Man" (Teddy Edwards) – 4:33
    • Previously released on Mississippi Lad, an album by Teddy Edwards released in 1991 on the Verve Label
12. "It's Over" – 4:40
    • Previously appeared in a different take on the soundtrack to the 1999 film Liberty Heights.
13. "If I Have to Go" – 2:15
    • Originally from Waits' 1986 theatre play Franks Wild Years, although not released on the studio album of the same name
14. "Goodnight Irene" (Lead Belly, Gussie L. Davis) – 4:47
15. "The Fall of Troy" – 3:01
    • Previously released on the Dead Man Walking soundtrack recording (1996)
16. "Take Care of All My Children" – 2:31
    • Appears in the 1984 documentary film "Streetwise"
17. "Down There by the Train" – 5:39
18. "Danny Says" (Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:05
19. "Jayne's Blue Wish" – 2:29
    • Previously released on the Big Bad Love soundtrack recording (2002)
20. "Young at Heart" (Carolyn Leigh, Johnny Richards) – 3:41

Disc three: Bastards

1. "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" (Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht) – 2:09
   • From the Threepenny Opera
   • Previously released on the various-artists Weill tribute album Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill (1985)
2. "Children's Story" – 1:42
   • Based on Georg Büchner's Woyzeck (public domain)
3. "Heigh Ho" (Frank Churchill, Larry Morey) – 3:32
   • From the 1937 Walt Disney film Snow White And the Seven Dwarfs
   • Previously released on the various-artists Disney tribute album Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films (1988)
4. "Army Ants" – 3:25
5. "Books of Moses" (Skip Spence) – 2:49
   • Previously released on More Oar, a 1999 various-artists tribute to Spence and his solo album Oar.
6. "Bone Chain" – 1:03
7. "Two Sisters" (traditional, arr by Waits / Brennan) – 4:55
8. "First Kiss" – 2:40
9. "Dog Door" (Waits, Brennan, Mark Linkous) – 2:43
   • With Sparklehorse; previously released on the Sparklehorse album It's a Wonderful Life (2001)
10. "Redrum" – 1:12
11. "Nirvana" – 2:12
    • Words: Charles Bukowski
12. "Home I'll Never Be" – 2:28
    • Words: Jack Kerouac
13. "Poor Little Lamb" (William J. Kennedy, Waits) – 1:43
14. "Altar Boy" – 2:48
    • Originally written for Alice; an earlier version can be found on The Alice Demos, under the title "What Became Of Old Father Craft?"
15. "The Pontiac" – 1:54
    • Originally released on the 1987 spoken word compilation Smack My Crack
16. "Spidey's Wild Ride" – 2:03
17. "King Kong" (Daniel Johnston) – 5:29
    • Previously released on the Johnston tribute album The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered (2004)
18. "On the Road" – 4:14
    • Words: Jack Kerouac. Originally appeared on the 1999 album Jack Kerouac Reads On the Road.
19. "Dog Treat" (Hidden track) – 2:56
    • Live recording
20. "Missing My Son" (Hidden track) – 3:38

Vinyl Track listing

Disc one

1. "Lie to Me" – 2:10
2. "LowDown" – 4:15
3. "2:19" – 5:02
4. "Fish in the Jailhouse" – 4:22
5. "Bottom of the World" – 5:42
6. "Lucinda" – 4:52
7. "Ain't Goin' Down to the Well" – 2:28
8. "Lord I've Been Changed" – 2:28

Disc two

1. "Puttin' on the Dog" – 3:39
2. "Road to Peace" – 7:17
3. "All the Time" – 4:33
4. "The Return of Jackie and Judy" – 3:28
5. "Walk Away" – 2:43
6. "Sea of Love" – 3:43
7. "Buzz Fledderjohn" – 4:12
8. "Rains on Me" – 3:20

Disc three

1. "Bend Down the Branches" – 1:06
2. "You Can Never Hold Back Spring" – 2:26
3. "Long Way Home" – 3:10
4. "Widow's Grove" – 4:58
5. "Little Drop of Poison" – 3:09
6. "Shiny Things" – 2:20
7. "World Keeps Turning" – 4:16
8. "Tell It to Me" – 3:08
9. "Never Let Go" – 3:13
10. "Fannin Street" – 5:01

Disc four

1. "Little Man" – 4:33
2. "It's Over" – 4:40
3. "If I Have to Go" – 2:15
4. "Goodnight Irene" – 4:47
5. "The Fall of Troy" – 3:01
6. "Take Care of All My Children" – 2:31
7. "Down There By the Train" – 5:39
8. "Danny Says" – 3:05
9. "Jayne's Blue Wish" – 2:29
10. "Young at Heart" – 3:41

Disc five

1. "What Keeps Mankind Alive" – 2:09
2. "Children's Story" – 1:42
3. "Heigh Ho" – 3:32
4. "Army Ants" – 3:25
5. "Books of Moses" – 2:49
6. "Bone Chain" – 1:03
7. "Two Sisters" – 4:55
8. "First Kiss" – 2:40
9. "Dog Door" – 2:43
10. "Redrum" – 1:12

Disc six

1. "Nirvana" – 2:12
2. "Home I'll Never Be" – 2:28
3. "Poor Little Lamb" – 1:43
4. "Altar Boy" – 2:48
5. "The Pontiac" – 1:54
6. "Spidey's Wild Ride" – 2:03
7. "King Kong" – 5:29
8. "On the Road" – 4:14
9. "Dog Treat" – 2:56
10. "Missing My Son" – 3:38

Disc seven

1. "Crazy 'Bout My Baby"
2. "Diamond in Your Mind"
3. "Cannon Song"
4. "Pray"
5. "No One Can Forgive Me"
6. "Mathie Grove"

Personnel

• Tom Waits – vocals, guitar, pump organ, keyboards, percussion
• Dave Alvin – guitar
• Anges Amar – whistles
• Ara Anderson – trumpet
• Ray Armando – percussion
• Bobby Baloo – cowbells, boulders
• Bobby Black – steel guitar
• Michael Blair – drums, percussion
• Andrew Borger – percussion
• Brain – percussion
• Matt Brubeck – bass
• Dan Cantrell – accordion
• Ralph Carney – saxophone
• Crispin Cioe – saxophone
• Bent Clausen – banjo, piano
• Les Claypool – bass
• Jimmy Cleveland – trombone
• Harry Codyc – banjo
• Greg Cohen – bass
• Eddie Davis – banjo
• Darrel Devore – circular violin
• Seth Ford-Young – bass
• Steve Foreman – percussion
• Mitchell Froom – chamberlin
• Bob Funk – trombone
• Joe Gore – guitar
• Chris Grady – trumpet
• Brett Gurewitz – guitar
• Ron Hacker – guitar
• John Hammond – harmonica
• Arno Hecht – saxophone
• Billy Higgins – drums
• Art Hillery – piano
• Stephen Hodges – percussion
• Bart Hopkin – bamboo clarinet
• Trevor Horn – bass
• Carla Kihlstedt – violin
• Guy Klucevsek – accordion
• Gary Knowlton – keyboards
• Mike Knowlton – guitar
• Larry LaLonde – guitar
• Adam Lane – bass
• Mark Linkous – guitar, bass, drums
• Paul "Hollywood" Litteral – trumpet
• Charlie Musselwhite – harmonica
• Tom Nunn – The Bug
• Eric Perney – bass
• Nic Phelps – horns
• Dan Plonsey – clarinet
• Steve Prutsman – piano
• Marc Ribot – guitar
• Bebe Risenfors – clarinet
• Gino Robair – percussion
• Mike Silverman – bass
• Jeff Sloan – percussion
• Nolan Smith – trumpet
• Matthew Sperry – bass
• Colin Stetson – saxophone
• Larry Taylor – bass
• Francis Thumm – piano
• Leroy Vinnegar – bass
• Casey Waits – drums
• Sullivan Waits – guitar
• Richard Waters – waterphone
• Tom Yoder – trombone

External links

• ANTI.com information page
• Tom Waits Library - Lyrics and information on all of the songs on Orphans