ABOUT THIS ITEM

"Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards" is a spectacular musical journey, which visits almost every genre of American song tradition. This box set redefines the words ‘Deluxe’ or ‘Collectors Edition’. With 7 LPs of 180 gram vinyl, six previously unreleased songs, a 32-page book featuring lyrics and insight, and a beautiful hardbound box, the collection captures the full scope of Tom Waits’ shamanic powers as a vocalist, literary lyricist, romantic melodist, innovative arranger and pioneer of sonic worlds.
The set, which took over three years to compile and record, is grouped by genre with songs guaranteed to move and shake the heart, the body, the mind and most unquestionably the soul.
Each of the albums separately arranged and sub-titled – "Brawlers", "Bawlers" and "Bastards" to encapsulate the full range of Waits’ nomadic scope of musical styles.

"Brawlers" - is packed with full throated juke joint stomp, boogies and riotous blues. It’s roadhouse Waits. He chugs, whistles and screams. It’s primal steaming surreal blues. He channels the Stones, Beefheart, Muddy Waters and T-Rex. One new one, ‘Low Down’ is raw garage rock with Waits’ 20 year old son, Casey on drums and San Francisco’s white trash blues icon, Ron Hacker, on guitar.

"Bawlers" - Lonesome ballads about the sadness at the end of the road are framed by tender songs of innocence and green hope. The plaintive hill country laments of, ‘Tell It To Me’ and the cautionary tale, ‘Fannin Street’ blend poignantly with saloon songs of betrayal and despair (‘The World Keeps Turning’) Celtic waltzes and bitter cabaret torch songs like, ‘It’s Over’ and ‘Little Drop Of Poison’, all of which explore what the heart gives and what it takes away.

"Bastards" - explores the strange and unusual side of Waits, who is peculiar by nature. Contained here is experimental music and scary tales. There are uncategorizable diversions into this dark side. It tunnels beneath the city with spiels, rants, mouth rhythms, including a poignant reminiscence of car ownership, a Ramones cover and a version of Daniel Johnston’s, ‘King Kong’, a disturbing bedtime story,(not for children faint of heart), and a poem by Charles Bukowski. It has insects, murder, drowning and insanity. Or as ma says, the full dinner menu.

Brawlers -
LP 1 & 2:
1 Lie To Me
2 Low Down
3 2:19
4 Fish In The Jailhouse
5 Bottom Of The World
6 Lucinda
7 Ain't Goin' Down To The Well
8 Lord I've Been Changed
9 Puttin' On The Dog
10 Road To Peace
11 All The Time
12 Return Of Jackie And Judy
13 Walk Away
14 Sea Of Love
15 Buzz Fledderjohn
16 Rains On Me

Bawlers -
LP 3 & 4:
1 Bend Down The Branches
2 You Can Never Hold Back Spring
3 Long Way Home
4 Widow's Grove
5 Little Drop Of Poison
6 Shiny Things
7 World Keeps Turning
8 Tell It To Me
9 Never Let Go
10 Fannin Street
11 Little Man
12 It's Over
13 If I Have To Go
14 Goodnight Irene
15 Fall Of Troy
16 Take Care Of All My Children
17 Down There By The Train
18 Danny Says
19 Jayne's Blue Wish
20 Young At Heart

Bastards -
LP: 5 & 6:
1 What Keeps Mankind Alive
2 Children's Story
3 Heigh Ho
4 Army Ants
5 Books Of Moses
6 Bone Chain
7 Two Sisters
8 First Kiss
9 Dog Door
10 Redrum
11 Nirvana
12 Home I'll Never Be
13 Poor Little Lamb
14 Altar Boy
15 Pontiac
16 Spidey's Wild Ride
17 King Kong
18 On The Road
19 Dog Treat
20 Missing My Son

Bonus -
LP 7:
1 Crazy 'Bout My Baby
2 Diamond In Your Mind
3 Cannon Song
4 Pray
5 No One Can Forgive Me
6 Mathie Grove