FOR NO MAN
Sometimes my vitriol (not My Vitriol – their time is coming) combined with this damn cough lets me miss the obvious. So as a final word on Tom Waits I shall bring up exhibit E : “In The Neighbourhood”. Its a song from Sesame Street. Now you can argue til Robbie Williams comes out (that’s twelve years away on the George Michael career-o-meter) that Tom was subverting said original kiddies song. Much like paedophilia is subverting the usual practice of kissing your kids before they go to bed at night. The truth is plain, he may have changed the words but in tune, plot and title – its a two minute segment from Sesame Street. I’d love to see the old wino tackle “Rubber Duckie” whilst he swigs meths from a brown paper bag. Truth is Tom Waits wishes he was Oscar The Grouch, he just can’t find a trash can big enough to house his encypheloxylophone. Tom Waits – for no man: as the lowest form of wit would have it.