Used Songs 1973–1980 cover

Used Songs 1973–1980

Tom Waits · 2001

77 min · 16 tracks · blues · jazz

A haunting blend of smoky jazz, bluesy grit, and experimental storytelling that encapsulates urban melancholy.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • urban melancholy with reflective moments
  • wave-like pacing with dynamic shifts
  • storytelling that invites deep listening
  • for late-night solitude
  • cathartic emotional release in peaks

Maybe skip if you want

  • prefer instant gratification tracks
  • avoid narrative-driven experiences

Where this album fits

Career context
Released in 2001, 'Used Songs 1973–1980' compiles Tom Waits' earlier work as he was transitioning into a more avant-garde phase. This album follows his commercial peak with 'Mule Variations' (1999) and showcases his evolution from barroom balladeer to an experimental artist, melding various genres and styles.
Stylistic neighbors
Leonard Cohen· Nick Cave· Captain Beefheart
If this clicks, go next to
Blood Money — Continues the atmospheric storytelling with a darker, theatrical edge.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Heartattack and Vine 4:44
  • 2 Eggs and Sausage (in a Cadillac With Susan Michelson) 4:23
  • 3 A Sight for Sore Eyes 4:41
  • 4 Whistlin’ Past the Graveyard 3:16
  • 5 Burma Shave 6:33
  • 6 Step Right Up 5:40
  • 7 Ol’ ’55 3:58
  • 8 I Never Talk to Strangers 3:38
  • 9 Mr. Siegal 5:14
  • 10 Jersey Girl 5:10
  • 11 Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis 4:32
  • 12 Blue Valentines 5:51
  • 13 (Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night 3:51
  • 14 Muriel 3:34
  • 15 Wrong Side of the Road 5:14
  • 16 Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen) 6:35

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata