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I remember having an argument with a friend about which was more "authentic," Asylum-era Waits or the Island years and beyond. I think we agreed to disagree. While I like the earlier stuff a lot, albums like Rain Dogs, Frank's Wild Years, Mule Variations, and Bone Machine just hit me where I live - a direct shot to the psyche and heart, with no "persona" in between. Funny that the stuff previous to the Weill-influenced material seems to have more Brechtian distance to this listener...

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My introduction to Waits, by a dear, long passed away friend. For those reasons, it will always have a close place to my heart

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Heart of Saturday Night, Nighthawks at the Diner, and Small Change stayed in my car's cassette player for ages. At the time I was living a boho existence - waiting tables, working construction, etc - so they were a good soundtrack for those years of exile. Thanks for the reminder, think I'll put Nighthawks on the turntable tonight.

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