Yes this is a great album.

although it's blasphemy to omit "you can never hold back spring," you hit most of my other favorites here - it's tough to narrow down such a flawless record though (a cacophony mess whose whole equals more than the sum of its parts)

Great idea, I'll give your tracklisting a whirl. But quick question: "Louise"? I can't seem to find this track on my copy-- is this just a typo?

Tom Waits is classic! I'll admit I haven't been too fond of anything he's done since "Black Rider". His career has had many phases. But I love him just the same.

Very cool. A lot of these are favorites of mine from that set.

eraserhead9 - i am glad someone is paying attention. tell it to me was first recorded by ramblin' jack elliot on his friends of mine album as louise. i hadn't noticed the name change since i am so familiar with it. i will correct it. thanks!

Excellent idea, Tom. I think that each of the three discs stand on their own very well but I like this distillation. Don't know if I would agree with "Best Ever" but I'll give you "Best Since Rain Dogs" (just slightly edging Bone Machine.)

mark

i think consensus is that rain dogs is tom's finest moment but adopted has an unfair advantage. if you combined raindogs with swordfishtrombone and frank's wild years it would win easy.

great idea for a great album . . . . I'm probably with Mark but I know where you're comng from too. Excellent job . . . .

Memo to self, " Must spend more time listening to Monsieur Waites!"

I'll admit I like the early boozy ballady stuff best... but anything bearing the Tom name gets a thumbs-up.

Great job, as usual, and I'm just nitpicking, but I love 'The Return of Jackie and Judy', 'Down There by the Train' plus his version of 'Goodnight Irene' (right up there with the Ry Cooder/Flaco JimTnez version and the Leadbelly original, IMnotsoHO). I'm really to see that spot-on Sea of Love, though.

heh, i been thinking of doing this m'self and then here you are beating me to it. how good is Orphans? if anyone told me they listened to Brawlers at least (which i've been thinking recently is what Real Gone *should have been*) and didn't like it, I'd have to assume they're not fluent with the English language, you know, the one Tom sings in. or something. your Brawlers selections are impeccable -- "Lie To Me", "Bottom Of The World", "Lucinda", "All The Time", and "Walk Away" are all essential. we've got pretty different tastes in Bawlers and Bastards, but i'm sure those have got to be more personal anyway, and I'm chuffed as heck to see "Long Way Home" and "Widow's Grove". I'd personally cut "Shiny Things" and as many other Bawlers as are necessary to put in my two favorite Bastards, "Army Ants" and "First Kiss", as well as maybe "LowDown", but i don't think that's going to stop me from making this mix for myself, if it's as easy as it looks....

Very nicely scrambled. The last couple are especially well-placed.