“Lowdown”

Here, Waits sounds like he presides over a sludgy street kingdom full of vagabonds, hobos and drunks.  Maybe that doesn’t sound appealing, but the police don’t go around those streets, and Waits’ lyrics are gospel, prophesy, and law

Power.  This is raw, earthy, gritty, power.  “LowDown” is imposing.  Tom Waits doesn’t care if you listen to his music.  He knows you will; but he doesn’t care.  Here, Waits sounds like he presides over a sludgy street kingdom full of vagabonds, hobos and drunks.  Maybe that doesn’t sound appealing, but the police don’t go around those streets, and Waits’ lyrics are gospel, prophesy, and law.  Listen to how every grungy piece of the arrangement combines into a mudslide of sound, and be ready for the nasty, sloppy slide guitar during the vocal breaks.  “She’s a wild rose, she’s not settled, cold gun of ice blue metal, oh yeah…..my baby’s low down.”