Song by Song is a podcast celebrating the music of Tom Waits, hosted by podcaster-musician Martin Zaltz Austwick and actor-musician Sam Pay. Sam and Martin set themselves the goal of listening to Tom Waits’s back catalogue from beginning to end, and devoting an episode to discussing each track. Song by Song is in no way officially linked to Tom Waits, or endorsed by Tom Waits, or associates. All excerpts are used for criticism purposes - please purchase your own copies of the music at your favourite shop, app, or platform to get the full experience and support musicians' work.
http://songbysong.libsyn.com/website
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 6 days 3 hours 32 minutes
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episode 23: Straight to the Top (Vegas), Big Time [film], Tom Waits [166]
Martin and Sam welcome back Gabriel Ebulue of The Three Track podcast to take another look at the horrific wedding-singer persona expressed in this version of Straight To The Top. With cameos from other figures from the Tom Waits Players and theories...
episode 22: Old Favourites, Big Time [film], Tom Waits [165]
Taking a deep cut into Tom Waits's back catalogue, Sam and Martin discuss his beautiful reworking of the songs we all knew and grew to love as children. C'mon. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and...
episode 21: Hang on St Christopher, Big Time [film], Tom Waits [164]
Back on the road with Tom Waits, Martin and Sam struggle with the sound effects breaking into the music, embrace the driving bass line in this live version and note how awful it is celebrating a birthday around actors. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz...
episode 20: Shore Leave, Big Time [film], Tom Waits [163]
Regular Big Time contributor Philippa Spanos returns for her third visit, laying out the physical space described by Waits in the next film-only version of Shore Leave. Back "in the studio", Sam and Martin talk about the scale and strength of Waits's...
episode 19: Franks Wild Years, Big Time [film], Tom Waits [162]
As we dive into the first of the Big Time film-only tracks, Martin and Sam look at the imagery in the film as well as the looser feel of the lyrics in this later interpretation of the life of Frank O'Brien. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and...
episode 18: Time, Big Time, Tom Waits [161]
As we reach the end of the album, Waits produces a great version of this quiet mournful tune, for once communicating the meaning and poetry of the lyrics in a clearer and more connected way. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two...
episode 17: Gun Street Girl, Big Time, Tom Waits [160]
Sam and Martin head into the final tracks of the Big Time album struggling with the energy of this version of Gun Street Girl, as well as questioning the purpose of a narrative song that seems to be uninterested in its own narrative. Song by Song is...
episode 16: Clap Hands, Big Time, Tom Waits [159]
Helen Zaltzman returns to take another listen to this track from Rain Dogs, now with 100% more terrifying childcatcher. More deprioritised lyrics here, and as Waits works more to enhance the sinister feel of the song, we discuss some of its...
episode 15: Telephone Call from Istanbul, Big Time, Tom Waits [158]
Having already cited it as a strong reinterpretation several times throughout this season, Martin and Sam celebrate this party version of Waits’s weird telephone call. Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and...
episode 14: Ruby's Arms, Big Time, Tom Waits [157]
Returning from Heartattack & Vine, Vera Chok delivers her report for this live version of Ruby’s arms, angry at the recapitulation of the disconnected dismissive attitude Waits has towards Ruby. Meanwhile Martin struggles with the cognitive...