Song by Song

Latest Episodes:

At Play In The Fields Of The Lord (film, dir. Babenco, 1991) [F13] May 05, 2021

Show notes

For this challenging film, Martin and Sam call on the Kiefer Sutherland of Song by Song, Philippa Spanos, to tackle this 3hr epic and possibly save her daughter and the president along the way. We grapple with both the shortcomings and the charm of this behemoth, and end up finding lots to like... although possibly not much from Waits himself.

Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and discussing every single Tom Waits track in chronological order.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Clips from At Play In The Fields Of The Lord, dir. Hector Babenco (1991)

We think your Song by Song experience will be enhanced by hearing, in full, the songs featured in the show, which you can get hold of from your favourite record shop or online platform. Please support artists by buying their music, or using services which guarantee artists a revenue - listen responsibly.

Cold Feet (film, dir. Dornhelm, 1989) [F09] Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

Matthew Crosby returns for another film episode, this time with at least 80% more emeralds-hidden-in-a-horse. We discuss some of the big performance choices and tonal frustrations in this mostly-forgotten 80s comedy, and assess Waits's work as an actor in perhaps his biggest film role.

Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and discussing every single Tom Waits track in chronological order.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Clips from Cold Feet, dir. Robert Dornhelm (1989)

Ironweed (film, dir. Babenco, 1987) [F06] Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

We're joined by Helen O'Hara (host of the Empire Film Podcast and author of 'Women vs Hollywood') to discuss the down-and-out misadventures of Streep, Nicholson, Waits & co in this 1987 box-office flop.

Song by Song is Martin Zaltz Austwick and Sam Pay; two musicians listening to and discussing every single Tom Waits track in chronological order.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Clips from Ironweed, dir. Hector Babenco (1987)

Gatmo Sessions Episode 2 - Sideshow Seance & Thirsty? [279-285] Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

Our second Gatmo megamix features a selection of tracks from 2007's Sideshow Seance and 2012's Thirsty? (don't forget that question-mark now), with some more positive feelings from Martin and Sam, some musings on how 'seriously' these recordings are being taken, and the visible and invisible work that goes into an artist's creative output.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Augminished Returns, Sideshow Seance, Gatmo/Waits et al (2007) Winged Audition, Sideshow Seance, Gatmo/Waits et al (2007) J.B.'s Choir, Sideshow Seance, Gatmo/Waits et al (2007) Laz Is Late, Thirsty?, Gatmo/Waits et al (2012) Crow's Landing, Thirsty?, Gatmo/Waits et al (2012) Waterphone Moan, Thirsty?, Gatmo/Waits et al (2012) My Clap Cuppeth Over, Thirsty?, Gatmo/Waits et al (2012)

Gatmo Sessions Episode 1 - Moanin' Parade & Swarm Warnings [272-278] Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

Martin and Sam convene for the first of two episodes listening to a set of improvised albums, recorded between 1992 and 2012. This week we're digging into a selection of 7 tracks from Moanin' Parade and Swarm Warnings, both released in 2000, with some fairly mixed opinions from both hosts on the quality as well as the listen-ability of the music. We also do that thing where we introduce each track separately and bump up our "episode" count significantly. I'm amazed you're still listening to be honest, we're utterly unbearable.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: I'm Big In Japan, Moanin' Parade, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) Variations Europa/Hurling Indecencies, Moanin' Parade, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) White Rabbit's Lament, Moanin' Parade, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) Mudhump, Swarm Warnings, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) You See Her Eyes, Swarm Warnings, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) In Your Underwear, Swarm Warnings, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000) Getoutoftown, Swarm Warnings, Gatmo/Waits et al (2000)

Big Face Money, Mule Variations, Tom Waits [271] Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

Sam and Martin return for a bonus episode and a bonus track, as Waits collaborates for the first time with his son on this short explosion of music from the special edition of Mule Variations. We also look back at our feelings on this fin de siècle album, consider the positives and the negatives and try to put them in their proper perspective.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Big Face Money, Mule Variations (Australian/New Zealand/Japanese bonus track), Tom Waits & Casey Waits (1999)

Come On Up To The House, Mule Variations, Tom Waits [270] Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

We're a bit mixed on this final Mule Variations track, with Shelley questioning whether Waits completely captures the gospel sound and energy. We compare it with older revivalist music, talk about the earthly imagery in songs about the afterlife, and discuss the presence of onanism in the work of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Come On Up To The House, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) This Train, The Authorised Sister Rosetta Tharpe Collection (recorded live in Manchester, UK), Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1963)

Take It With Me, Mule Variations, Tom Waits [269] Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

After a week away, Shelley Maxwell returns to celebrate this emotionally affecting track with Martin and Sam, one that seems to hit both the personal and the universal. We dig into the specifics of the lyrics, the memories linked to physical sensation and activity, and different ways "end of life" songs can be heard.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Take It With Me, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) Two Slow Dancers, Be the Cowboy, Mitski (2018)

Filipino Box Spring Hog, Mule Variations, Tom Waits [268] Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

Helen Rosner returns after a week away for one more episode with Song by Song. She brings her culinary expertise to the party, explaining for Martin & Sam (and the audience) some of the gastronomic details Waits is bringing in this Bone-Machine-era rework. We discuss the musical and geographical locators in the song, and contrast this American perspective on the Philippines with a 1990s opposite.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Filipino Box Spring Hog, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999) Not All The World Is America, Smokey Mountain, Smokey Mountain (1990)

Georgia Lee, Mule Variations, Tom Waits [267] Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

Shelley Maxwell joins Martin and Sam to discuss the haunting and brutal true story of Georgia Lee Moses, and Waits's description of circumstances surrounding her death.

website: songbysongpodcast.com twitter: @songbysongpod e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Georgia Lee, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999)

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