Song by Song

Latest Episodes:

16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought-Six, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits [096] Jul 12, 2017

Show notes

Song by Song welcomes Jo Neary to the show to discuss repeated musical themes in the writing of Waits, surreal lyrical imagery, and the influence (or lack thereof) of Captain Beefheart.

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: 16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Ice Cream For Crow, Ice Cream For Crow, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (1982)

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Johnsburg, Illinois, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits [095] Jul 05, 2017

Show notes

Waits seems to reach beyond himself to make a more meaningful connection in this week's song. Philippa bids goodbye to Sam and Martin with some discussion of the yearning tone and the lyrical elegance in Waits's writing.

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: Johnsburg, Illinois, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Chelsea Hotel #2, New Skin For The Old Ceremony, Leonard Cohen (1974)

Dave The Butcher, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits [094] Jun 28, 2017

Show notes

As Waits takes his first dive into the rich world of non-narrative meat-worker music, Martin, Sam and Philippa discuss some ideas of intention and improvisation, as well as the politics of food production.

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: Dave The Butcher, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) December, One Pig, Matthew Herbert (2011)

Shore Leave, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits [093] Jun 21, 2017

Show notes

On this second track from Swordfishtrombones, Philippa Spanos returns to discuss with Sam and Martin some of the spaces created by the instrumental choices, and processes of musical reinvention of reinterpretation.

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: Shore Leave, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Shore Leave, Wicked Grin, John Hammond (2001)

Underground, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits [092] Jun 14, 2017

Show notes

Back again for season 9 (we'll do this one properly, I promise), Martin and Sam are joined by Philippa Spanos to discuss the subterranean influence on Waits's early 80s work.

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: Underground, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983) Subbacultcha, Trompe Le Monde, The Pixies (1991)

One From The Heart OST, Tom Waits [078-091] May 31, 2017

Show notes

It's a bonus extra-sized bumper megamix episode this week, as Martin and Sam dive headlong into One From The Heart... then quickly dash out of it again! Taking a quick-fire approach to season 8, we spend a minute (that's right, a whole 60 seconds) on each track, getting our thoughts, concerns and analysis of 14 tracks condensed into one easy-to-swallow download.

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: One From the Heart Original Soundtrack, Tom Waits/Crystal Gale (1982)

Song by Cinemile - One From the Heart Special (film, dir. Coppola, 1982) [077/F01] May 24, 2017

Show notes

Sam and Martin join forces with Dave and Cathy of the Cinemile Podcast this week to take on the film that Francis Ford Coppola wouldn't even put his middle name to... One From The Heart. Debating the intention and execution of the film, as well as it's narrative strengths and weaknesses, the performances therein, as well as some of the sexual politics of a failed romance story with a happy ending, the new entity of Song by Cinemile finally puts to rest the age-old question: where can you buy an affordable DVD player on a Saturday lunchtime?

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

Married couple Dave and Cathy podcast their walk home from the movies. Voted the UK's Best New Podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2017, and featured in The Observer, The Guardian, The Irish Times and The Irish Examiner.

website: thecinemile.com twitter: @thecinemile e-mail: thecinemile@gmail.com

Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include: Tracks from the OST for One From The Heart, Tom Waits (1982)

Ruby's Arms, Heartattack and Vine, Tom Waits [076] Apr 26, 2017

Show notes

The question this week is whether Waits is walking away from a long-term lover or a one-night-stand, as Vera, Sam and Martin take one last longing backwards look at Heartattack And Vine before walking away and catching a train. There's some discussion across the gender perspective here as well, with the boys buying into some of Waits's romance while Vera reminds us that it takes two to tango… or at least it should.

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: Ruby's Arms, Heartattack And Vine, Tom Waits (1980) Softly, As I Leave You, Single, Matt Monro (1962)

Mr Siegal, Heartattack and Vine, Tom Waits [075] Apr 19, 2017

Show notes

More detritus of Americana this week, as Vera, Martin and Sam look at the inspiration provided by Bugsy Siegel, Murder Inc. and the early days of Las Vegas on this Waits track. With some discussion of the juxtaposition of sexiness and violence in this track (and many, many others), as well as the contributions of listener Mike Smith speaking on behalf of London's own Chas & Dave, we edge towards the end of season 7 of Song by Song.

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: Mr. Siegal, Heartattack And Vine, Tom Waits (1980) Ain't No Pleasing You, Mustn't Grumble, Chas & Dave (1982)

On the Nickel, Heartattack and Vine, Tom Waits [074] Apr 12, 2017

Show notes

This week on Song by Song, Vera Chok takes us all the way back to the beginning by questioning "this whole Tom Waits thing", as well as going through one of Waits's most hobo-centric songs in this lullaby for the down-and-out. We also revisit the perennial question of authenticity, as well as some of Larry Taylor's bass-playing excursions outside of his Heartattack work. Also: Martin has a cold.

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: On The Nickel, Heartattack And Vine, Tom Waits (1980) Fried Hockey Boogie, Boogie With Canned Heat, Canned Heat (1968)

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