386 episodes

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.

Song by Song Song by Song podcast

    • Music
    • 4.4 • 43 Ratings

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.

    "... we've been Song by Song" - Final Season Specials

    "... we've been Song by Song" - Final Season Specials

    Aaaaaaand finally... we're delighted to welcome Sam Clements to the show for an extended farewell to the podcast, discussing the process involved in producing a weekly music show for 8+ years. Martin and Sam fess up to a few things, talk about the work involved behind the scenes, and consider what a project like this affects the people involved.
    It's been a pleasure folks, the time went so quickly. Speak soon. x
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com

    • 1 hr 49 min
    The Old Favourites pt 2 - Where did we end up? - Final Season Specials

    The Old Favourites pt 2 - Where did we end up? - Final Season Specials

    Having gone through all of Waits's music Song by Song, we're obviously well-placed to say which ones are best... or maybe least-worst... perhaps just from our perspective... subjectively good in these two people's opinions... but then who are we to say? Anyway, in this penultimate episode, Sam and Martin have a little chat about The Old Favourites as the podcast enters the final straight.
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com
    Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include (deep breath):
    All The World Is Green, Blood Money, Tom Waits (2002)
    Barcarolle, Alice, Tom Waits (2002)
    Blind Love, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    Blue Skies, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)
    Cold Cold Ground, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)
    Diamond In Your Mind, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006)
    Downtown Train, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    Fall Of Troy, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006)
    Falling Down, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988)
    Franks Wild Years, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    Georgia Lee, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999)
    Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours at Napoleone's Pizza House), The Heart Of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974)
    In The Neighbourhood, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983)
    Kentucky Avenue, Blue Valentine, Tom Waits (1978)
    Low side Of The Road, Mule Variations, Tom Waits (1999)
    Lucky Day, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993)
    Martha, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973)
    Metropolitan Glide, Real Gone, Tom Waits (2004)
    More Than Rain, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988)
    Nighthawk Postcards, Nighthawks At The Diner, Tom Waits (1975)
    Rainbow Sleeves, Girl At Her Volcano, Rickie Lee Jones [w. Tom Waits] (1978/1983)
    Ruby’s Arms, Heartattack And Vine, Tom Waits (1980)
    So It Goes, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)
    Somewhere (from West Side Story), Blue Valentine, Tom Waits (1978)
    Strange Weather, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988)
    Telephone Call From Istanbul, Big Time, Tom Waits (1988)
    That Feel, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)
    Tom Traubert’s Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen), Small Change, Tom Waits (1976)
    Whistle Down The Wind (For Tom Jans), Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)
    Yesterday Is Here, Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)
    You Can Never Hold Back Spring, Orphans: Brawlers Bawlers and Bastards, Tom Waits (2006)
    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.

    • 49 min
    The Old Favourites pt 1 - Where do you begin? - Final Season Specials

    The Old Favourites pt 1 - Where do you begin? - Final Season Specials

    Having done the work, put in the hours and carefully considered all the options, Martin and Sam discuss exactly where they think a new listener to Waits's music might want to start, considering the various angles and perspectives one might have, as well as a little discussion of Tom's compilation albums.
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com
    Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
    Martha, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973)
    Lonely, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973)
    Closing Time, Closing Time, Tom Waits (1973)
    Downtown Train, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    Time, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    9th & Hennepin, Rain Dogs, Tom Waits (1985)
    The Black Rider, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993)
    I'll Shoot The Moon, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993)
    Lucky Day, The Black Rider, Tom Waits (1993)
    Diamonds On My Windshield, The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974)
    (Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night, The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974)
    The Ghosts of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone's Pizza House), The Heart of Saturday Night, Tom Waits (1974)
    Goin' Out West, Glitter&Doom, Tom Waits (2009)
    Step Right Up, Small Change, Tom Waits (1976)
    Frank's Wild Years, Swordfishtrombones, Tom Waits (1983)
    The Earth Died Screaming, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)
    Who Are You, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)
    Such A Scream, Bone Machine, Tom Waits (1992)
    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.

    • 38 min
    Music Videos pt 2 (1999-2012) - Final Season Specials

    Music Videos pt 2 (1999-2012) - Final Season Specials

    Our second set of music videos brings Philippa back to Martin and Sam for the last decade-and-change of Waits music videos. Sampling the work of Jesse Dylan, Matt Mahurin and various others, we consider what these videos mean in a post-YouTube world, as well as Waits's filmed promos in the 21st century.
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com
    Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
    Hold On, Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Matt Mahurin (1999)
    Come On Up To The House, (unauthorised?) Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Anders Lövgren (1999)
    What's He Building, Tom Waits music video from Mule Variations, dir. Lex Brand (1999)
    God's Away On Business, Tom Waits music video from Blood Money, dir. Jesse Dylan (2002)
    Lie To Me, Tom Waits music video from Orphans, dir. Danny Clinch (2006)
    Tom Waits Press Conference, promo for Glitter&Doom tour, dir. unknown (2008)
    Tom Waits' Private Listening Party, promo for Bad As Me, dir. unknown (2011)
    Satisfied, Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. Jesse Dylan (2011)
    Hell Broke Luce, Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. Matt Mahurin (2012)
    Bad As Me, (unreleased?) Tom Waits music video from Bad As Me, dir. unknown / Jesse Dylan? (2011/2013?)
    Misery’s the River of the World, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Blood Money 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Casey Waits / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022)
    Lost In The Harbour, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Alice 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Christy Smith / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022)
    God's Away On Business, Tom Waits music / lyric video from Blood Money 20th Anniversary re-release, artwork by Casey Waits / animation by Sarah Sheikh Bridge (2022)
    Top Of The Hill, Real Gone, Tom Waits (2004)
    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.

    • 1 hr
    Music Videos pt 1 (1979-1992) - Final Season Specials

    Music Videos pt 1 (1979-1992) - Final Season Specials

    Continuing our season of specials on material outside the show’s main remit, Philippa Spanos returns to help Martin and Sam consider the creative and commercial aspects of Waits’s music videos. Starting with a long-overlooked animation experiment from the 70s, we chart how these films function in relation to the music, the commercial purpose of a video, as well as all the tiny tiny guitars.
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com
    Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
    Tom Waits For No-One / The One That Got Away, short film feat. Tom Waits, dir. John Lamb (1979)
    In The Neighbourhood, Tom Waits music video, dir. Haskell Wexler (1983)
    Rain Dogs Promos, dir. Chris Blum (1985)
    Downtown Train, Tom Waits music video, dir. Jean-Baptiste Mondino (1985)
    Blow Wind Blow, Tom Waits music video, and Limousine Interview promo, dir. Chris Blum (1987)
    Temptation, Tom Waits music video from Franks Wild Years, dir. Betzy Bromberg (1987)
    It's Alright With Me, Tom Waits music video from Red Hot + Blue, dir. Jim Jarmusch (1990)
    Going Out West, Tom Waits music video from Bone Machine, dir. Jesse Dylan (1992)
    I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, Tom Waits music video from Bone Machine, dir. Jim Jarmusch (1992)
    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.

    • 1 hr 3 min
    Mailbag Episode #7

    Mailbag Episode #7

    Our final season wouldn't be complete without a look at the emails sent in by you, dear listeners, covering some errors and omissions, new theories, questions about remasters and several lovely well-wishes as we head towards the end of the show. 
    website: songbysongpodcast.com
    twitter: @songbysongpod
    e-mail: songbysongpodcast@gmail.com
    Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
    You Have Beautiful Eyes, Over The Garden Wall OST, The Blasting Company (2014/2016)
    Glitter & Doom tour performance from The Fox Theatre, Atlanta GA (5 July 2008)
    Cold River, Master of Disaster, John Hiatt (2005)
    Sixthfinger from Topper Toys, advert (1965)
    Why Oh Why, Songs to Grow On for Mother and Child, Woodie Guthrie (recorded 1947, released 1956/1991)
    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.

    • 1 hr 12 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
43 Ratings

43 Ratings

tombartos ,

I'm enjoying this!

Two guys, sometimes joined by guest hosts with varying degrees of Waits-ian knowledge/enthusiasm, go into deep dives of Tom Waits's discography, song by song, in the order in which they were released. Each episode is roughly 16 minutes or so.

I also enjoy their "interval tracks" which are used to further discuss a particular Waits track for that episode. It's helped me discover some amazing new (to me) songs.

As for the reviewer who would rather leave deciphering TW's lyrics to Americans because two British musicians don't know what the RTD is (something I'm pretty sure most Americans don't know either)... that's fine, but isn't one of the joys of being a fan seeing/hearing someone else's discovery of something which already makes you happy? I find their non-American perspective helpful in getting me to listen to each song in a new way.

j footprint ,

Huh?

Wow, I’ve enjoyed your Tom Waits discussions for what, a few years now, and then we get this over/underrated drivel? and They Might Be Giants over Talking Heads?

I suppose you like OK Go too huh?

Really makes me question everything I’ve heard you discuss, and completely tanked my potential rating. Let’s go for one star shall we?

incrediblewat ,

Like a DVD commentary track -- but for songs

Although I'm not as seasoned a Tom Waits fan as many are, I thoroughly enjoy the analysis of lyrics I might have otherwise let slide by me, the guest voices bringing in additional perspectives, and (as a detail-oriented organizer) the sheer pleasure of having a podcast go through one interesting subject chronologically.
This podcast is very well produced, and episodes are the perfect length. A particular favorite of mine was the "Gun Street Girl" episode with Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spore from Criminal discussing murder ballads in general, as well as digging into some of the mysteries of that particular Waits song.

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