Where The Willow And The Dogwood Grow

Description

With interpretations by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, Diana Krall, Marianne Faithfull, The Ramones, Norah Jones, John Hammond, Robert Plant & Joan Baez. With an undeniable cultural influence, the duo Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan join iconic figures such as Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Randy Newman, Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Leonard Cohen, Lee Hazlewood, Brian Wilson and Laura Nyro in the long series of multi-artist compilations from Ace Records, celebrating the greatest American singer-songwriters of the modern era. Hundreds of artists from all musical backgrounds have recorded songs from the incomparable catalog of Waits and Brennan, 19 of the finest of which appear in this carefully curated selection, several chosen by the songwriters themselves. Rare are the artists who have redefined the boundaries of popular music, and of culture in general, like Tom Waits. Over five decades, he has forged a singular aesthetic that transcends genres and transforms marginality into myth. His work neither belongs to nor stands on the fringes of the dominant tradition, but constantly navigates between them, drawing from vaudeville, blues, jazz, folk, theater—and just about anything that captures his attention—to create a deeply personal universe. His influence is felt not only in underground and avant-garde circles, but also in theater, film, literature, and the visual arts. With his long-time creative partner and wife, Kathleen Brennan, he has deconstructed and reinvented the very idea of song, creating works that are both raw expression and refined art. This collection pays homage not only to the extraordinary versatility of Waits and Brennan's writing, but also to the importance of an artist who continues to inspire and fascinate, drawing his inspiration from the margins. Ace's selection is organized chronologically by song, beginning with Bruce Springsteen's live recording of "Jersey Girl," Waits's ode to Brennan from the album Heartattack and Vine (1980), and ending with the version of "Day After Tomorrow," an anti-war song by Waits and Brennan, performed by folk matriarch Joan Baez and taken from Waits's most recent album, Real Gone. "All the great things that have come out of New Jersey don't hold a candle to Kathleen Brennan, at least not in Tom's eyes," said Bob Dylan on his Theme Time Radio Hour show. "She saved me," Waits confided in an interview with The Guardian. "Maybe I saved her too, that's often how it goes. In the end, we both ended up in the same boat. Everyone knows she's the brains behind Pa, as Dylan might have put it. I'm just the figurehead. She's the one at the helm." In addition to directing the album, Brennan became Waits's writing partner. Their first co-written song, "Hang Down Your Head," from the album Rain Dogs, is presented here in a sensual version performed by country-blues icon Lucinda Williams. Elsewhere, artists from the worlds of jazz, blues, gospel, soul, and rock put their personal stamp on classics that Waits fans know well, including Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs, Franks Wild Years, Big Time, Bone Machine, Mule Variations, Real Gone, and Orphans. A special place is reserved for the poignant interpretation of "Down There By The Train," from Johnny Cash's masterpiece, American Recordings. This track is particularly cherished by Waits, and securing its rights proved extremely complex. Produced with the blessing, approval, and participation of Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, Where The Willow And The Dogwood Grow is an essential album for any admirer of the unique work of this remarkable artist.