Initially released as a 3CD album, "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards" is a collection of 56 songs that goes far beyond a simple career retrospective. "Orphans" also includes unique interpretations of Waits covering legendary artists such as The Ramones, Daniel Johnston, Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht, and Leadbelly. These covers, rarities, and previously unreleased material were grouped separately by theme and named Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards. Today, these titles are released individually on LP & CD.
"Bastards" is the most experimental disc: twisted tracks, spoken word, where he tells his absurd and obscure stories, or recites texts by Kerouac, Burroughs, and Bukowski.