I can confirm Mitch’s lifelong obsession with hobos. Growing up he would love it when we would go into NYC just so he could watch the bums (especially if they were a little crazy). If he had his way he would have preferred to stay there and watch all day instead of wherever our parents were dragging us. His favorite activity at our grandparents house was to play with the cardboard boxes in the basement. While I might have thought we were making a fort, Mitch must have been working on his sheltering skills.
I’m actually pretty surprised that he wound up in advertising - you would have thought that he would have gravitated to sociology or cultural anthropology, where he could have studied hobos in their natural habitat (on that note while I’m trying to be funny, neither homelessness or mental illness is actually funny)
I did not inherit whatever recessive gene that led to Mitch’s fascination with hobos - or like of Tom Waits. Despite sharing a house for a significant portion of our lives - I can’t say I ever listened to Tom Wait’s. Perhaps there may be some times where it may have been playing in the background (I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Downtown Train before), he’s not an artist I ever sought out, and Mitch never tried to push him on me.
So I took Rain Dogs out for a spin and have to say I was surprised. Not sure that I would say I liked it, but I definitely didn’t hate it. I found it to be interesting music, especially if your into accordions and kazoos and gruff singing (?!?)
If someone asked me to describe Rain Dogs in one sentence I would say, “It sounds like a soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie about a group of tragic circus freaks”
With that I will leave you with one final thought, the next time you pull up to a red light and a guy with a dirty rag and a spray bottle approaches your windshield - just think of Mitch and how excited he would be in your place to have such a close up encounter!
All true. I love this! I also spent a semester studying the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Inspired by my brother's comment, I encourage all readers to support My Brother's Table in Lynn, who do wonderful work with the homeless. https://mybrotherstable.org
Mitch is the hobo, sociologically without hearing the album but knowing Kerouac from the early days to his last ones begging for understanding. It’s important to establish the typology of loners on the road. There are bums, tramps, and hobos. Kerouac was the bum, waites was the tramp, and Mitch is the hobo.
It's been a long time since I studied this topic, but if I remember correctly tramps travel but avoid work, hobos travel but seek out work, and bums neither travel nor work.
Jon, I am so glad that you brought up the Disney album, which is the precise album that cured me of my completist tendencies. In the '80s, as I was hunting down every TW track ever released, I plucked down $18.98 for "Stay Awake" (approximately $346 in 2021 dollars) and knew within 3 minutes that I had made a terrible mistake. The song is fine, but it ain't $18.98 fine.
I love TW but I'm not sure any of his ALBUMS are worthy of much. I'm all about constantly adding to a Tom Waits playlist until I realize that I've playlisted an entire album.
I can confirm Mitch’s lifelong obsession with hobos. Growing up he would love it when we would go into NYC just so he could watch the bums (especially if they were a little crazy). If he had his way he would have preferred to stay there and watch all day instead of wherever our parents were dragging us. His favorite activity at our grandparents house was to play with the cardboard boxes in the basement. While I might have thought we were making a fort, Mitch must have been working on his sheltering skills.
I’m actually pretty surprised that he wound up in advertising - you would have thought that he would have gravitated to sociology or cultural anthropology, where he could have studied hobos in their natural habitat (on that note while I’m trying to be funny, neither homelessness or mental illness is actually funny)
I did not inherit whatever recessive gene that led to Mitch’s fascination with hobos - or like of Tom Waits. Despite sharing a house for a significant portion of our lives - I can’t say I ever listened to Tom Wait’s. Perhaps there may be some times where it may have been playing in the background (I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Downtown Train before), he’s not an artist I ever sought out, and Mitch never tried to push him on me.
So I took Rain Dogs out for a spin and have to say I was surprised. Not sure that I would say I liked it, but I definitely didn’t hate it. I found it to be interesting music, especially if your into accordions and kazoos and gruff singing (?!?)
If someone asked me to describe Rain Dogs in one sentence I would say, “It sounds like a soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie about a group of tragic circus freaks”
With that I will leave you with one final thought, the next time you pull up to a red light and a guy with a dirty rag and a spray bottle approaches your windshield - just think of Mitch and how excited he would be in your place to have such a close up encounter!
All true. I love this! I also spent a semester studying the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Inspired by my brother's comment, I encourage all readers to support My Brother's Table in Lynn, who do wonderful work with the homeless. https://mybrotherstable.org
Mitch is the hobo, sociologically without hearing the album but knowing Kerouac from the early days to his last ones begging for understanding. It’s important to establish the typology of loners on the road. There are bums, tramps, and hobos. Kerouac was the bum, waites was the tramp, and Mitch is the hobo.
It's been a long time since I studied this topic, but if I remember correctly tramps travel but avoid work, hobos travel but seek out work, and bums neither travel nor work.
Good comments, but the best Tom Waits songs can be found on a Replacements album (We Know the Night - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbS7wRJRV_w) and on a Disney compilation album (Stay Awake - singing Hi Ho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KISFemeHOC4)
Jon, I am so glad that you brought up the Disney album, which is the precise album that cured me of my completist tendencies. In the '80s, as I was hunting down every TW track ever released, I plucked down $18.98 for "Stay Awake" (approximately $346 in 2021 dollars) and knew within 3 minutes that I had made a terrible mistake. The song is fine, but it ain't $18.98 fine.
The Sun Ras cover or Packyderms on Parade was worth the price. I may have to find the album on the web somewhere (Pandora does not have it)
Spotify has it.
https://open.spotify.com/album/48eR76ue3eFPCJdBppIWQ0?si=hyr_LcLMQ7qZ-K77vU0_GQ
I love TW but I'm not sure any of his ALBUMS are worthy of much. I'm all about constantly adding to a Tom Waits playlist until I realize that I've playlisted an entire album.