Sam & Tom catch a blind out on the B and O and gush wildly over one of Waits' true masterpieces, 'Mule Variations'.

All lyrics from Mule Variations album, popular Tom Waits songs with tracklist and information about album.

Mule Variations is the twelfth studio album by American musician Tom Waits, released on April 16, 1999 on the ANTI- label. It was Waits's first studio album since The Black Rider (1993). It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and was nominated for Best Male Rock Performance for the track "Hold On". It also sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide.

Tom Waits grew steadily less prolific after redefining himself as a junkyard noise poet with Swordfishtrombones, but the five-year wait between The Black Rider and 1999's Mule Variations was the longest yet. Given the fact that Waits decided to abandon major labels for the California indie Epitaph, Mule Variations would seem like a golden opportunity to redefine himself and begin a new phase of his career. However, it plays like a revue of highlights from every album he's made since Swordfishtrombones

Mule Variations is a great album, and that's all there is to it. Sonically, it picks up where Bone Machine left off, but drops some of that album's artifice: the clattering, trebly out- back- of- the- shed sound is still here and the inexplicable presence of Primus persists, but many of these songs find Waits relaxing his krazy karnival barker persona. But is it Tom Waits' fault that people are so hung up on those particular albums? Look, you've got two options here: you can continue to bolster your own nonexistent street cred by dissing new Tom Waits in favor of old Tom Waits, or you can give it up, admit that it's all great and increase your own personal enjoyment. The choice seems like a no- brainer to me. Back to home.

Tom Waits ‎– Mule Variations. Label: Anti- ‎– 6547-1, Epitaph ‎– 6547-1. Format: 2 Vinyl, LP, Album, 180 Gram, Gatefold. Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios. Major parts of this album were produced in a hen coop which was rebuilt into a production studio somewhere deep in the backwaters of California. Chocolate Jesus" features some of the chicken folk that was obviously around.

Overall, Mule Variations is Waits' most consistent effort, even better song-for-song than Rain Dogs, and the album does a wonderful job of blending the man's two distinctly different personalities. Two different personalities" You read that right. Just let me explain  . The album kicks off with "Big in Japan," which is all Evil Tom. Creepy, distorted vocal effects kick off the song and they are quickly followed by a dirty electric guitar, New Orleans-style horns and a bass part played by Primus mastermind Les Claypool. The lyrics here are tongue-in-cheek.

Mule Variations built on the ideas of Waits’ revolutionary 80's and 90's work. It’s considered by many to be his warmest and most direct wor. .The blues abounds throughout. This album was widely acclaimed upon its release for its humanity, and its songs as a testament to Tom Waits legacy as one of the most important songwriters in America.

Album Name Mule Variations. Members owning this album14. 2. Lowside of the Road. 3. Hold on. 4. Get Behind the Mule. 5. House Where Nobody Lives.

Artists Tom Waits Mule Variations. Mule Variations Tom Waits. This album has an average beat per minute of 110 BPM (slowest/fastest tempos: 80/148 BPM). See its BPM profile at the bottom of the page. Tracklist Mule Variations. BPM Profile Mule Variations. Album starts at 112BPM, ends at 90BPM (-22), with tempos within the -BPM range. Try refreshing the page if dots are missing). Recent albums by Tom Waits.