"Ol' '55"is a song by American musicianTom Waits.It is the opening track and leadsinglefrom Waits' debut studio album,Closing Time,released in March 1973 onAsylum Records.Written by Waits and produced byJerry Yester,"Ol' '55" was a minor hit. It has been described as more conventional than Waits' later songs.[1]The title, "Ol' '55", refers to the singer's vehicle, A 1955Buick Roadmaster,"the first real luxury automobile I had... about as slick as deer guts on a doorknob."[2]
| "Ol' '55" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyTom Waits | ||||
| from the albumClosing Time | ||||
| Released | 1973 | |||
| Recorded | Spring 1972 atSunset Sound RecordersandUnited Western RecordersinHollywood, California | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Length | 3:58 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Tom Waits | |||
| Producer(s) | Jerry Yester | |||
| Tom Waitssingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by theEaglesfor their 1974 albumOn The Border.In a 1975 interview, Waits was critical of the Eagles' cover version of his song, admitting that he was "not that particularly crazy about (their) rendition of it... I thought their version was a little antiseptic."[3]About one year later, while interviewed forNME,he went as far as stating that "I don’t like the Eagles. They’re about as exciting as watching paint dry. Their albums are good for keeping the dust off your turntable and that’s about all.”[4]
The song was used forAll Elite Wrestling'sBrodie Leetribute video during hisCelebration of Life.[5]AEW President and CEOTony Khanpurchased the rights to the song inperpetuity,saying "so the tribute will last forever".[6]
Cover versions
edit- 1974Eagleson the albumOn the Border,and a live version on disc 4 of their 2000 compilationSelected Works: 1972-1999.It was also the b-side of the singleBest of My Love.
- 1974Fairport ConventionsingerIain Matthews,on the albumSome Days You Eat the Bear
- 1975Eric Andersenon the albumBe True To You
- 1980Richie Havenson the albumConnections
- 1994Sarah McLachlanonThe Freedom Sessions
- 1999Acda en De Munnikon the 1999 bonus albumLive in de orangerie
- 1999K's Choiceon the enhanced CDExtra Cocoon - All Access
- 2009Sass Jordanon the albumFrom Dusk 'Til Dawn
- 2010Gov't Mulecovered "Ol' 55" for the first time on July 18, 2010 inCharlotte, NCas an encore performed withJackie Greene.
- 2011Maeve O'Boyleon the albumIntermission
- 2012Nick & Simonon the albumSterker (Deluxe/ DVD Wisseloord Sessies)
- 2015Owen Campbellon the albumIn the Shadow of the Greats
- 2019Shelby Lynne&Allison Mooreron the albumCome On Up to the House - Women Sing Waits
References
edit- ^Barton, Matthew (July 18, 2018)."Looking Back at Tom Waits' Asylum Years: 'Closing Time,' 'The Heart of Saturday Night', 'Nighthawks at the Diner,' 'Small Change,' 'Foreign Affairs,' 'Blue Valentine, 'Heart Attack & Vine'".Glide.
- ^Flint, Tom (2017)."Tom Waits - Ol' 55 (Live 1975)".YouTube.RetrievedAugust 4,2024.
- ^Hoskyns, Barney (2011).Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits.Faber & Faber. p. 120.ISBN978-0571261246.
- ^Maher, Paul Jr (2011).Tom Waits on Tom Waits: Interviews and Encounters.Chicago Review Press. p. 50.ISBN978-1569769270.
- ^AEW Pays Tribute to Jon Huber aka Brodie Lee | AEW Brodie Lee Celebration of Life, 12/30/20.YouTube.All Elite Wrestling.December 30, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-14.RetrievedDecember 30,2020.
- ^Khan, Tony [@TonyKhan](December 30, 2020)."Thank you everyone who joined us tonight on #AEWDynamite to celebrate the life of Jon Huber, known to fans as Mr. Brodie Lee. It was a great honor to host his family Amanda, Brodie & Nolan. I bought the rights to Ol' 55 by Tom Waits in perpetuity so that tribute will last forever"(Tweet).RetrievedDecember 30,2020– viaTwitter.
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