Happy Birthday Tom Waits: ‘Way Down In The Hole’
By Andy Kahn Dec 7, 2016 • 2:33 pm PST
Photo by Michael O'Brien
Singer-songwriter Tom Waits celebrates his 67th birthday today. The widely admired composer, performer and actor is among the most celebrated American musicians since coming onto the scene with his 1973 debut LP Closing Time. His distinctively raspy, deep voice is as recognizable as his illustrative words and stories that make up his often covered songs.
One of those regularly covered compositions is the deep cut from the 1987 Waits LP Franks Wild Years entitled “Way Down In The Hole.” Many unfamiliar listeners likely were first introduced to the song through the opening credits of HBO’s defunct drama The Wire, which utilized a portion of a rendition by The Blind Boys Of Alabama for the program’s first season in 2002.
The following year the Baltimore-based program selected the original recording made by Waits to open season two’s episodes. Season three again featured “Way Down In The Hole,” this time performed by New Orleans legends The Neville Brothers. For season four a cover recorded by local Baltimore teens known collectively as DoMaJe was tapped to run during the opening credits. The final season’s recording of “Way Down In The Hole” was provided by Steve Earle who also appeared in the series as the character Walon.
Here are each of the opening credits of each of the five season’s of The Wire, followed by a video featuring a live performance by Waits of his song “Way Down In The Hole”:
