Tom Waits Talkin'

For me songwriting's also a craft. It's not something that drops out of the sky. It's not something where you sit at your picture window, and watch the sun glistening off the trees and a deer walks by and whispers in your ear. It's really a craft, and it's hard work.

Recording for me is like photographing ghosts.

You can put those Ray Charles records on and he's here; it's really like a hologram of your spirit.

New York is like a ship. It's like a ship full of rats and the water's on fire.

You know, I don't like straight lines. The problem is that most instruments are square and music is always round.

We all have a drum in our chest from the moment we're born. I think music where the tempo is faster than the heartbeat exites you and music that is slower than the heartbeat calms you down.

You know what I really love? The CD players in a car. How when you put the CD right up by the slot, it actually takes it out of your hand, like it's hungry. It pulls it in, and you feel like it wants more silver discs. "More silver discs. Please." I enjoy that.