Track Listing

1. Ol' 55
2. Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You
3. Virginia Avenue
4. Old Shoes
5. Midnight Lullabye
6. Martha
7. Rosie
8. Ice Cream Man
9. Little Trip To Heaven
10. Grapefruit Moon
11. Closing Time

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1533 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
It starts with a sunrise, it ends with "one star shining", and in between Closing Time contains an honest year's worth (1973, to be exact) of sweet, melodic, vintage Tom Waits--minus some of the vocal growl and thematic grit of his later stuff (but you can see it coming). Waltzes, lullabies, blues, jazz, you name it. Driving songs and drinking songs, even an honest to gosh country tune: "Rosie." There are torchers ("Lonely"), scorchers ("Ice Cream Man"), and back- porch senior citizen love songs ("Martha"): "Those were the days of roses/Poetry and prose, and/Martha, all I had was you and all you had was me." Other standouts are "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" (guess what--he does!) and "Grapefruit Moon", in which Waits croons: "Every time I hear that melody, something breaks inside." Hang on to your hearts and hats, folks. --Dan Leone

CD Description
The 1973 album that introduced a young singer-songwriter tothe world at large is a far cry from the wonderfully twisted sonic lanscape that would define SWORDFISHTROMBONES a decade later. The Waits of CLOSING TIME was a barroom balladeer too, but one who fit neatly into the early-'70s folk-rock, singer-songwriter paradigm (CLOSING TIME's opener "Ol' '55", in fact, was covered by the Eagles on their first album). The arrangements here are straightforward, piano-based affairsthat present the songs with a minimum of fuss.
Waits's voice isn't the deep, gravelly instrument that would bellow its way through RAIN DOGS, but a smoky, measured one, devoid of artifice. Accordingly, the song structures are simpler, and the best ("Martha", "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You") attain a timeless feel. For all his relative conventionality on this debut, though, Waits is still closer in spirit to the great American songwriters of the '40s than any '70s California rocker. Listeners looking for the eccentric, carnivalesque atmosphere that typifies Waits's work from the'80s and '90s will be surprised by the relative straightforwardness of CLOSING TIME, yet the album announces an important talent.

Customer Reviews

Tom Waits at his best
People argue whether Tom Waits was at his best during the 1970's, with the softer and more melodic jazz and blues songs, or during the 1980's, with the rougher and more experimental songs. Personally I am really fond of his early music, and this album from 1973 is a real treasure. It has a high consistent quality throughout and includes some of Waits best songs. "I hope that I don't fall in love with you" is a masterpiece and worth the album alone. "Ol' '55", "Old Shoes", "Martha" are other excellent tracks, but I doubt you'll be disappointed by any song. I really recommend this album. If you like it you will probably like "The Heart of Saturday Night" from 1974 as well.

A Little Trip to Heaven
This is Tom Waits' first album, he was 24 when he wrote it and I am at a loss to come up with many other artists (Dylan?) who have expressed themselves with such a mature voice at such a young age.

The album is beautiful from start to finish. It is melodic - full of haunting strings and piano chords. It is sentimental without being saccharine - perhaps it is the smokey bourbon voice which does it.

Standouts for me are Ol'55, Martha ("I remember quiet evenings trembling close to you" - swoon, swoon!) and Grapefruit Moon.

The outstanding thing which he achieves though is putting together a collective of songs which are so evocative. Whilst Waits has stood the test of time and experimentation this is something which has stayed with him throughout his career and can be seen as much on his most recent offering, 'Real Gone' as it can be on this.

This is the best place to start if you plan to get into Tom Waits as it is his first and probably his most accessible. It leads you quite neatly to 1974's 'The Heart of Saturday Night' where his ability as a storyteller becomes more accomplished.

Listen to the lyrics, listen to the music, listen to it again and again. Tom Waits is an absolute genius.

Possibly Tom Waits best album
Closing Time is not as dark or quirky as some of the later Tom Waits albums and is an excellent introduction if you are unfamiliar with his music. This album is a beautiful blend of blues and jazz with a hint of country for good measure all delivered by Toms’ wonderful smoky, gravelly voice. Although a lot more mellow than later offerings such as Rain Dogs and Swordfish, that indefinable uniqueness that is Tom Waits is still visible.
Particularly outstanding are the tracks ‘Midnight Lullaby’, ‘Martha’ and ‘Grapefruit Moon’ although there isn’t a single track on this CD that isn’t good on this near perfect album. This is one to put on when the lights are low and you just want to kick off your shoes and relax.