The Early Years.

Presentó Tom Waits en 1991 The Early Years Volume One, un álbum recopilatorio de canciones previas a Closing Time, su primer trabajo, algunas de las cuales ya se presentaron con él en 1973 . Dos años más tarde pondría a disposición pública la segunda parte. Un par de álbumes magníficos para ir familiarizándose con ese hombre del sombrero con voz rasgada y melancólico cantar. El primer volumen cuenta, por citar algunas, con la formidable Had Me a Girl, con una gran Rockin’ Chair y un blues llamado Ice Cream Man; en el segundo se encuentran, por citar otras, sus famosas I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You y Ol’55. Les dejo con una pequeña muestra.

Dicen algo así:

Well I had me a girl in LA

I knew she couldn't stay

Had me a girl in San Diego

One day she just had to go

And I had me a girl in Tallahassee

Boy what a foxy lassie

And my doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin' blue

And my doctor says I'll be alright

Doctor says I'll be alright

Doctor says I'll be alright

But I'm feelin blue

I'll be clickin' by your house about two forty-five

Sidewalk sundae strawberry surprise,

I got a cherry popsicle right on time

A big stick, mamma, that'll blow your mind

'Cause I'm the ice cream man, I'm a one-man band (yeah)

I'm the ice cream man, honey, I'll be good to you.

Baby, missed me in the alley, baby, don't you fret

Come back around and don't forget,

When you're tired and you're hungry and you want something cool,

Got something better than a swimming pool

Blue skies over my head

Give me another reason to get out of bed

And blue skies shine on my face

Give me another woman to take her place

Ain't got no money, cubards are bare

No cigarettes and the kids got nothing to wear

She walked out without a word

Now the only sound left is the morning bird singing