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
