One of our favorite songwriters, performers, and interviewees is Tom Waits.  With respect to the latter, his television interviews/performances are legendary, dating from the mid-70s on The Mike Douglas Show and the underrated Fernwood Tonight.  This is one very talented, bright and hilarious lad.  And it’s the stellar string of Letterman Show performances over the last 20 years that best capture the humor and live performances. He’s a national treasure, plain and simple.

Check out the 1976 piano performance and interview with Mike Douglas to start and then his Fernwood Tonight (Piano Has Been Drinking) spot, and then a series of Letterman segments, and at the very bottom a Conan spot and then a stunning delivery of Tom Traubert’s Blues.  And our hope is that you will keep hitting the search hard, because there is a plethora of perfection delivered by this perfect performer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAzhm1YBBY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwUtEEjZJ8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU-vNpmjfsI&feature=related

Here’s part 2 to that 1983 Letterman segment.  Check out his performance of On The Nickel. If you aren’t moved by this song, starting at 1:59, you simply have no soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdL-fOFNVFs&feature=related

And then it gets really heart-felt, and you have to waltz with Matilda and Tom right here: