How to play Tango Till They're Sore
This is a great Tom Waits tune, and not too hard to play on guitar
"Tango Till They're Sore" has some profoundly cool lyrics, and listening to Tom Waits sing it with his trademark gravelly voice is pretty thrilling! The chord changes are fairly simple and hand-friendly in the first position, so nothing stopping you from trying out this cool song yourself if you want.
"Tango Till They're Sore" is a track by Tom Waits. It first appeared on his 1985 album Rain Dogs, widely known for featuring the urban dispossessed of New York City. The moody, poetic song is also highly notable for playing over the final scenes of Jim Jarmusch's 1986 cult film Down by Law.
The song fits seamlessly into Rain Dogs' lyrical focus, serving as a dark, vaudevillian, and whimsical blues.
Key Details & Trivia
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- Album Track: It is track 5 on the original Rain Dogs album.
- Lyrics: Lyrically, it features Waits asking for a thematic funeral send-off, referencing a pig roast, a clarinet, and New Orleans.
- Pop Culture: Director Jim Jarmusch used the song to close out his film Down by Law, where Tom Waits starred alongside John Lurie and Roberto Benigni.
You can find the full track listing on the Rain Dogs Wikipedia Page.
“Music is the only thing I’ve ever known that doesn’t have any rules at all.” – Josh Homme
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