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Frank's Wild Years:
Music and Text in the Audio Art of Tom Waits
An Undergraduate Thesis By Curtis H. Hayes
You have landed on a page dedicated to my thesis on Tom Waits, a troubadour of the subconscious.
ABSTRACT
This thesis defines and illustrates the musical concept of audio art. The three elements of a musical recording (music, text, and recording techniques) can be combined in such a way that distinguish the recorded work from a live performance. As examples of audio art, Tom Waits's Swordfishtrombones (1983), Raindogs (1985), and Frank's Wild Years (1987) form a larger work known as the Frank Trilogy. Chapter One uncovers and specifies the character of Frank, Waits's protagonist, as he is developed in the lyrics from all three albums. In the second chapter, Waits's use of text and his development of thematic ideas in the Trilogy are analyzed. The theory of myth set forth by Roland Barthes is used to shed light on Waits's similar practices in the work. Chapter Three focuses on the musical ideas within the work and their incorporation with the text in the recording studio. Attention is also paid to the role of the recording process in establishing Waits's trilogy as a work of audio art.
Swordfishtrombones (1983) Raindogs (1985) Frank's Wild Years (1987)
If the abstract doesn't turn you off and you are determined to read further, you must download a copy of my thesis. The thesis is offered in both Mac and PC Text formats (115kb). The download includes a lyrical abstract and a list of all referenced works. A working knowledge of the three Waits albums discussed here is recommended, but anyone willing to delve further into their entertainment may achieve some enlightenment from this work.
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Thanks for your interest and happy reading....