Mule Variations

{{Infobox album

| name = Mule Variations

| type = studio

| artist = Tom Waits

| cover = TomWaits-MuleVariations.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|1999|04|16}}

| recorded = 1998

| venue =

| studio = Prairie Sun (Cotati, California)

| genre = {{hlist|Experimental rock|blues}}

| length = {{Duration|m=70|s=33}}

| label = ANTI-

| producer = Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits

| prev_title = The Black Rider

| prev_year = 1993

| next_title = Alice

| next_year = 2002

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Mule Variations

| type = studio

| single1 = Hold On

| single1date =

}}

Mule Variations is the thirteenth studio album by American musician Tom Waits, released on April 16, 1999, on the ANTI- label. It was Waits' first studio album in six years, following The Black Rider (1993). The album was backed by an extensive tour in Europe and North America during the summer and autumn of 1999, which was Waits' first proper tour since 1987. Other promotional stops included a solo performance on VH1 Storytellers.

Mule Variations won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album and was nominated for Best Male Rock Performance for the track "Hold On". It has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. In 2012, the album was ranked number 416 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.{{cite web| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/tom-waits-mule-variations-70833/| year=2012| title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time| publisher=Rolling Stone| access-date= September 2, 2019}}

Reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mule-variations-mw0000048101 |title=Mule Variations – Tom Waits |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=November 24, 2015 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2Score = B+{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1999/04/30/mule-variations |title=Mule Variations |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=April 30, 1999 |access-date=June 22, 2012 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist)}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |title=Fowl play |work=The Guardian |date=April 16, 1999 |last=Cox |first=Tom}}

| rev4 = Los Angeles Times

| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-apr-25-ca-30829-story.html |title=Waits' Adventures Take Bluesy Turn |work=Los Angeles Times |date=April 25, 1999 |access-date=November 24, 2015 |last=Hilburn |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Hilburn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307163110/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/apr/25/entertainment/ca-30829 |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |url-status=live}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5Score = 7/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990320141832reviews.html |title=Tom Waits – Mule Variations |journal=NME |date=April 20, 1999 |access-date=November 24, 2015 |last=Bailie |first=Stuart |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817163746/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990320141832reviews.html |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 9.5/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8562-mule-variations/ |title=Tom Waits: Mule Variations |work=Pitchfork |date=April 27, 1999 |access-date=June 22, 2012 |last=Hooker |first=Zack}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/mule-variations-19990513 |title=Mule Variations |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 13, 1999 |access-date=June 22, 2012 |last=Ratliff |first=Ben}}

| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Tom Waits |last1=Coleman |first1=Mark |last2=Scoppa |first2=Bud |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/854 854–55] }}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9Score = 6/10{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ayeEJMF-CZUC&pg=PT11 |title=Tom Waits: Mule Variations |journal=Spin |volume=15 |issue=5 |date=May 1999 |access-date=November 24, 2015 |last=Vowell |first=Sarah |author-link=Sarah Vowell |page=147}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10Score = A−{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv599-99.php |title=Consumer Guide |work=The Village Voice |date=May 18, 1999 |access-date=November 24, 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

Upon its release, Mule Variations received widespread critical acclaim. AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that "the album uses the ragged cacophony of Bone Machine as a starting point, and proceeds to bring in the songwriterly aspects of Rain Dogs, along with its affection for backstreet and backwoods blues, plus a hint of the beatnik qualities of Swordfish. So Mule Variations delivers what fans want, in terms of both songs and sonics" and awarded the album four out of five stars. Former Village Voice editor Robert Christgau gave the album an A− rating and praised the songwriting of Waits and his wife Kathleen Brennan, saying "together they humanize the percussion-battered Bone Machine sound, reconstituting his '80s alienation effects into a Delta harshness with more give to it." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said that Mule Variations "restores the wizened humanity{{snd}}and a more traditional sense of songcraft{{snd}}to [Waits'] music", gave the album a B+ rating and concluded that Waits was "the last of the classic American tunesmiths."

Hot Press reviewer Peter Murphy described the album as "an emotionally forthright record" and called it "a record of at least two minds: scuffed rooming-house madrigals [...] contrasted with big, fat, bleeding heart ballads."{{cite web|url=http://www.hotpress.com/music/reviews/albums/Mule-Variations/442085.html|title=Mule Variations|work=Hot Press|last=Murphy|first=Peter|author-link=Peter Murphy (broadcaster)|access-date=June 22, 2012}} Zach Hooker of Pitchfork awarded the album a 9.5 out of 10 rating, describing it as "a great album" and further saying that "sonically, it picks up where Bone Machine left off, but drops some of that album's artifice: the clattering, trebly out-back-of-the-shed sound is still here and the inexplicable presence of Primus persists." Rolling Stone said that the album "contains the most blues of any album [Tom Waits has] made" but added "the problem is that it's more of the same", describing it as "the latest installment of discourse" and awarding the album three out of five stars.

Mule Variations was a moderate commercial success. The album charted in 14 countries worldwide upon its release, including debuting at number 30 on the United States Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=tom waits|chart=all}}|title=Mule Variations – Tom Waits {{pipe}} Billboard.com|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 22, 2012}} and number 1 on Norway's album chart.{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Tom+Waits&titel=Mule+Variations&cat=a|title=norwegiancharts.com – Tom Waits – Mule Variations|work=norwegiancharts.com|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=June 22, 2012}} The album was certified gold in Canada in July 2001 after selling over 50,000 copies{{cite web|url=http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Mule+Variations&sa=Tom+Waits&smt=0|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130054149/http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Mule+Variations&sa=Tom+Waits&smt=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 30, 2013|title=Gold and Platinum Search|work=Music Canada|access-date=June 22, 2012}} and as of April 2009 had sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide.{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/73476-tom-waits-mule-variations-video-collection-video|title=Tom Waits – "Mule Variations" Video Collection (video) < PopMatters|work=PopMatters|last=Zupko|first=Sarah|date=April 22, 2009|access-date=June 22, 2012}} Mule Variations won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album at the 42nd Grammy Awards{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Tom+Waits&title=&year=1999&genre=All|title=Past Winners Search {{pipe}} GRAMMY.com|work=Grammys|access-date=June 22, 2012}} and was nominated for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2000-01-04/entertainment/grammy.noms.01_list_1_songwriters-duo-whitney-houston/2?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ|title=42nd Annual Grammy Awards List of nominations – Page 2 – CNN|work=CNN|date=January 4, 2000|access-date=June 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923143411/http://articles.cnn.com/2000-01-04/entertainment/grammy.noms.01_list_1_songwriters-duo-whitney-houston/2?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ|archive-date=September 23, 2010|url-status=dead}}

In 2010, Mule Variations was awarded a platinum certification from the Independent Music Companies Association,{{cite web |url=http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2009/PR%20-%2020101004.htm |title=color |website=www.impalamusic.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827010000/http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2009/PR%20-%2020101004.htm |archive-date=2017-08-27}} which indicated sales of at least 500,000 copies throughout Europe. As of 2006, sales in the United States have exceeded 440,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/Tom-Waits-dark-strange-inspirations-for-Orphans-1669419.php|title=Tom Waits' dark, strange inspirations for Orphans|date=19 November 2006}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| total_length = 70:33

| all_writing = Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan unless otherwise noted

| title1 = Big in Japan

| length1 = 4:05

| title2 = Lowside of the Road

| length2 = 2:59

| title3 = Hold On

| length3 = 5:33

| title4 = Get Behind the Mule

| length4 = 6:52

| title5 = House Where Nobody Lives

| writer5 = Waits

| length5 = 4:14

| title6 = Cold Water

| length6 = 5:23

| title7 = Pony

| writer7 = Waits

| length7 = 4:32

| title8 = What's He Building?

| writer8 = Waits

| length8 = 3:20

| title9 = Black Market Baby

| length9 = 5:02

| title10 = Eyeball Kid

| length10 = 4:25

| title11 = Picture in a Frame

| length11 = 3:39

| title12 = Chocolate Jesus

| length12 = 3:55

| title13 = Georgia Lee

| length13 = 4:24

| title14 = Filipino Box Spring Hog

| writer14 = Waits

| length14 = 3:09

| title15 = Take It with Me

| length15 = 4:24

| title16 = Come On Up to the House

| length16 = 4:36

}}

{{Track listing

| total_length = 75:25

| headline = Australian, New Zealand and Japanese{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r634973|label=Mule Variations [Japan Bonus Tracks] – Tom Waits : Release Information, Reviews and Credits|pure_url=no|accessdate=June 22, 2012}} bonus tracks

| title17 = Buzz Fledderjohn

| writer17 = Waits

| length17 = 4:14

| title18 = Big Face Money

| writer18 = Waits, Casey Waits

| length18 = 0:38

}}

Personnel

Tom Waits - vocals (1–7, 9–16), The Voice (8), guitar (1–3, 6–7, 9, 12), piano (5, 11, 13, 15–16), organ (3), pump organ (7), percussion (9–10), Chamberlin (9), optigan (2)

Andrew Borger - drums (9, 14, 16), percussion (14)
Ralph Carney - trumpet (1), saxophone (1, 16), alto saxophone (11), bass clarinet (10), reeds (8, 9)
Les Claypool - bass (1)
Greg Cohen - bass (11–12, 15), percussion (10)
Linda Deluca-Ghidossi - violin (13)
Dalton Dillingham III - bass (13)
Joe Gore - guitar (3, 16)
Chris Grady - trumpet (2, 14)
John Hammond - blues harp (7)
Stephen Hodges - percussion (3–4)
Smokey Hormel - guitar (4), dobro (7), chumbus, dousengoni (2)
Jacquire King - programming (2, 14), recording engineer, mixing
Larry LaLonde - guitar (1)
Bryan "Brain" Mantia - drums (1)
Christopher Marvin - drums (6)
Charlie Musselwhite - blues harp (4, 12, 14, 16)
Nik Phelps - baritone saxophone (11, 16)
DJ M. Mark "The III Media" Reitman - turntable (8–10, 14)
Larry Rhodes - contrabassoon (10)
Marc Ribot - guitar (3, 9–10, 14), lead guitar (5), guitar solo (6, 9)
Jeff Sloan - percussion (8)
Larry Taylor - bass (3–6, 14, 16), guitar (14), rhythm guitar (5)
Wings Over Jordan Gospel, Bali Eternal - turntable samples (10)

;Technical

Oz Fritz - recording engineer, mixing
Matt Mahurin - cover photography

Christopher Marvin, the son of actor Lee Marvin, was featured as a guest drummer as a nod to Waits' membership in The Sons of Lee Marvin, a humorous secret society of Marvin look-alikes.

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (1999) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Australia\|13\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Austria\|7\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Flanders\|2\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
scope="row"\| Canadian Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Tom+Waits&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=CNA\|title=Tom Waits, CNA\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=October 5, 2021\|url-access=subscription}} \| 17
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|12\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|11\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|France\|22\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|4\|id=2977\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|36\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|1\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Scotland\|17\|date=19990425\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|7\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|7\|artist=Tom Waits\|album=Mule Variations\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|9\|date=19990425\|rowheader=true\|access-date=October 5, 2021}}
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/search?artistname=Tom+Waits&charttitle=&label=&chartcode=TLP\|title=Tom Waits, TLP\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=October 5, 2021\|url-access=subscription}} \| 30

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1999)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1999&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 1999|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=October 5, 2021}}

| 83

scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1999 |title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de |publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=September 8, 2016}}

| 75

Certifications

{{certification Table Entry|artist=Tom Waits|title=Mule Variations|award=Gold|type=album|region=Canada|relyear=1999|relmonth=04|access-date=November 11, 2023}}

{{certification Table Entry|artist=Tom Waits|title=Mule Variations|award=Platinum|type=album|region=Netherlands|relyear=1999|relmonth=04|certyear=2012|access-date=November 11, 2023}}

{{certification Table Entry|artist=Tom Waits|title=Mule Variations|award=Gold|type=album|region=United States|relyear=1999|certyear=2013|access-date=November 11, 2023}}

{{certification Table Entry|artist=Tom Waits|title=Mule Variations|nocert=true|type=album|region=Europe|salesamount=500,000|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2009/PR%20-%2020101004.htm|publisher=IMPALA|title='New IMPALA Awards include Yolanda Be Cool & DCup, The XX, Prince, Katie Melua, Tom Waits and Ida Corr vs. Fedde le Grand|date=5 October 2010|access-date=November 11, 2023|archive-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170827005732/http://www.impalamusic.org/arc_static/docum/04-press/2009/PR%20-%2020101004.htm|url-status=dead}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|artist=Tom Waits|title=Mule Variations|nocert=true|type=album|region=Worldwide|salesamount=1,000,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/nov/12/popandrock.shopping1|title=Tom Waits, Orphans|work=The Guardian|first=Stephanie|last=Merritt|date=November 12, 2006|access-date=November 11, 2023}}}}

References

External links

{{cite web |url=http://weeklywire.com/ww/04-26-99/austin_music_feature1.html |title=Mule Conversations |first1=Jody |last1=Denberg |publisher=weeklywire.com |date=April 26, 1999 |access-date=January 18, 2014}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVdfDoXHdZc |first1=Tom |last1=Waits |title=Big in Japan |website=YouTube |access-date=January 18, 2014}}

Category:Tom Waits albums

Category:1999 albums

Category:Epitaph Records albums

Category:Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album