Two Shots of Happy, One Shot Of Sad: Frank Sinatra or Tom Waits?

[Iron Chef MoFo]

Yeah, I know it's supposed to be Bono's attempt a writing a Sinatra song, but is it just me or does it REALLY sound like an early (Closing Time -> Swordfishtrombones) Tom Waits song? Apart from the few string flourishes it just seems to have the feel of a Waits tune - the jazz quartet base, melancholic, boozy lyrics, the "sour" notes, very understated, like a barstool confession... As vague as this sounds, it just "feels" like a Waits song to me.

And it also seems to lack the "punchiness" of a Sinatra tune. No scat, no "doo-bee-doo's", no jumping up and down his vocal range.

Thumbing through my copy of U2: The Rolling Stones Files, I noticed Bono's personal Top 10 albums included Waits' Rain Dogs (in the "he should have been Irish category"), so clearly there's an appreciation of the Golden Throat's music.

Am I losing it here, or has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Zoocifer]

I would go nuts if Waits was to cover that song. I love everything by Waits - he is truly one of the greatest songwriters (next to Dylan in my mind). I can't wait for his 2 new albums in April. Cheers.

~Zoo~

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" You love this town - even if that doesn't ring true. You've been all over, and it's been all over you " - Bono

" Don't you know there ain't no Devil, that's just God when he's drunk " - Tom Waits

 

[MrPryck2U]

I'm not really too familiar with Waits' material, but I don't believe Bono was trying to write a song like Sinatra. Sinatra didn't write his songs. Others wrote them and he made them his by adding the Sinatra touch. Bono is just writing a song in tribute almost to Sinatra. Ya know, kind of telling a story from "old blue eyes'" perspective. I mean, Bono does say "Happy Birthday, Frank" at the end of the song. Nonetheless, Two Shots of Happy... is an excellent song. I hope U2 puts it on the next compilation/B-side album. That'd be cool.

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