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Tom Waits' 'Rain Dogs': A Landmark Album Revisited

9/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Tom Waits released his ninth studio album, Rain Dogs, on September 30, 1985, marking a pivotal career moment.
The album is a loose concept piece about New York City's urban dispossessed, with 19 tracks and ambient city sounds.
Collaborators included guitarist Marc Ribot and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones; critics later ranked Rain Dogs among the 1980s' best albums.

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Story summary

Tom Waits released his ninth studio album, Rain Dogs, on September 30, 1985, marking a pivotal career moment.
The album is a loose concept piece about New York City's urban dispossessed, with 19 tracks and ambient city sounds.
Collaborators included guitarist Marc Ribot and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones; critics later ranked Rain Dogs among the 1980s' best albums.