The other night, I felt like listening to something with a little bit of gravel to it, something a little bit hard. A friend suggested Tom Waits, and I’ve been listening to “All the World Is Green” since. The lyrics are fantastic, too. “The face forgives the mirror,” Waits rumbles, “the worms forgive the plow.” The song has the feel of early Parisian jazz, but with a distinct Waits edge.
Starlit Nights 
Great song! I love Tom Waits as well. You’re absolutely right – sometimes you need a voice with a bit of gravel in it.
I’m a big Tom Waits fan. Some of his stuff is a little hard to take. Try “The Earth Dies Screaming” or “The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me” from his album “Bone Machine.” Or for some softer, earlier Waits, anything from “Closing Time” or “Heart of Saturday Night.”
I once went to see the Dalai Lama at Lincoln Center when he was in New York and, believe it or not, the “warm up” act was Tom Waits. Must be something to it.