The Early Years

Compilation album series by Tom Waits
Released	Volume One - July 16, 1991 Volume Two - January 19, 1993
Recorded	July–December 1971
Genre	Rock
Length	43:35 & 44:11
Label	Manifesto
Producer	Robert Duffey

Volume Two

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	(Volume One) link
Allmusic	(Volume Two) link

The Early Years is a two-part retrospective album series of Tom Waits songs, consisting of recordings made before Waits' debut album, Closing Time. Volume one was released in 1991 and volume two was released in 1993 on Bizarre/Straight. The recordings were made between July and December 1971. Some of the songs on the album appear on the early albums Waits recorded for Asylum Records. In 2010, both volumes of The Early Years were released on vinyl by Manifesto Records.

Volume One

All tracks composed by Tom Waits.

No.	Title	Re-recording release	Length
1.	"Goin' Down Slow"		2:48
2.	"Poncho's Lament"		4:17
3.	"I'm Your Late Night Evening Prostitute"		3:16
4.	"Had Me a Girl"		5:32
5.	"Ice Cream Man"	Closing Time, 1973	3:11
6.	"Rockin' Chair"		3:15
7.	"Virginia Ave."	Closing Time	2:41
8.	"Midnight Lullaby"	Closing Time	3:26
9.	"When You Ain't Got Nobody"		3:23
10.	"Little Trip to Heaven"	Closing Time	3:02
11.	"Frank's Song"		1:56
12.	"Looks Like I'm Up Shit Creek Again"		3:03
13.	"So Long I'll See Ya"		3:30

Volume Two

All tracks composed by Tom Waits.

No.	Title	Re-recording release	Length
1.	"Hope I Don't Fall in Love with You"	Closing Time	5:01
2.	"Ol' '55"	Closing Time	4:07
3.	"Mockin' Bird"		3:27
4.	"In Between Love"		3:01
5.	"Blue Skies"	non-album single, 1974	2:13
6.	"Nobody"	Nighthawks at the Diner, 1975	2:47
7.	"I Want You"		1:22
8.	"Shiver Me Timbers"	The Heart of Saturday Night, 1974	3:48
9.	"Grapefruit Moon"	Closing Time	4:36
10.	"Diamonds on My Windshield"	The Heart of Saturday Night	3:10
11.	"Please Call Me, Baby"	The Heart of Saturday Night	3:43
12.	"So It Goes"		2:31
13.	"Old Shoes"	Closing Time	4:24

"Ice Cream Man", "Virginia Avenue", "Midnight Lullaby", "Little Trip to Heaven", "Hope I Don't Fall in Love with You", "Grapefruit Moon", "Ol' '55" and "Old Shoes" (as '"Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards)") were re-recorded on Closing Time.
"Shiver Me Timbers", "Please Call Me, Baby" and "Diamonds on My Windshield" re-recorded on The Heart of Saturday Night.
"Blue Skies" was re-recorded and released as a stand-alone single in October 1974.
"Nobody" was re-recorded for Nighthawks at the Diner.

v t e Tom Waits
Studio albums	Closing Time The Heart of Saturday Night Nighthawks at the Diner Small Change Foreign Affairs Blue Valentine Heartattack and Vine Swordfishtrombones Rain Dogs Franks Wild Years Bone Machine Mule Variations Blood Money Alice Real Gone Bad as Me
Live albums	Big Time Romeo Bleeding: Live from Austin Glitter and Doom Live
Soundtracks	One from the Heart Night on Earth The Black Rider
Compilations	Bounced Checks Anthology of Tom Waits Asylum Years The Early Years, Volume One The Early Years, Volume Two Beautiful Maladies Used Songs 1973–1980 Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
Notable songs	"Ol' '55" "(Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night" "Tom Traubert's Blues" "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) (An Evening with Pete King)" "Somewhere" "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" "Romeo Is Bleeding" "Kentucky Avenue" "Heartattack and Vine" "Jersey Girl" "In the Neighborhood "16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six "Jockey Full of Bourbon" "Hang Down Your Head" "Time" "Downtown Train" "Hang On St. Christopher" "Innocent When You Dream" "Way Down in the Hole" "Come On Up to the House" "Bad as Me" "Back in the Crowd"
Tours	Glitter and Doom Tour
Musicals	The Black Rider Woyzeck
Related articles	Discography Kathleen Brennan Greg Cohen Bones Howe Jim Jarmusch Rickie Lee Jones Marc Ribot Larry Taylor Chuck E. Weiss Big Time (film) Wicked Grin Come On Up to the House: Women Sing Waits New Coat of Paint Step Right Up: The Songs of Tom Waits Tom Waits for No One