Rain Dogs is an album by Tom Waits, released in August of 1985 (see 1985 in music). Like all of Waits' albums, Rain Dogs was a commercial failure attenuated by the adoration of most music critics. Conceived partially as a follow-up to Swordfishtrombones, the album is a mishmash of different styles, united only by Waits' hoarse voice, bizarre lyrics and musical flourishes.

Rain Dogs peaked at #188 on Billboard's Top 200 albums chart.

Track listing

  1. Singapore (Waits) - 2:46
  2. Clap Hands (Waits) - 3:47
  3. Cemetery Polka (Waits) - 1:51
  4. Jockey Full of Bourbon (Waits) - 2:45
  5. Tango Till They're Sore (Waits) - 2:49
  6. Big Black Mariah (Waits) - 2:44
  7. Diamonds & Gold (Waits) - 2:31
  8. Hang Down Your Head (Brennan/Waits) - 2:32
  9. Time (Waits) - 3:55
  10. Rain Dogs (Waits) - 2:56
  11. Midtown [instrumental] (Waits) - 1:00
  12. 9th & Hennepin (Waits) - 1:58
  13. Gun Street Girl (Waits) - 4:37
  14. Union Square (Waits) - 2:24
  15. Blind Love (Waits) - 4:18
  16. Walking Spanish (Waits) - 3:05
  17. Downtown Train (Waits) - 3:53
  18. Bride of Rain Dog [instrumental] (Waits) - 1:07
  19. Anywhere I Lay My Head (Waits) - 2:48

Personnel

  • Robert Quine - Guitar
  • Tom Waits - Guitar, Composer, Harmonium, Vocals, Producer
  • Marc Ribot - Guitar
  • Chris Spedding - Guitar
  • Ralph Carney - Sax (Bass), Wind
  • Larry Taylor - Bass, Double Bass
  • Michael Blair - Percussion, Drums, Marimba
  • Crispin Cioe - Saxophone
  • Greg Cohen - Bass, Double Bass
  • Mickey Curry - Drums
  • Bob Funk - Trombone
  • Tony Garnier - Bass, Double Bass
  • Arno Hecht - Horn (Tenor), Saxophone
  • Stephen Hodges - Drums
  • Hollywood Paul Litteral - Trumpet
  • Robbie Kilgore - Organ
  • Tony Levin - Bass
  • Ross Levinson - Violin
  • John Lune - Saxophone
  • John Lurie - Sax (Alto)
  • Robert Musso - Banjo, Engineer
  • Bobby Previte - Percussion, Marimba
  • Keith Richards - Guitar, Vocals (bckgr)
  • William Shimmel - Accordion
  • G.E. Smith - Guitar
  • Uptown Horns - Group