Like many of his generation, the moment The Beatles opened The Ed Sullivan Show with ‘All My Loving’ in 1964, the British invasion dam burst all over the Billboard charts and pointed scores of young kids toward a path to music.
The resulting UK wave and the scores of British singles playing on US airwaves would form an essential piece of the American cultural tapestry—The Rolling Stones later to play as much a presence of the 1960s countercultural story as Woodstock and Charles Manson.
Over the years, Waits has shed light on the songs he loves the most. Avoiding many of the obvious choices, his taste for the British invasion boiled down to three bands who couldn’t be more English if they tried, Farout reports.
Going back to The Kinks’ early cuts, the garage rock stomper ‘You Really Got Me’ was frontman Ray Davies at his most Americana—an open embrace of blues and R&B he and all his peers cut their teeth with. It’s still charged with a buzzing strut over 60 years later, paving the way for The Stooges and the ensuing punk revolution.
For the 1960s UK hit, Waits expressed affection for The Who’s ‘Boris the Spider’. Conceived after a night’s drinking with Stones bassist Bill Wyman, the comedic number is thought to be John Entwistle‘s first composition for the band. Being the second track from 1966’s A Quick One, principal songwriter Pete Townsend took a lyrical backseat and afforded the rest of the group to offer pieces, Entwistle gifting his The Goon Show inspired arachnid caper and reportedly Jimi Hendrix’s favourite Who number.
More than any other, arguably, ‘Boris the Spider’ struck the deepest chord with Waits—an animated slice of surrealism that served as a predecessor to Waits’ later art-rock.
Tom Waits’ Favourite Songs from the 1960s
Boris the Spider’ – The Who
‘96 Tears’ – ? and the Mysterians
‘Ball and Chain’ – Big Brother and the Holding Company
‘‘Substitute’ – The Who
‘Bring It On Home to Me’ – Sam Cooke
‘Can’t Stop Loving You’ – Ray Charles
‘China Pig’ – Captain Beefheart
‘For What It’s Worth’ – Buffalo Springfield
‘Georgia On My Mind’ – Ray Charles
‘Harlem Shuffle’ – Bob & Earl
‘Hello Walls’ – Willie Nelson
‘In Dreams’ – Roy Orbison
‘Like A Fool’ – Ike and Tina Turner
‘Just Like A Woman’ – Bob Dylan
‘Louie Louie’ – The Kingsmen
‘Moon River’ – Andy Williams
‘Night Train’ – James Brown
