Blue Valentine (album)


Blue Valentine is a 1978 album by Tom Waits, released by Asylum Records, his sixth album since his debut Closing Time in 1973. It was recorded over the course of six sessions from July to August 1978 with producer Bones Howe. Rickie Lee Jones is pictured with Waits on the back cover.

Production

Blue Valentine was recorded in six sessions from July 24 to August 26, 1978 at Filmways/Heider Recording, Hollywood, California. Production was by Bones Howe, 2nd engineers - Geoff Howe and Ralph Osborne. Disc Mastering by Terry Dunavan.
All the songs were written by Tom Waits apart from the opening track, "Somewhere" from the Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim musical West Side Story.

Critical reception

Reviewing in , Robert Christgau wrote that "Waits keeps getting weirder and good for him. As sheer sendup, his 'Somewhere' beats Sid Vicious's 'My Way' his way. But I'm not always sure he understands his gift—these lyrics should be funnier. And 'Romeo Is Bleeding,' easily my favorite among his Chandleroid sagas of tragedy outside the law, is more effective on the jacket than when he underlines its emotional resonance in song. That's not weird at all."

Track listing

All tracks written by Tom Waits, except where noted.
Side one
Side two

Personnel