Watch a Vintage Tom Waits Performance from Austin City Limits

Videos by American Songwriter

This weekend, Austin City Limits dug up and rebroadcast one of their most storied episodes — Tom Waits’ December 5, 1978 appearance. This bootlegger’s delight finds the gravelly-voiced songwriter working his original, theatrical barfly persona, and contains classic readings of songs like “Small Change” and “Romeo’s Bleeding.” Watch Waits sweat his way through a one-of-a-kind performance below.

Watch Tom Waits on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

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