Tom Waits Releases New Version of "Get Behind the Mule"

Tom Waits Releases New Version of “Get Behind the Mule”

ByJohn

Tom Waits is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his 13th studio album, “Mule Variations.” To mark the occasion, the reclusive rocker has released a new version of the fourth track, “Get Behind the Mule.” A stripped-down version of the song, “Get Behind the Mule (Spiritual),” it features Waits accompanied only by a Wurlitzer electronic piano, an instrument that adds a new dimension to the eerie tale of a getaway murder. “Mule Variations” was released in April 1999 on Epitaph Records’ sister label, Anti-Records, which was created specifically to release the album.

He won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album, with third track “Hold On” receiving a nomination for Best Male Rock Performance. “I am filled with gratitude for Tom Waits and his album, ‘Mule Variations,’ which not only launched our label, it sparked an enduring partnership built on trust, creativity and a love of pushing artistic boundaries,” Epitaph founder and CEO Brett Gurewitz said in a statement. Waits has been more active in 2023 than he has been in a while. In addition to collaborating with Iggy Pop on an episode of his radio show, he wrote a tribute to Shane MacGowan and made a rare public appearance to present Nicolas Cage with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SFfilm Awards Night.

John
John

With an untamed passion and deep, eclectic knowledge of music, John is the soul of RadioWise UK. Having worked in the music industry for over two decades, his vision was to create a platform that embodies the love and respect for music. John is known for his great attention to detail and insatiable thirst for discovering new talents and music genres.