His raspy vocals make each of these versions interesting and very listenable.

Rod Stewart – “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Matilda)”

“Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Matilda)” (1992 / 2008 – original from 1976)

Tom Waits’ classic tune “Tom Traubert’s Blues”  is one of those songs that’s almost impossible to cover suitably or creatively. Nevertheless, Rod Stewart has made several valiant attempts over the years. 

… Couldn’t Have Tried Any More

In 1992, Stewart recorded his first cover of the song as a single, which he titled “Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Matilda).”  In 1993, he included that version on a compilation album. Later that year, he created a live, unplugged version. As for the version at the link above, it’s a remastered version from 2008.   

Stewart’s characteristic raspy vocals make each of these versions interesting and quite listenable. In fact, many of his fans prefer the Rod Stewart covers to Tom Waits’ original.

However, other listeners understand that no copy can ever surpass Tom Waits’ poignant and perfectly rendered original.   _{(Image source)}

Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart is a UK rock / pop musician. He came to fame in the 1960s, performing with Jeff Beck, Faces, and Long John Baldry.    

In the 1970s, Stewart’s music became more middle-of-the-road, and his star pretty much fell out of the sky. By the turn of the century, however, he had revitalized his career, primarily through his “Great American Songbook”  series, in which he covers classic tunes from the 1930s and 1940s.  

Great British Songsmith

Stewart has sold over 100 million albums. He has won Grammy awards and Brit awards. In 2006, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice – in 1994 as a solo artist, and in 2012 as a member of Faces.   

On “Rolling Stone”  magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,”  Rod Stewart ranks at Number 59.   _{(Image source)}

Wasted and wounded, it ain't what the moon did
I've got what I paid for now
See you tomorrow
Hey Frank, can I borrow a couple of bucks from you
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

I'm an innocent victim of a blinded alley
And I'm tired of all these soldiers here
No one speaks English, and everything's broken, and my Stacys are soaking wet
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

Now the dogs are barking and the taxi cabs parking
A lot they can do for me
I begged you to stab me, you tore my shirt open
And I'm down on my knees tonight
Old Bushmill's I staggered, you'd bury the dagger
In your silhouette window light
To go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

Now I lost my Saint Christopher, now that I've kissed her
And the one-armed bandit knows
And the maverick Chinamen, and the cold-blooded signs
And the girls down by the strip-tease shows
Go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

No, I don't want your sympathy, the fugitives say
That the streets aren't for dreaming now
And manslaughter dragnets and the ghosts that sell memories
They want a piece of the action anyhow
Go waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

And you can ask any sailor, and the keys from the jailor
And the old men in wheelchairs know
And Mathilda's the defendant, she killed about a hundred
And she follows wherever you may go
Waltzing Mathilda, waltzing Mathilda
You'll go waltzing Mathilda with me

And it's a battered old suitcase, to a hotel someplace
And a wound that will never heal
No prima donna, the perfume is on an
Old shirt that is stained with blood and whiskey
And goodnight to the street sweepers
The night watchmen flame keepers
And goodnight to Mathilda, too

        Tom Waits – “Tom Traubert’s Blues”    
          _{(Right-click to hear on YouTube)}

Lyrics by Tom Waits, courtesy of – AZLyrics.com
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – Wikipedia

Into your ears … through 5 channels

 The various posts are categorized into 5 channels _{(Right-Click to see details)}
         1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)
         2 – “Cover Versions”
         3 – “Honor Roll”
         4 – “Documentaries”
         5 – “Mock’n’Roll”

More “Cover Versions” ...

         Cover Versions – Music to Your Ears – "Posts 1~20"  
         Cover Versions – Music to Your Ears – "Posts 21~40"  

Links to my other series ...

          Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"
          Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"

          Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part One – My Lyrics Posts 3~30”
          Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part Two – My Lyrics Posts 31~60”  

          Vocab-Ability – "Introduction to Vocab-Ability"  
          Vocab-Ability – "Index"  to all Chapters and Sections  

          Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part One – Notes 1~50"  
          Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part Two – Notes 51~87"