As of April, Tom Waits’ 1999 album Mule Variations turned 25 years old. To celebrate, the veteran singer-songwriter shared a new version of one of the album’s standout tracks.
The spiritual version of “Get Behind The Mule” is pared-down, with a simple piano complimenting the ragged-yet-powerful voice of Waits. It’s also two minutes shorter than the original, which featured drums, guitar, and a more upbeat tempo. The re-release is definitely spiritual, in the way a lantern casting shadows in the dark might make one believe in beings not of this earth.
The re-release in August also gives “Get Behind The Mule” some weight heading into the fall. It’s very Over the Garden Wall, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this October and which carries much of Waits’ influence. Listen to both versions of “Get Behind The Mule” below.