I've been watching the second series of the excellent chemistry-teacher-turned-crystal-meth-cook drama Breaking Bad this week. One episode featured The Be Good Tanyas cover of Townes Van Zandt's Waitin' Around to Die. It's from their second album Chinatown which I'd not given a spin for some time and thoroughly enjoyed listening to again.
MP3: The Be Good Tanyas - Waiting Around To Die
But it! Chinatown (Amazon)
Townes claimed that this was the first proper song he ever wrote and anyone familar with his biography won't be surprised that he penned such a fatalistic song at a young age.
The original version that's on Townes' first album For the Sake of the Song is regrettably overproduced. This stripped-down version from the Live from the Old Quarter album is miles better.
MP3: Townes Van Zandt - Waitin' Around to Die
But it! Live At The Old Quarter (Amazon)
The Old Quarter album is probably the best starting place for Townes novices. Those who want to dig deeper should certainly seek out the superb documentary Be Here To Love Me. That film uses a fair amount of footage from Heartworn Highways, another must-see movie for twang fans.
