| "Tom Traubert's Blues" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Tom Waits | |
| from the album Small Change | |
| Released | September 1976 |
| Recorded | July 15–29, 1976 at Wally Heider Recording in Hollywood, California |
| Genre | Blues |
| Length | 6:40 |
| Label | Asylum |
| Songwriter(s) | Tom Waits |
| Producer(s) | Bones Howe |
"Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)" (commonly known as "Tom Traubert's Blues" or "Waltzing Matilda") is a song by American musician Tom Waits.
It is the opening track on Waits' fourth studio album Small Change, released in September 1976 on Asylum Records. Written by Waits and produced by Bones Howe, the song's chorus is derived from the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" and its lyrics narrate alcohol abuse, inspired by Waits' own experiences in Los Angeles and Copenhagen.
The song is considered one of Waits' signature songs and was described by Howe as "the work of an extremely talented lyricist". It has since been covered by a number of artists, including Rod Stewart, who released a version of the song on the compilation album Lead Vocalist (1993). Stewart's version was released as a single in 1992 and charted in eight countries upon its release, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands.