40 years ago today (September 30, 1985), Tom Waits released Rain Dogs, his ninth studio album and one often referred to as his strongest. It’s the second installment in what fans often call his “Frank’s Wild Years” trilogy, framed around stories of outsiders, drifters, and the forgotten souls of the city. After leaving behind the smoky, late-night piano balladry that dominated his 1970s work, Waits reinvented his sound in the ’80s with jagged rhythms, odd instrumentation, and a carnival-esque sense of chaos—a path he would follow for many of his studio albums from 1985 onward. Watch Waits performs “16 Shells From A 30.6” from the album ‘Swordfish Trombones’ and “Cemetery Polka” from the album ‘Rain Dogs’ Live On The Tube – Oct 16, 1985