This is my favourite Tom Waits record from his early material- a beautiful grower. Although the album is less acclaimed and renown than CLOSING TIME and others, this is probably because SATURDAY NIGHT holds more songs of the type which slowly reveal themselves and unfurl gradually, unlike the "Martha" type which hit you for six on a first listen. The melodies haunt you and I caught myself often subconciously singing tunes I wasn't even aware that I'd remembered.
I've got so much mileage out of this record and the tracks I initially overlooked in favour of others are now my favourite. Tom has packed so much into this record thematically and musically, and the recording is so fresh, with a great live feel. This album for me has everything, from the obvious classics (I fell in love with the title track on a first listen, and still consider it to be one of Waits greatest moments), to the ballads. There is a great driving tune in "Diamonds on my windshield," (you can't help but feel cool listening to this) and the final track just leaves you with that sense of longing,which generally results in me spinning it from the beginning again. My favourite tracks are probably, (they keep changing) "Fumblin' With The Blues" and "Depot", but the whole album is a testament to classic songwriting and a great atmosphere hangs over the whole recording . Waits prescence is everywhere, on every note and instrumental, akin to that of Jim Morrison. But what this album really has over CLOSING TIME is that it is far more coherent and finished as a piece of music as a whole, whereas I view Tom's debut as far more a great collection of songs.

    How can a Tom Waits site not have a review of The Heart Of Saturday Night. Tom's songs are just as good , but without the percussive instrumentation and Louis Armstrong vocals. The songs and the lyrics are as good as any later songs. After all most of Tom's songs and characters spend their life looking for the heart of Saturday night. Listen to this and Closing Time to get the core of Tom, since all his songs are about through out the years are about the same type of people, but only the music and the settings change. At least that is what I think in my drunken haze as I sit listening to Blood Money!