"Ol' '55" is a song by American musician
Tom Waits. It is the opening track and lead
single from Waits' debut studio album, ''
Closing Time'', released in March 1973 on
Asylum Records. Written by Waits and produced by
Jerry Yester, "Ol' '55" was a minor hit. It has been described as more conventional than Waits' later songs. The title, "Ol' '55", refers to the singer's vehicle, almost certainly the legendary 1955 Cadillac Waits owned, although it could refer to other 1955 model year American cars.
The song has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by the
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
for their 1974 album ''
On The Border''. In a 1975 interview, Waits was critical of the Eagles' cover version of his song, admitting that he was "not that particularly crazy about (their) rendition of it ... I thought their version was a little antiseptic." About one year later, while interviewed for
NME, he went as far as stating that "I don’t like the Eagles. They’re about as exciting as watching paint dry. Their albums are good for keeping the dust off your turntable and that’s about all.”
The song was used for
All Elite Wrestling's
Brodie Lee tribute video during his
Celebration of Life. AEW President and CEO
Tony Khan purchased the rights to the song in
perpetuity, saying "so the tribute will last forever".
Cover versions
*1974
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
on the album ''
On the Border'', and a live version on disc 4 of their 2000 compilation ''
Selected Works: 1972-1999''. It was also the b-side of the single ''
Best of My Love''.
*1974
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...
singer
Iain Matthews, on the album ''
Some Days You Eat the Bear''
*1975
Eric Andersen on the album ''Be True To You''
*1980
Richie Havens
Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk, soul (both of which he frequently covered), and rhythm and blues. He had a rhythmic guitar style ...
on the album ''Connections''
*1994 Sarah McLachlan on ''The Freedom Sessions''
*1999 Acda en De Munnik on the 1999 bonus album ''Live in de orangerie''
*1999 K's Choice on the enhanced CD ''Extra Cocoon - All Access''
*2009 Sass Jordan on the album ''From Dusk 'Til Dawn''
*2010 Gov't Mule covered "Ol' 55" for the first time on July 18, 2010 in Charlotte, NC as an encore performed with Jackie Greene.
*2011 Maeve O'Boyle on the album ''Intermission''
*2012 Nick & Simon on the album ''Sterker (Deluxe/ DVD Wisseloord Sessies)''
*2015 Owen Campbell (musician), Owen Campbell on the album ''In the Shadow of the Greats''
*2019 Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer on the album ''Come On Up to the House - Women Sing Waits''
References
1973 debut singles
Asylum Records singles
Eagles (band) songs
Iain Matthews songs
Songs written by Tom Waits
Songs about cars
Tom Waits songs
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