Tom Waits' Martha is a poignant reflection on lost love and nostalgia, featured on his debut album, Closing Time, released in 1973. The song emerged during a pivotal period in American folk music, when singer-songwriters were increasingly exploring deeply personal narratives. Structured as a long-distance phone call from the narrator, Tom Frost, to his old flame, Martha, after forty years apart, the song exemplifies Waits' early narrative songwriting style, which drew inspiration from literary figures like Charles Bukowski and Jack Kerouac.

lyrics

Open in browser ↗

View on Last.fm →More by Tom Waits →Closing Time →