Small Change (Tom Waits album)

Small Change is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits, released in 1976 on Asylum Records. The album is considered a significant turning point in Waits's career, marking a shift away from the piano-based balladry of his earlier work towards a more theatrical, beat-influenced, and lyrically complex style.

Small Change explores themes of alcoholism, loneliness, urban decay, and the darker side of the American Dream, presented through character sketches and vivid imagery. The album's title, reportedly inspired by Waits's desire to change his image and sound, reflects the thematic shift and the overall feeling of gritty realism that pervades the work.

The instrumentation on Small Change features a core band including Waits on piano and vocals, Jim Hughart on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Arrangements are often sparse and focused on creating atmosphere, with emphasis on the interplay between Waits's gravelly voice and the instrumental accompaniment. Several tracks feature string arrangements by Jerry Yester, contributing to the album's overall cinematic quality.

Notable songs from Small Change include "Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets to the Wind in Copenhagen)," a spoken-word and piano ballad based on the traditional song "Waltzing Matilda;" "Step Right Up," a rapid-fire, stream-of-consciousness monologue satirizing advertising and salesmanship; and "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)," a humorous take on the perils of alcohol abuse from the perspective of a sentient piano.

Small Change was critically acclaimed upon its release and has since been recognized as one of Waits's most important and influential albums. Its combination of poetic lyrics, jazz-infused arrangements, and Waits's distinctive vocal delivery helped establish his signature style and solidified his reputation as a major figure in American songwriting. The album continues to be praised for its originality, its emotional depth, and its unflinching portrayal of life on the margins.