Tom Waits drops new song with an elite collaborator – Here’s why it matters

It’s been a while since Tom Waits released a traditional studio album – in fact, not since 2011. And until this week, his last original song came out in 2018, as a collaboration on someone else’s record. That changed on Thursday when he released a new single of his own.

Waits collaborated with Massive Attack on a song called “Boots on the Ground.” Despite the title, it’s not a song supporting war with Iran. It’s actually a satirical commentary on issues closer to home, though the underlying theme has universal relevance.

All profits from the vinyl sales of this song will be donated to two organizations: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the US Immigrant Defense Project. These groups support the message of the song, and without their work, the lyrics might not be fully understood.

Tom Waits and Massive Attack’s collaboration is impactful and worthy of being heard

There’s no doubt that both Waits and Massive Attack make excellent music, even if it doesn’t fit the typical pop mold. Their real strength has always been creating work with more substance and artistry than most mainstream radio hits. True artistic merit comes from the vision and purpose behind the creation, not its commercial success.

“Boots on the Ground” isn’t a relaxing song, but it’s thoughtfully created and well-produced. It opens with sounds of labored breathing, and combined with the music video, it’s clear the song aims to be powerful and leave a lasting impression.

Around fifty seconds into the song, a simple, stripped-down beat appears, sounding very similar to one used by Tom Waits in his song “Earth Dies Screaming.” It’s possible the song even uses the same instruments.

That’s when Waits really starts to get into character, and it’s pretty clear what he’s going for. He plays this ICE agent who’s just trying to do their job, even though a lot of people see it as messed up. Knowing Waits’ history and what he usually stands for, it’s obvious he’s not supporting ICE, he’s actually trying to show everyone what they’re all about, and it’s a really interesting way to do it.

The song features a lengthy instrumental section that takes up most of its second half. While Tom Waits continues to sing over the final three minutes, the main focus of the piece is evident. Also, the sound at the very end of the video is simply a repeat of the breathing heard at the beginning.

The meaning is clear. The breathing sounds strained, and the music isn’t cheerful. But that’s not what matters. “Boots on the Ground” is a powerful and direct message.

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2026-04-17 01:00

Tom Waits and Massive Attack’s collaboration is impactful and worthy of being heard

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