Out of David Letterman’s 6000-plus shows, Tom Waits appeared on only ten, whether or not he had a new album or tour or play or film to advertise. When he appeared for the last time, he debuted a song titled, “Take One Last Look.”

He directed it as a tribute to Mr. Letterman and was accompanied by Larry Taylor (once of Canned Heat) on upright bass and Gabriel Donohue on piano accordion, with the horn section of the CBS Orchestra helping on the choruses.

On his website, Waits joked, “I don’t know when I will see Dave again. I guess from now on we’ll have to settle for bumping into each other at Pilates.”

Take One Last Look—Tom Waits
Let’s watch the sun come up in another town
Try our luck a little further down
Leave the cards on the table
Leave the bread on the plate
Put your hand on the gearshift
Put your foot off the brake
 
And take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
Oh take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
&nbp;
I beg for something that the wind can carry
There are all points of ways across the waiting prairie
This car looks like it could give us a good run
A choice to leave was a good one
 
And take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
Oh take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
 
Let’s look forward to the lights that are new,
The world is a ribbon of road for you
All towns have churches and tire stops
They put up speed limit signs and they hire cops
I love to see the wind in your hair
All we ever need we can get anywhere
 
And take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
Oh take one last look
At the place that you are leaving
Take one last look
Oh take one last look
Oh take one last look

The video:

 
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This first appeared in 2015.

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The WordPress Daily Prompt for January 3 asks us to reflect on the word, “Gone.”

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