Tom Waits is a rock-and-roll hall of fame musician and happens to also have bipolar. He has a bluesy gravely voice that few can match. This song is a sad one and it also deals with the bottle which can be self medication for a lot of people with bipolar.

I couldn’t readily find any substantial source that says Tom Waits has bipolar but several different sites seem to think so. Waits, however, seems like a perfect example of what Kay Redfield Jamison wrote about in “Touched with fire,” a book about artists and bipolar disorder. In short, there are countless people with bipolar that are tremendous artists, musicians and writers. Creative pursuits are an incredible way to let out some of the intense emotions that come along with bipolar so it makes sense.

I highly recommend checking out some of Waits’ other songs. His music videos are bizarre and unlike any others I’ve seen. Many of his songs have a different flavor as well, ranging from up beat jams like “I Don’t Want To Grow Up,” to slower songs: “Hold On,” and then beats that are…scary: “Hell Broke Loose.” Enjoy.