Fishing with John: Jamaica with Tom Waits

October 1, 2015 8:11 AM - Season 1, Episode 2

John Lurie and Tom Waits take a fishing trip to Jamaica.

Fishing With John is available as part of the Criterion Collection, and can be watched online at the following places:

YouTube
Hulu Plus

posted by Elementary Penguin (3 comments total)

When they're first paddling along, there's a white lattice at the top of the river. I didn't notice that before, and it made the previously remote-seeming scene seem rather ... pedestrian. And amusing.

Fishers of men, fishers of men
Up one side and back again
Along the river of men

Our trusty oars are in the boat
Along the river of men
(Sing with me, John!)
Along the river of men
Along the river of men
Up one side and back again
Along the river of men (of men)
[Lurie: Row!]

He yells at the crew, they get nothing to eat
Along the river of men
And it's up one side and back again
Along the river of men (of men)
Along the river of men
Along the river of men
Along the river of men

Lurie about Tom: "he doesn't know anything about fish."
posted by filthy light thief at 12:12 PM on October 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

So, one of my best friends was going through some weird stuff and he came to visit. He was not having a good time. In an effort to cheer him up and/or distract him, I showed him this episode. He was the sort of person who didn't really know about popular music (he's more into classical and opera and all) so he wasn't familiar with Tom Waits.

For a long while after, Tom Waits was just the man who put a fish down his shorts.

Apparently, Waits didn't talk to Lurie for a couple of years after this. I don't know if there were necessarily hard feelings or just life circumstances, but I do think it's funny that this was the last interaction they had for a while.

(I used to put "River of Men" into mixes. I don't know why people put up with me sometimes.)
posted by darksong at 5:39 PM on October 1, 2015

I am a big Tom Waits fan and this is one made me laugh so hard. He just seems so...uncool here! He gets all seasick on the boat, then tries bullshitting the Jamaicans while playing cards, and they are just not having any of it. Tom was basically the awkward guy you feel a little embarrassed for bringing to the party.
posted by Hoopo at 9:26 AM on October 6, 2015