Since I first discovered Tom Waits, I’ve been completely obsessed with ‘What’s He Building?’
Tom Waits is a master storyteller, and this spoken word piece from his 1999 album Mule Variations is a prime example of his craft. In this track we experience the world through the narrator’s eyes—a world distorted by fear, anxiety, and paranoia, where the other is always a threat.
This short is the culmination of years of obsessing over the nightmarish images in this song and how its meanings have slowly evolved and changed over time.
Credits:
Designed and animated by Thiago Miranda
“What’s He Building?” by Tom Waits
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Since I first discovered Tom Waits, I’ve been completely obsessed with ‘What’s He Building?’
Tom Waits is a master storyteller, and this spoken word piece from his 1999 album Mule Variations is a prime example of his craft. In this track we experience the world through the narrator’s eyes—a world distorted by fear, anxiety, and paranoia, where the other is always a threat.
This short is the culmination of years of obsessing over the nightmarish images in this song and how its meanings have slowly evolved and changed over time.
Credits:
Designed and animated by Thiago Miranda
“What’s He Building?” by Tom Waits
Social Media:
Instagram: @thiagomiranda.co