I was always wondering.. isn't that a kind of obligation, singin 'Tom's Diner'... I mean it's always at the end of the show (as far as I know) and was wondering isn't it kind of MUST to play this song (as for some people the show could be disaster without it probably...) I wonder if Suzanne doesn't want to put it back on the shelf and can't - because of the audience and its popularity.. of course I'm not saying that's bad song - NO - NEVER, just was curious... Would you people see the show incomplete without it?

I couldn't say.

Saw the big Suz live just once, and she played it at the end (before the encore).

I think Suzanne really enjoys the fact that both this song and Luka have become such trademarks. Suzanne really appreciates her fans. I don't just say this as fan-propoganda on a fan-list. I get the impression that she is really grateful to be recognized, and that nothing pleases her more than to play what the fans want to hear.

But as far as Tom's Diner goes... I still think that no professional musician has yet divined the "true" chord structure to accompany her melody.

They did an instrumental version on my copy of "solitude" and I've of course heard the DNA mix and so forth, but I've yet to hear a composition that comes anywhere close to nailing that melody down to some music.

Not that I think it can't be done... rather I look at it as a kind of "sword in the stone". Only a musician with a pure heart can ever compose the "true" score to Tom's Diner.

I think this guitar music accompanies Tom's Diner very well....

http://www.vitaminic.nl/cgi-php/get_file.php3?modo =1&bid=424978

I think I've posted it before. I still do like the orignial SS-version the most.

Spikey

yeah - I definately love the original version the most.. though liked the DNA also when I heard it for the first time (as far as I know some people considered it a blasphemy ) and then - when I heard all the Rosmary remixes I begun to like DNA even more (tho the original Rosmary stays the best for me)

and I agree - Tom's Diner (together with Luka) are unforgetable songs and recognized by a huuuuge audience and I guess it's great to know - "everybody in the whole wide world knows the: My name is Luka..."

Tom's Diner is one of Suzanne's greatest songs. This song is about lost love, setting the monotony and loneliness of everyday life against the nice memories. I really admire Suzanne's daring to sing this piece without any accompaniement. I think that any kind of orchestration (even a single guitar) would destroy the magical aura of this song. Rhythmic audience clapping in recitals (as I witnessed in Warsaw) belongs to the same category. But of course! this song is Suzanne's emblematic song and as I understand the audience's desire to take part in the performance and as I observed, Suzanne was not against it.

Ferenc

I'll throw in my agreement that the original is the best. That dutch version Spikey posted sounded nicely u2-ish to my ear.. better (imho) than the dutch (?) version on Tom's Album.

Speaking of, the Jeannie version on Tom's Album is great, though probably not very accessible to sv's non-north-american fans. Also, I really really like the DNA slash Suzanne remix of Rusted Pipe.

I somehow (and sadly) haven't heard any of the rosemary covers. Looks like i have some kazaa-ing to do.. ~innocent whistling and stirring dirt with toe~

--Bill

yeah kazaa will do that for you tho... better buy a single!!!!! Nice photo on the cover indeed

and Ferenc: I also absolutely adore those parts when the audience can take part in the show - as clappin or the "duh duh duh duh" part of Tom's Diner.. yeah - together with Luka they're kinda symbol of the early SV... especially Luka - dealin with tough problems - rather avoided...

> Rosemary covers?! I hadn't even known there was such a thing! And Rosemary is ranked as one of the favorites of all the favorites. One of the "more favorite" elite in the world of suzanne vega...in my own ears and mind anyway.

Well, uh, so far the kazaa route has been a bust. I found lot's of stuff by Rosemary Clooney which (i suppose) i'm not gay enough to enjoy. Give me a few more years, I guess. I also found Rosemary's Baby and songs called Rosemary by Lenny Kravitz, Fats Domino, and the Grateful Dead. Not the right stuff there either. -sigh-

Are there particular remixes I could look for? Maybe a more narrow search would help. Meanwhile, the quest continues...

-staring steadfastly into the future-

--Bill (Bartholomew Cubbins)

the single I look at now is called "Rosemary ( Remember Me)" and includes:

1. Rosemary (Remember Me) DNA remix
2. Rosemary (Remember Me) Europa mix (Edit)
3. Rosemary (Remember Me) Herbacious mix (Extended)
4. Rosemary (Remember Me) Album version...

and all are great in my opinion - all are different and definately worth hearing!!

Hope that helps...

I must say that I would be a bit disappointed if I went to a Suzanne Vega concert and she did'nt play Tom's Diner. I love the song, but it's not really therefor a concert wouldn't bee the same without it. But when Suzanne sings that song, it creates an atmosphere that no other of her songs does in the same way between the audience and herself. I've been to two of her concerts and when she sings Tom's Diner, has been a special moment of both those concerts. She puts away the guitar, keeps the rythm, and invites the audience to join her. We are actually singing that song together with her, with no instruments, just the rythm and the singing. One thing that is special about Suzanne, is that she dares to be personal and close to her fans. When she sings Tom's Diner, you feel close to her in a special way. It's like we are doing this together, and not that she's an artist just performing for us. So a concert without Tom's Diner, wouldn't be the same to me.

Linda

"Well I can't forget this evening...." actually it was 10th December 2001. Suzanne performed for our president, who was pretty serious during that concert. But he smiled when Suzanne during Tom's Diner almost didn't burst into laughter. I don't know what was funny, but everytime I listen to this concert I must smile at this very moment.

One day I was on the bus and was listening to the tape whit this concert. I was waiting for this moment and was smiling and engrossed in every little sound on the tape. Suddenly someone touched my arm - Ticket please! - I don't know how long he asked me for that....

be well

Anna Maria K.

---

"like a shadow, I am and I am not"

I did a mix of Tom's Diner with Lucy Pearl's "Don't mess with my man" and hoped you might like it, suits quite nicely. Have a listen...
http://www.djcrookair.ch/181004/crookair_mess_toms dinner.mp3
greets
markus from zurich, switzerland

Hi all,

we are Elisha Gray, a brand new electronic-industrial group from Italy :D

We made just another Tom's Diner remix and we'll like to include it in our next album and play it live using Suzanne voice upon our music.

We are alredy members of S.I.A.E. (http://www.siae.it) for copyright issues and we don't know if we have to get any ulterior permission from Suzanne Vega or her managing for our purpose.

Thanks in advance

Best Regards

Elisha Gray