Shoes are important to Tom Waits. He has often mentioned during talk show appearances and interviews how important they are to him, his interest bordering on fascination with his footwear. Shoes have also been a recurring theme in his songs, most notably Red Shoes (by the Drugstore) and Old Shoes (and Picture Postcards). So what's the deal with the shoe love? Why is Tom so interested in them? Well, shoes act as a metaphor for Tom Waits' life. He is a wanderer, a nomad. How could shoes not be important to them? He has claimed in the past that shoes, to him, represent a document for his life's travels. This may appear odd to some but Watis' fans know exactly where he's coming from. For Waits fans, listening to Waits' back catalogue is like trying on many different pairs of shoes. Some fit better than others and tell different stories, exactly the way Tom Waits wanted it.