1981 Dog Food Commercial Narrated by Tom Waits

In 1981, the great Tom Waits did the voiceover for a Ralston Purina “Butcher’s Blend” Dog Food commercial. While this was a one-time thing, as he needed an infusion of cash at the time, Waits lent his distinctive vocals to a rather fitting script. And the slightly seedy street ambiance was very much in Waits’ definitive wheelhouse.

Here’s the script:

As dog travels through the envied and often tempting world of man, there’s one thing, above all, that tempts him most…the taste of meat! And that is why Purina makes Butcher’s Blend. Butcher’s Blend is the first dry dog food with three tempting meaty tastes. Beef, liver, ‘n’ bacon. All in one bag. So c’mon, deliver your dog from the world of temptation. The world of Butcher’s Blend. The first dry dog food with three meaty tastes.

According to Barney Hoskyns, the author of the Tom Waits biography, Lowside of the Road, states that Waits responded in his very unique way.

I was really down on my luck at the time and i’ve always really loved dogs. …I did one and I’ll never do it again

via Boing Boing