Hear Tom Waits’ Unreleased, Stripped-Down, ‘Spiritual’ Version of ‘Get Behind the Mule’

To mark the 25th anniversary of both Tom Waits’ Mule Variations and the record label Anti, an unreleased “Spiritual” rendition of the standout “Get Behind the Mule” has been unearthed for the first time.

While the album version of “Get Behind the Mule” features a lineup of all-star musicians like guitarist Smokey Hormel, bassist Larry Taylor, harpist Charlie Musselwhite and percussionist Stephen Hodges, the “Spiritual” rendition — a variation on Variations, if you will — features Waits alone with his Wurlitzer electric piano, putting additional emphasis on the murder ballad lyrics penned by the singer and his wife/collaborator Kathleen Brennan.

Mule Variations marked Waits’ first album since 1993’s The Black Rider and the first since the expiration of his deal with longtime label Island. To release the album, Waits made the surprise decision to ink a deal with the newly formed Anti, an offshoot of the punk label Epitaph Records. Released in Sept. 1994, Mule Variations was the first album in the Anti catalog.

“Reaching the 25-year milestone for Anti Records, I am filled with gratitude for Tom Waits and his album, Mule Variations, which didn’t just start our label; it sparked a lasting partnership built on trust, creativity, and a love for pushing artistic boundaries,” Epitaph founder and CEO Brett Gurewitz said in a statement.

Anti president Andy Kaulkin added, “I’ve personally been a major Tom Waits fan for as long as I can remember. We started the label to release his music. Tom’s embodiment of the spirit of artistic authenticity and resilience was our north star when we started out, and his unparalleled creativity continues to inspire and drive everything we do.”

While Waits hasn’t put out a new album since 2011’s Bad As Me, he’s often accompanied reissues of his work with unreleased versions and live recordings.