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Why was ‘Way Down in the Hole’ by Tom Waits used as ‘The Wire’ theme?

Fri 5 April 2024 2:00, UK

The 1990s had been a period of dramatic changes in cinema, with technological advances and screen acting talent meeting in a flourish of timeless movies. This cinematic renaissance seemed to be echoed a decade or so later in the realm of TV drama serials. Among the heavyweights of the 2000s were Lost, Breaking Bad and The Wire.

Created by David Simon, a former journalist with firsthand experience of Baltimore’s gritty backstreets, and Ed Burns, a retired detective, The Wire made a deep impression on audiences around the globe following its arrival in 2002. Brutally authentic, the plot followed detectives in their frantic pursuit of justice in a city plagued by gang violence and drug addiction.

Although The Wire was a fictional story, its atrocities are never far from the real horrors facing many urban areas throughout the US. With Simon and Burns’ specialist knowledge, the series proved to be a compelling exposé of Baltimore’s social and political dynamics. Their painstaking attention to detail and commitment to realism set the series apart from the word go, luring viewers into an underworld of moral ambiguity.

The Wire wore on for five seasons, with 60 episodes in total. It’s a hell of a slog to binge, but it’s well worth the hours to witness one of the most extraordinary televisual feats of the 21st century. The series swiped numerous accolades throughout its six-year airing, including several Primetime Emmy nominations and wins for its writing, direction, and acting.

Simon and Burns introduce several expertly developed characters throughout the five seasons. Most memorable of these were Dominic West as Detective James “Jimmy” McNulty, Wendell Pierce as Detective William “Bunk” Moreland, Idris Elba as druglord Stringer Bell and Michael K. Williams as the amiable gangster Omar Little.

Adding some final finesse to the seamless product was a discerning soundtrack, which included songs by The Pogues, Paul Weller, The Nighthawks and more. One song that sticks prominently in my memory of the series is Solomon Burke’s ‘Fast Train’, which served as a fitting soundtrack for the season three finale montage.

Throughout its five seasons, The Wire was also blessed by the poetic hand of Tom Waits, who let Simon and Burns use his 1987 song ‘Way Down in the Hole’ for the theme tune. The piece was a fitting choice given that it follows the story of an evangelist who tries to convert Frank, a hopeless hedon and drug addict.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Simon remembered coming across Waits’ song when searching for a track fraught with suffering and emotive gravity. “I looked for… things that were suggestive of the ubiquitous drudgery and pain of whatever you’re engaged in,” he recalled. “That’s when we found ‘Way Down In The Hole’.”

After deciding on their preferred theme track, Simon and Burns still had to persuade Waits to grant permission. The legendary songwriter is famously selective regarding soundtracking, especially following historic spats with advertising firms. Consequently, he took his time over the decision, leading to a tense few weeks for The Wire team. “We were getting near our air date, and we still didn’t have permission,” Simon said.

Waits proved tricky to pin down, likely due to his busy life as a recording and performing artist. “We mailed him versions of the show so he could see what the show was about and he could see his song laid in, but he wasn’t responding,” Simon continued. “It was like, What are we going to do if he says no? We got to get him to sign off on this thing!'”

Fortunately, Waits permitted the use of his song just in time for the first episode’s arrival on HBO in June 2002. For each season, a different version of ‘Way Down In The Hole’ was used, with Waits’ original soundtracking the second.