It was used as the theme song for the 1985 "The Atlanta Child Murders" miniseries.

"Heartattack and Vine" was later recorded by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

[4] Jean-Luc Godard used "Ruby's Arms" in his 1983 film First Name: Carmen.

Bruce Springsteen performed "Jersey Girl" live (and was joined onstage by Waits to sing it on August 24, 1981), including it in his retrospective Live/1975–85.

[5] Though critical of the album in many respects, including Waits' vocal delivery and the "morbid pathos" of the ballads, Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone wrote that "Tom Waits finds more beauty in the gutter than most people would find in the Garden of Eden," and referred to him as a "unique and lovable minor talent.