The producer Bones Howe, whom David Geffen, head of Asylum Records, had mediated, was decisively involved in the recordings. Howe had worked for artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Ornette Coleman and Frank Sinatra throughout his career. Like Howe, the studio musicians also came from the wide realms between pop and jazz, which clearly led the production in the direction Waits wanted. However, this corresponded even less than the debut work "Closing Time" (1973) to the mainstream at that time. However, the "Rolling Stone" today leads the record in the list of the "500 best albums of all time" on place 339.

After the release of "Heart Of Saturday Night" Waits went on tour with Frank Zappa at the instigation of his manager Herb Cohen. Reluctantly. The reactions of the audience were moderate, but Waits had Zappa on his side, which earned him quite a reputation among colleagues.

A1 New Coat Of Paint
A2 San Diego Serenade
A3 Semi Suite
A4 Shiver Me Timbers
A5 Diamonds On My Windshield
A6 (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night
B1 Fumblin' With The Blues
B2 Please Call Me, Baby
B3 Depot, Depot
B4 Drunk On The Moon
B5 The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone'S Pizza House)