"Foreign Affairs" is Tom Waits' fifth studio album, released on September 13, 1977, under Asylum Records. Produced by Bones Howe, the album includes a notable duet with Bette Midler on the track "I Never Talk to Strangers."
Bones Howe, the producer and engineer of Foreign Affairs, recalls that Tom Waits initially described the album's concept as resembling a "black-and-white movie." After Waits created demos for the album, Howe drew inspiration from this vision for the cover art. Howe acknowledges that the process of making a record involves many changes, so the final product might not fully reflect the original concept, though the "black-and-white movie" idea was central to their approach during production.
The cover of Foreign Affairs features Tom Waits alongside Marsheila Cockrell, a Native American woman who worked at The Troubadour's box office. Although not romantically involved, Cockrell was perceived by Waits as a significant presence. The album's cover aimed to evoke a film-noir atmosphere, aligning with the mood of the songs. Renowned Hollywood portraitist George Hurrell was commissioned to capture Waits in this style, including images of him with a shadowy female character and a dramatic back-cover shot portraying him as a mix of matinee idol and psychopath. The inner sleeve features a more intimate portrayal of Waits, depicted as a disheveled pianist.
