Way Down in the Hole

"Way Down in the Hole" was written and performed by Tom Waits. It was first released in 1987 on his album, "Frank's Wild Years". - The song is noted for its haunting tone and the dark lyrics which are heavily tinged with Christian allegory. - Despite its niche style, the song gained significant prominence after being used as the theme song for the TV Show, The Wire. - The original Tom Waits version of the song is used as the closing theme of Season 2 of The Wire. - The song is often seen as one of the definitive tracks of Waits' gravelly, experimental style and is arguably one of his most recognizable songs.

The acapella group DoMaJe covered “Way Down in the Hole" in the fourth season of "The Wire". - DoMaJe's cover of the song stands out for being one of the only versions to feature children vocalists. The group was composed of Baltimore teenagers Ivan Ashford, Markel Steele, Cameron Brown, Tariq Al-Sabir, and Avery Bargasse. - The use of the song in this season was seen as particularly poignant as the story focused on the struggles of inner-city school children.

Musician Steve Earle's cover of "Way Down in the Hole" is used in the fifth and final season of "The Wire". - Earle is a cast member of the series, playing a recovery group counselor named Walon. - Steve Earle’s version refashions the song into a slow, country-inflected rendition, lining up with his signature musical style.