Pitchfork

What is it with European car companies and Tom Waits soundalikes? For the second time in just over a year, the grizzled bard has come out on top in a lawsuit against an auto manufacturer for using what sounds a helluva lot like a Tom Waits song in its advertisements.

It was announced today that the singer-songwriter had settled a suit brought against Adam Opel AG and advertising agency McCann Erickson Germany for the use of what seemed to be a Waits impersonator in Opel television commercials in 2005.

Waits issued this characteristically smirking statement: "I'm glad to be out of the car sales business once and for all."

A McCann Erickson rep said, "We respect Mr. Waits, and deeply regret any embarrassment this may have caused."

Embarrassment? C'mon. Dude is gloating. Remember what he said last time, when he won a suit against Audi for ripping off "Innocent When You Dream"? "Now they understand the words to the song better. It wasn't 'Innocent When You Scheme' it was 'Innocent When You Dream'."

Waits will donate the net proceeds from the settlement to an unspecified charity.