About love:
I feel like I'm in heaven when your with me
I know that I'm in heaven when you smile

About being single:
Well when you ain't got nobody, anybody looks nice
Don't take much to make you stop and look twice

About breaking up with someone you love:
And I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord that you'd come home

About the fear of realtionship:
Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue,

one more about love:
Well there's one thing you can't lose
It's that feel
Your pants, your shirt, your shoes
But not that feel

other gems like:
They say if you get far enough away, you'll be on your way back home.
Are spread all over:
http://www.officialtomwaits.com/music/m_lyrics.htm

I just wanted to clarify that it does make perfect sense to love tom wiats because of his lyrics. And the combination of his lyrics and his music is what makes him great.

I don't agree with you about the first period in Waits career -the one before swordfishtrombone- I actually like that one better. But I guess it is a matter of taste.
Recomendded first Tom Waits album?
Maybe Blue valentine - Great story telling, but do yourself a favour and read the lyrics too.