L.A. Rock Musician Warren Zevon Terminally Ill

Reuters Entertainment ^ | 9-12-02 | Anon

[Xenalyte]

I was sitting in the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel
I was staring in my empty coffee cup
I was thinkin' that the gypsy wasn't lyin'
All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles
I'm gonna drink 'em up

And if California slides into the ocean
Like the mystics and statistics say it will
I predict this hotel will be standing
'Til I pay my bill

Don't the sun look angry through the trees
Don't the trees look like crucified thieves
Don't you feel like desperadoes under the eaves
Heaven help the one who leaves

Still wakin' up in the morning with shakin' hands
And I'm tryin' to find a girl that understands me
But except in dreams, we're never really free
Don't the sun look angry at me

I was sitting in the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel
I was listening to the air conditioner hum
It went hmmm . . .
Look away
Look away down Gower Avenue

(I know it's the wrong album, but this one has my favorite Zevon shot.)

[Xenalyte]

Warren Zevon is one of the rare artists whose voice echos in my head when I think of his lyrics.

His voice is oddly resonant - like if Steve Winwood's were fuller. Very distinctive.

[Drumbo]

His s**t was all f**ked up.

That turned out to be a prophetic song.

I've liked Warren Zevon since 1966 when I first heard his, "Outside Chance" on The Turtles second album, You Baby. It was followed by "Like the Seasons" on 1967's Happy Together album. He's been an awesome songwriting talent for more than 30 yerars - and he'll be missed.

[Our man in washington]

People are choosing some great songs to post. I'll post one of the odd ones. (Okay, that's not a very limiting statement.)

Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo
Snatched the glasses right off my face
Took the keys to my BMW
Left me here to take his place
I wish the ape a lot of success
I'm sorry my apartment's a mess
Most of all I'm sorry if I made you blue
I'm betting the gorilla will, too

They say Jesus will find you wherever you go
But when He'll come looking for you, they don't know
In the mean time, keep your profile low
Gorilla, you're a desperado

He built a house on an acre of land
He called it Villa Gorilla Now
I hear he's getting divorced
Laying low at L'Ermitage, of course

Then the ape grew very depressed
Went through Transactional Analysis
He plays racquetball and runs in the rain
Still he's shackled to a platinum chain

Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo
Snatched the glasses right off my face
Took the keys to my BMW
Left me here to take his place

[Behind Liberal Lines]

His voice is oddly resonant - like if Steve Winwood's were fuller. Very distinctive.

Zevon did a killer cover of "Back in the High Life Again" on the "Life'll Kill Ya" album

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Zevon's last two albums, "Life'll Kill Ya" and "My Ride's Here" (the ride referring to a hearse) have been full of songs about his eventual death, including this one:

This time I have to leave
It's all too clear It's plain to see
No use in hanging round like a dog who wines and cries
This time I have to leave

Did you hear that I'm attached
I'm on a dead end path
Can't you see it hurts me so but I really got to go
This time I have to leave

. Weird.

[Vic3O3]

Bummer! I sent a copy of hit greatest hits to my friend during the Gulf War#1. Had to include Mohammad's Radio!

[onedoug]

They're grown now. I remember J playing with Ariel.

[dts32041]

Jungle Work Lyric Lyric:

(Warren Zevon)
Lear jet S.W.A.T. team
On a midnight run
With the M16
And the Ingram gun
We parachute in
We parachute out
"Death from above"
We're screaming now
Where the pay is good
And the risk is high
It's understood
We'll do or die
Sten gun in hand
Where the gun is law
From Ovamboland
To Nicaragua
Strength and muscle and jungle work
Three young men
In a Russian truck
With a little Mac10
Sent 'em running to the huts
A few young men
The few who dare
To battle in hell
Le Mercenaire!
Strength and muscle and jungle work

Made a great Cadence for a double time and was the only one I could remember.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I have a tape of the airborne rangers workout and the "Jungle Work" cadence is on there.

[Rome2000]

The only hope is to get Erbitux(C-225) the Imclone drug.

My father was diagnosed 14 months ago with stage IV adenocarcinoma and was lucky enough to get into their trial.

He has had 70% tumor shrinkage and no mets, and has been taken off chemo as this drug actually may be able to make Lung Cancer a chronic, rather than fatal, disease.

His prognosis for survival out 5 years is good, which is astounding to the oncologists.

[Blue Eyes]

There's a certain girl

I've been in love with

A long, long time.

What's her name?

I can't tell you.

Ah.

A guy I had a crush on in college played that song at a room party he had. I went out and bought the tape, just because I liked the guy.

We got married several years later. Still married.

Certain Girl is our song. This is sad news.

[friendly]

Life sucks.

Then you die.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

As far as I know Zevon was for the last few years the unofficial back up band leader on Letterman. Whenever Shaffer had to take time off Zevon was the fill in guy. Not only is Letterman one of Zevon's biggest fans, but Letterman and Zevon are apparently good friends. Letterman even did backup vocals on "the Hockey Song."

[eddie willers]

Sad ping.

[white rose]

Damn, that makes me feel old. I remember, when I was a kid, getting his 1976 "Warren Zevon" album (still one of my all time favorites,) because I loved Linda Ronstadt's version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me." That album of his was one of the things that got me through the horrors of junior high school. I'm surprised no one has posted these lyrics yet:

So much to do, there's plenty on the farm
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Saturday night I like to raise a little harm
I'll sleep when I'm dead

I'm drinking heartbreak motor oil and bombay gin
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Straight from the bottle, twisted again
I'll sleep when I'm dead

Well, I take this medicine as prescribed
I'll sleep when I'm dead
It don't matter if I get a little tired
I'll sleep when I'm dead

I've got a .38 Special up on the shelf
I'll sleep when I'm dead
If I start acting stupid I'll shoot myself
Then I'll sleep when I'm dead

[Chi-townChief]

"Well, I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's,
And his hair was Perfect!"

[Benrand]

Excitable Boy is one of the great rock albums, IMO. Great drums, great guitars/solos, production.

I love playing along to it.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I actually made my then girlfriend when we were in NYC stop at Trader Vics for Pina Coladas back around 1990 or so.

[Chi-townChief]

If it went down as written, you and your girlfriend must have been pretty wild!