Warren Zevon's Top 25 Songs

Warren Zevon would have turned 75 today. In 2002, when he appeared for the last time on The Late Show with Dave Letterman, Dave asked him if he could share the kind of insight that only a dying man would possess. Zevon had recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma and was given only a few more months to live. Without missing a beat, he said, "Enjoy every sandwich."

It was a perfect response. Perfect because even in the face of the ultimate banality - a middle-aged man, after decades of abusing his body, dying of cancer - Zevon managed to avoid cliché and impart something truthful that also captured something of his oddball brand of humor. I had the good fortune to see him live at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC in 2000. At one point during the concert, there was a scuffle in the audience. Zevon stopped playing and waited for security to sort things out.  He then said. "I'll bet that never happens at Sting concerts." And he played on. As an artist, Zevon saw the dark and macabre in the everyday. And within the dark and macabre, he found humor and delight. There's never been a songwriter quite like him. Here's my choice for his 25 best songs:  

25.  Boom Boom Mancini (Sentimental Hygiene)

One of Zevon's hardest rockers, "Boom Boom Mancini" has two Zevon trademarks: 1) Unusual cultural references and 2) a fascination with death. In 1963, Bob Dylan wrote a topical folk song ("Who Killed Davey Moore") about a featherweight boxer who died in the ring.  Zevon's take on the 1982 ring tragedy involving Ray Mancini and Kim Duk-koo is a very different kind of song. Uniquely Zevon. 

24.  Mr. Bad Example (Mr. Bad Example)

Zevon explores the baseness of humanity in his usual way - with wicked humor.

Of course I went to law school and took a law degree
And counseled all my clients to plead insanity

Of course.

23.  I Was in the House When the House Burned Down (Life'll Kill Ya)

The opening track of Zevon's 2000 comeback album, Life'll Kill Ya.  He was diagnosed with terminal cancer two years later.

22.  Hasten Down the Wind (Warren Zevon)

A gorgeous break-up song that was the title track of a Linda Ronstadt album.

21. Genius (My Ride's Here)

I am confident that you will never again encounter the following two celebrities in the same verse:

Albert Einstein was a ladies' man
While he was working on his universal plan
He was making out like Charlie Sheen
He was a genius

20. For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer (Life'll Kill Ya)

Hard to top these lyrics:

I can saw a woman in two
But you won't want to look in the box when I do
I can make love disappear
For my next trick I'll need a volunteer

19.  Disorder in the House (The Wind) 

A rollicking roadhouse rocker featuring Bruce Springsteen, "Disorder in the House" is a standout track from Zevon's last album, released just two weeks before he died.

18.   Detox Mansion (Sentimental Hygiene)

Zevon's work in the 1980s is underrated, including this kickass rocker.

17.  Searching for a Heart (Mr. Bad Example)

Here, Zevon muses on the mysteries of love, offering this take:

They say love conquers all
You can't start it like a car
You can't stop it with a gun

 16.  Carmelita (Warren Zevon)

Zevon's Tex-Mex track about addiction has been covered by various artists (including Linda Ronstadt) in styles ranging from country to mariachi. But Zevon's version is the best, in part, because of David Lindley's beautiful guitar work.   

15.  Nobody's in Love this Year (Transverse City)

Another overlooked track from the 1980s, it's lovely song of failed love.

14.  Accidentally Like a Martyr (Excitable Boy)

The title may be a head scratcher, but the pain expressed on this gorgeous song of lost love is undeniable. The song also provided the inspiration for the Bob Dylan album title, Time out of Mind. The War on Drugs do a solid version.  

13.  Reconsider Me (Sentimental Hygiene)

There's a terrific cover by Steve Earle.

12.  Dirty Life and Times (The Wind)

Zevon has always been obsessed with death. But on this track, he seems to be writing his own eulogy. 

   

11.  Poor Poor Pitiful Me (Warren Zevon)

A botched suicide and sadomasochism? What more could you want? Such a delightful song.   

10.  Mutineer (Mutineer)

One of the great tracks from Zevon's later years.

I was born to rock the boat
Some may sink but we will float
Grab your coat, let's get out of here
You're my witness
I'm your mutineer

Zevon played a moving version on his final Letterman appearance. 

9.  Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (Mr. Bad Example)

Zevon had a gift for finding joy in morbidity. Unfortunately, the movie, starring Andy Garcia and Christopher Walken, doesn't live up to the promise of song's title.  

8.  Werewolves of London (Excitable Boy)

Easily, his best known song. According BBC Radio 2 listeners, it has the best opening line of all time:

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of SoHo in the rain
  
7.  Mohammed's Radio (Warren Zevon)

Idiosyncratic and beautiful, it's about the power of music to reach us.  It resounds with something redemptive and true.

Everybody's restless and they've got no place to go
Someone's always trying to tell them
Something they already know
So their anger and resentment flow

6.  Lawyers Guns and Money (Excitable Boy)

Dad, get me out of this!

Zevon's guitarist, L.A. session man, Waddy Wachtel, at his best.

5.  French Inhaler (Warren Zevon)

I love the way the songs opens, with a lovely piano part that sounds like Mozart (Zevon was classically trained) and then he dives in to the dark heart of his L.A. break-up song:

How're you going to get around in this sleazy bedroom town if you don't put yourself up for sale. 

4.  Keep Me in Your Heart (The Wind)

It's hard not get choked up listening to this one. Pop musicians don't typically compose requiems, but here's a song that many of us can hope to be played at our funeral.   

3.  Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner (Excitable Boy)

While living on the coast of Spain, Zevon met an ex-mercenary who was the inspiration for this song. This is storytelling as only Zevon can do it. It was the very last song he played on his final television appearance. 

2.  Excitable Boy (Excitable Boy)

The ultimate expression of Zevon's macabre humor. It's tough to imagine Linda Ronstadt covering this one (though she did sing back-up harmony vocals).   

1. Desperados Under the Eaves (Warren Zevon)

A perfect pop song. It's majestic, desperately seedy and pure poetry. Every phrase paints a picture.  Let's give Bob Dylan, a great admirer of Zevon, the last word:

"His musical patterns are all over the place, probably because he’s classically trained. There might be three separate songs within a Zevon song, but they’re all effortlessly connected. Zevon was a musician’s musician, a tortured one. ‘Desperados Under the Eaves.’ It’s all in there.”