5 Songs by Warren Zevon — “Enjoy Every Sandwich”

February 3, 2010

In the great rock pantheon lyrically there is mid-sixties Dylan, a half dozen songs by John Lennon, everything Tom Waits ever wrote, the complete Warren Zevon song book. . . and then, way, way, down below—just a tiny speck in the distance—is everybody else.
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Although he’s best known by the general public for just three songs written early in his career, Werewolves of London, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, Warren Zevon left behind a body of work that is, IMO, unique in American popular music.
THIS IS A LEADING HACK
Lawyers, Guns & Money

David Letterman was a great fan and supporter. He had Warren as the sole guest on the Late Show for the night of October 30, 2002. Zevon died less than a year later on September 7, 2003, age 56.
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Letterman: Is there something about life and death that maybe I don’t know?
Zevon: Not unless . . .unless you know how much you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich.
THIS IS A LEADING HACK

This is the close of that show and Warren’s last public performance, Roland, The Headless Thompson Gunner:

Suffering from mesothelioma and given a year to live by his doctors, Warren put together one last album, The Wind which is as good as anything he ever did. For this album he recorded a version of Dylan’s *Knocking On Heaven’s Door* that never fails to bring tears to my eyes; a dying man singing a song about a dying man.
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Werewolves of London

Disorder in the House was written for The Wind, and recorded with Bruce Springsteen singing back up and playing a blistering guitar solo. It won Warren a posthumous Grammy. No rock song has ever used the words ‘davenport’ and ‘portiere’ to greater effect.
THisisisii
No other rock song has ever used the words ‘davenport’ and ‘portiere,’ period.
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Disorder in the House


The title “Splendid Isolation” is taken from the name of the foreign policy pursued by Great Britain during the late 19th century, under the leadership of Benjamin Disraeli.
It goes without saying that it is the best rock song ever inspired by Benjamin Disraeli.
THIS IS A LEADING HACK
Splendid Isolation

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