Warren Zevon: An Overlooked Demigod Of Sound

Frequently I find music that isn’t particularly well known. This leaves me having to obsess all by my lonesome until the fateful day that I run into someone else who knows of this music. I then get super excited, freak out a little bit, and surely scare them far enough away that I’m back to solo obsessing.

Warren Zevon is not one of those musicians.

Don’t misunderstand that. I do obsess. And he isn’t particularly well known. But there’s a problem with his filling that previous role.

No one seems to know of him. Pretty much at all. And since he’s one of my favorite musicians of all time, I bring him up quite a lot.

Admittedly he is considerably older than my generation, but many bands older than my generation are held in high esteem by my peers. Somehow Warren Zevon slipped through the cracks.

Actually, the only other person I’ve met who loves Warren Zevon was an employee at a Pittsburgh based book store. Warren Zevon was playing over their speakers and I just about had a fit. She saw this fit and mentioned her love of Warren Zevon in such a way that kind of scared me off.

Ghost of Leslie future?

Anyway, onto Warren Zevon.

He’s a god. Or close to it.

He falls into the category of singer-songwriter, and generally he jives with that categorization. His music is relaxing but deeply intriguing. His lyrics paint a story, and are deeply emotional and amazing – which is all the more interesting as half of his songs seem to be about topics very few can empathize with. Poor farmers in an exceptionally fucked up family. Boxers and boxing matches. Danish Thompson Gunners. Frank and Jesse James. The list is really quite amazing.

Most of his songs are slow and completely heartfelt. Warren Zevon apparently led quite the turbulent life, and it shines through in his music. He’s not faking anything, nor is he whining of trivial matters. His music may be the most sincere I’ve ever heard.

If serious music about unlikely things doesn’t float your boat, Warren Zevon does us the favor of throwing some upbeat goofy songs into the mix. These are unfortunately Warren Zevon’s most well known tunes, but, regardless, are still fabulous. Though perhaps upbeat is the wrong word. Songs about demented murderous children, being beaten by women and beating women who like being beaten and the like aren’t ususally described as “upbeat”.

“Werewolves in London” is a classic of this goofy side of Warren Zevon. Amusing, a good car ride sing along song, and apparently an amazing enough Piano line that Kid Rock felt the need to borrow and bastardize it.

Some day I hope to punch Kid Rock in the face for that travesty of a song: “All Summer Long“.

But that’s a rant for another day.

What to expect?

Mostly acoustic instrumentation with Warren Zevon’s amazing – if unlikely – voice. Sincere and heartfelt songs that often play out more like a narrative than a chorus.

What to take away?

Warren Zevon, in my opinion, may be one of the most overlooked musicians of the 1970s. Despite a cult following and amazing music, he has somehow managed to just miss being universally embraced – which is a pity.

What drink to pair with Warren Zevon?

“All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles, I’m gonna drink ‘em up” Says Warren Zevon in the middle of my favorite song. Thus, I think a good and salty margarita would be appropriate.

Favorite song?

“Desperados Under the Eaves” by far. When the air conditioner’s humming turns into an orchestra of stringed instruments, I am blown away. Every single time. As far as slow and marginally melancholic music goes, “Desperados Under the Eaves” wins my ultimate favorite song. It’s that good.