APW: Masters of Songwriting - Warren Zevon (438 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.86 on 23 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Lambchop's Death Legion (View user info) at 2007-09-12 15:22:52 EDT
Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray
Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
With their fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese
Roland the Thompson gunner...
His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson gunners, Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head
Roland the headless Thompson gunner
Norway's bravest son
Time, time, time
For another peaceful war
But time stands still for Roland
'Til he evens up the score
They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg
Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
The eternal Thompson gunner
still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley
Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it
- Roland The Thompson Gunner
----
I want to live alone in the desert
I want to be like Georgia O'Keefe
I want to live on the Upper East Side
And never go down in the street
Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation
Michael Jackson in Disneyland
Don't have to share it with nobody else
Lock the gates, Goofy, take my hand
And lead me through the World of Self
Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation
Don't want to wake up with no one beside me
Don't want to take up with nobody new
Don't want nobody coming by without calling first
Don't want nothing to do with you
I'm putting tinfoil up on the windows
Lying down in the dark to dream
I don't want to see their faces
I don't want to hear them scream
Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation
Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation
- Splendid Isolation
----
Warren Zevon was born on January 24, 1947. He started his music career early by writing several songs in the 60s for The Turtles and touring with Manfred Mann. In 1969 he released his debut album, "Wanted Dead or Alive". In 1978, he released his breakout album "Excitable Boy" which contained such hits as "Roland The Thompson Gunner" and "Werewolves of London". He recorded and released several other albums during the 1980s and the 90s.
In 2002, he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma. A year later, Warren recorded his final album, "The Wind". It was released on August 28th, 2003. Warren Zevon died on September 7th, 2003. In a twist of fate he ended up winning the only Grammys he's ever won in his more than 30-year career after he died.
On October 30, 2002, Zevon was featured on the Late Show with David Letterman as the only guest for the entire hour. Zevon performed several songs and spoke at length about his illness. Zevon was a frequent guest and occasional substitute bandleader on Letterman's television shows since Late Night first aired in 1982. He noted, "I may have made a tactical error in not going to the doctor for 20 years." It was during this broadcast that Zevon first offered his oft-quoted insight on facing death: "Enjoy every sandwich."
User Reviews
Submitted by kuroneko_sama (user info) at 2007-09-14 03:10:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 cause i listened to this song on the way to work and shamelessly sang along
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2007-09-13 09:59:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
In a twist of fate he ended up winning the only Grammys he's ever won in his more than 30-year career after he died.
---------------------------------
Great artist, but it's not so much a twist of fate as posthumous recognition/thematic award-giving. They did the same stuff with Ray Charles. The parallel to this is they year when it was all about giving black actors Oscars for the sake of creating history.
Hmm, that comes across more cynical in writing than it was in my head. Let me put it this way: that he never won a Grammy during his lifetime is some measure of proof that they're not worth as much as they're made out to be.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2007-09-13 09:12:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Turn those speakers up full blast, play it all night long.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2007-09-13 08:56:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Rock 'n' Roll had become stagnant. `Achy Breaky Heart' was seven years
away. Something had to fill the void, and that something was barbershop.
-- Homer Simpson
Homer's Barbershop Quartet
Submitted by creep_firebombing (user info) at 2007-09-13 07:08:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Skillz
Submitted by BranDo (user info) at 2007-09-13 00:11:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Zevon was great indeed.
Submitted by UTOCKIN2ME (user info) at 2007-09-12 22:12:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I was just listening to Excitable Boy the other day.
Zevon kicked ass -awesome in concert.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-09-12 22:02:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fears Brandon Webb below.
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2007-09-12 21:21:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Jackson Browne, Fartman
Submitted by Fartman (user info) at 2007-09-12 21:17:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"Warren Zevon. Remember the name - ZEVON."
Ten +2's to the person who can tell me who said that...
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-09-12 20:33:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Freddy get ready,
Rock steady...
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2007-09-12 17:34:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Never heard of him but having downloaded some of his stuff I gotta say I like
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2007-09-12 17:25:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:25:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for Turtles @ the Filmore : )
***
whoa! ok, my backyard, i can play this...
+2 for: The Sparrow @ The Ark
Submitted by shadow (user info) at 2007-09-12 16:54:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you have brought me laughter and sadness in one post.
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2007-09-12 16:28:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That's my birthday too.
Submitted by Badlands (user info) at 2007-09-12 16:21:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excitable Boy below.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:57:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I went to the doctor, I was feeling kinda rough
He said let me break it to you son, your shit's fucked up
My shits fucked up, I don't see how
The shit that worked before is fucked up now
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:50:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This post was mighty in its goodness.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:41:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well, he's no Frank Zappa, but he's still pretty fuckin good
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:30:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
SEND LAWYERS, GUNS AND MONEY
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:26:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
He dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones.
Submitted by Lib (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:25:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for Turtles @ the Filmore : )
Submitted by gravitas (user info) at 2007-09-12 15:24:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 warren zevon