One of the cleverest and most intelligent songwriters of all time - underappreciated genius.

Six months ago my mom passed after a long struggle with COPD, i found myself getting ready for her death, pre-mourning you might say, by listening to this song a few times per week. I've listened to it many, many times since she left and it still tears me up, yet has a healing power to it as well.

"Keep me in your heart for awhile" was his way of acknowledging the pain people were going to carry with his passing, and that was him telling them it was ok to let it go after a time. Much of the rest of the imagery is him telling them he'll still be with them after the pain has passed. That's my take. Beautiful song. I tear up everytime I hear it.

This song will be played at my funeral. One of the most beautiful songs ever, and written as he knew he only had a very short time left. As a Norwegian, Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner is a big favourite. :)

I can't listen to Warren without breaking down into ugly crying for hours. He was battling his end at the same time my father was first diagnosed with cancer. I have been a fan since I was a child and he has a few songs, like this one, that are so precious to me. But I associate this with someone knowing they are passing away and saying goodbye to you and it gave me a glimpse of what was going to happen 10 years later to my father. I can't go there anymore. I let the music part of this video play but couldn't wear the headphones. 😢

You should check out the live version of "My Shits Fucked Up" great lyrics and beautiful guitar work.

I had the unfortunate honor of giving the eulogy at my best friend's funeral shortly after "The Wind" was released. I read the lyrics of this song as part of my memorial tribute, as he and I are / were both huge music fans. When I spoke the lyric " ... there's a train leaving nightly called When All Is Said And Done ..." the minister sitting behind me on the dais softly murmured "Yes, Father, yes." It was such a powerful moment, in that those lyrics also stirred something in him, that was the point where I finally lost it and surrendered to the emotions of my buddy's very untimely death. A very sad, and profound, page in my life.

Warren Zevon, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, is one of my "stoned at the jukebox" songs.

I’m very familiar with warren and this is a great song and tribute I really appreciate you going to such depth to include my father in a video since you couldn’t get to my original request! It means a lot. I didn’t know my request was such a new release. If you get the time could you replace it with “my old man” by Zac Brown Band? It reminds me so much of my father since his passing but also includes memories of my 5 year old son who has helped me continue on. The song is couple years old so hopefully it won’t be blocked. Truly appreciate it man and thanks again for going to so much trouble

Absolutely love Zevon!! Never heard of that werewolf thing you mentioned.. ;P :D

Wow!..Thanks so much, Don!...Appreciate it...I saw a Doc. on Warren, and the lead up to his impending death. In it there was a David Letterman appearance. His last; (Letterman was his biggest fan, and had him on numerous times.) Dave asked him if there was anything he understood now, facing his own mortality, that he didn't before. He replied, "Just how much you're supposed to enjoy every sandwich." Sometime after his passing, a tribute album aptly titled "Enjoy every sandwich" was produced, using various other artists...Thanks again, and to SoCal, my deepest condolences.

Drive by Truckers do a great version of one of Zevon's songs. Play it all Night Long. You should react to both versions

I have all of Warren's album's, never got see him live though. In 2015 I was diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy. Simply put, my hands and feet constantly or in some degree of pain from a 5 to 10, ever lower. I describe it as standing in boiling water, on fire after being skinned, and a million hornets stinking me from the inside out. _Without Warren's music and the VH-! documentary_ I would have been put into a rubber room. On my bad days I always default to the VH-1 documentary of his last days and the making of The Wind his last album. In December of 2018 I was hit with "you have Prostate cancer". In the fall of 2019 I spent 25 days hospitalized for Acute Aspiration Pneumonia, an emergency 4 and a half hour surgery where doc said she come close to "loosing me twice, plus told my wife if she'd waited 24 hours to get me to the ER, it would have been to late. I spent 21 days on IV antibiotics as the crud pumped from my left lung and left-side plural cavity was full of 3 bacteria, two were strains of Streptococcus. I have several other ailments and illnesses. THE ONLY REASON I am sharing all this is to *EMPHASIZE how WARREN ZEVON's Music* save my sanity. probably, my life. After watching the VH-1 the day of my cancer diagnosis, I turned to my wife, and said just 5% that is all I need, 5% of the Courage and Will to get through today, and "Enjoy Every Sandwich". 5% of what Warren Had those last 11 months. Well, I have beat the cancer - in August, doc said the radiation worked and that at the one year mark in Feb, of completing my radiation, he feels comfortable that he will tell us "Cancer Free". Still have 24/7 pain and get winded easy, but - no cancer. *Warren Zevon* saved my life and I give his music [and several others' plus a handful of Reactors, including yourself....] With not much to do since I cannot work, shit I can't walk for 20 minutes without stopping. I have found I like searching for and finding Under-known musicians and singers, not underrated - they are all good - for whatever reason they aren't well known. One of my criteria - "would their sound, talent and overall big picture have play well in the 60's and early 70's?" The health power of MUSIC is so much more than most believe. Music can change your mood in 3 minutes, allow you to "escape" and forget the pain. Definitely a sanity savior. The life I have today is certainly not how I planned my retirement, exactly the opposite. I will say this, I have been able to rejuvenate my love of music and have a whole new outlook for the music of the 60's and 70's - I appreciate it more and realize I lived through the great music generation ever. There's a lady in California that is a Cancer Survivor and can play the strings off a guitar, write her own stuff, and she was/is an inspiration as well, if you have time check out *AliHandal.com* . Even with having found the likes of Larkin Poe, The Rainbow Girls, Lukas Nelson, Marcus King, Blackberry Smoke, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Mean Mary, Chip Taylor, Brother Dege, Marc Broussard, Kiefer Sutherland (yes the actor can sing), The Dead South, Halestorm, Dimash, Colt Ford, Blackmore's Night, The Dropkick Murphy's, Elle King, Indigo Girls, Home Free, Pentatonix, Voiceplay, Peter Hollens, and Playing for a Change. and reacquainted my youthful love of folk music - Pete Seeger, Woody and Arlo, Joan Baez, Melanie, Peter, Paul and Mary, Phil Ochs, Holly Near, to name a few. With all of those and of course my Classic rock favorites, Jazz, Blues and a little Country, especially Willie. *WARREN ZEVON* gets over half of my - Put the headphones on, Today Sucks - "Music take me away" listening time. Sorry for the length, I ramble on typing the same way I speak. LOL

Glad you did this one. Happy to have found your little corner of KZfaq! Loved Warren Zevon, especially his wit. He took titles like Poor, Poor Pitiful Me and Splendid Isolation and took the songs in exactly the opposite direction you'd expect. He understood irony...and somehow mixed in some sweetness in songs like The Indifference of Heaven and Hasten Down the Wind. (and...I'm gonna stop myself or I'll get a carpal tunnel flare up by typing out every song in the catalog!

Man, you gotta check out his last appearance on Letterman.

Don, you're such a nice guy! What a thoughtful song. I've never heard of this guy before. Such a good song. I got real mysti-eyed, quick. So heartfelt❤ I need to check out more from him. Thanks for introducing him. Side note, my daddy graduated HS in 79. You look so young!

His guitar riff was sampled by Kid Rock

I miss Warren. :( You said “There’s a genius in simplicity” - YES!

Has anyone reacted to Warren’s song “Nighttime in the Switching Yard.” If that doesn’t get you swaying and foot tapping and head bobbing then you’ve got no pulse!

You should listen to “can’t take back” and “it keeps on workin” by Aaron Lewis and “bubba shot the jukebox” by mark chesnutt

My other half

Sorry for his loss!!! Once again, a great song, just not big on his vocals!!! My mom use to sing us that song How far is Heaven and although my parents are alive my kids and I lost their mother to the H1N1 swine flu on Dec, 29, 2009 and How far is Heaven, over you, and now this song makes my heart ache for her!!!!

This is the very last song Warren Zevon recorded before he died.

"He's known for werewolves of london..." ARGH! It's true but I hate that so much. It's like if the Beatles were only known for Yellow Submarine. Werewolves of London is a silly novelty track that he recorded in one take. Somehow became his biggest hit. But Warren zevon is so much more than that. And this song is just the tip of the iceberg if you want to get into him.

Listen to "Don't Let Us Get Sick."

1st

The lyrics make me think of a person saying their goodbyes to a lover.

Sounds like a song Alan Jackson would sing