Song Lyric Sunday: A Late, Great

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As a companion piece to last week’s prompt, Jim is asking us this week to play something by someone who hasn’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame but should have been, in his post Rock Music’s Highest Honor. I have commented before on my view of this so-called honour, this ‘Rock and Roll’ entity, which seems to constantly ignore deserving cases while allowing entry to pop, (c)rap, and RnB artists who should be elsewhere, if anywhere. Frankly, it is a blatant money-making exercise, and if its owners don’t think they will make enough cash by inducting someone they just don’t get in. I follow a page on Facebook called Induct Warren Zevon Into The Hall Of Fame, and this year was delighted to learn from it that Warren was actually included as one of the fourteen acts for a fan vote on who should be admitted. He came third in that vote but did that count for anything? No, of course it didn’t. So we are left with the usual selection of acts that mostly have nothing to do with rock music, but whose record company has greased the palms of the Hall of Shame’s owners: seven of the fourteen have been chosen, and only one of them is a true rock act. I’m making up for that today as best I can by playing three songs by that remarkable musician, who deserves the dubious honour of being admitted much more than several of this year’s chosen few.

I’m starting with what will probably count as his best known song:

And here are its lyrics:

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fooks
For to get a big dish of beef chow mein

Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo
Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo

You hear him howling around your kitchen door
You better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again

Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo
Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo, huh

He’s the hairy handed gent who ran amok in Kent
Lately he’s been overheard in Mayfair
You better stay away from him, he’ll rip your lungs out Jim
Huh, I’d like to meet his tailor

Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo
Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Ah-hoo

Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doin’ the werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney Jr. walking with the Queen, uh
Doin’ the werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinkin’ a piña colada at Trader Vic’s
His hair was perfect

Ah-hoo, werewolves of London
Hey draw blood
Ah-hoo, werewolves of London

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Warren Zevon / Robert T. Wachtel / Leroy P. Marinell

Werewolves of London lyrics © Zevon Music, Leadsheet Land Music, Songs Of Universal Inc.

You get a taste of his sense of humour from that, don’t you, both in the song’s lyrics and the video. Warren’s father was a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine, whose original surname was Zivotofsky, and who worked as a bookie handling volume bets and dice games for a notorious Los Angeles mobster. His mother was from a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints family and was of English descent. Coming from a family that mixed mobsters and Mormons is fairly uncommon, I’d have thought, but it probably explains his wry take on life in so many of his songs. From those beginnings he developed a musical career which saw him release twelve albums, which have somehow been turned into six compilation albums by his record companies. He achieved some chart success in the US and Australia, and a couple of his albums also made the UK chart. He was taken from us at the ridiculously early age of 56 by mesothelioma, a virulent form of cancer, and as was so typical of him he took this on head first after it was diagnosed and called in favours from a stellar cast of musical friends to help him make one final album, The Wind. This is the closing track from that album (have the handkerchiefs ready):

How many songs start with a heartbreaking lyric like this, when you know what is behind it:

Shadows are falling and I’m running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for awhile
If I leave you it doesn’t mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for awhile

Keep Me In Your Heart was written by Warren and his long time friend Jorge Calderón, who has worked with many artists, including the likes of Jackson Browne. Bob Dylan also gets a writer credit. The video is taken from a documentary about the making of the album which is, as you might expect, full of joy, laughter and tears. The Wind was released on 26 August 2003: Warren died on 7 September, just twelve days later. This final album won him two posthumous Grammy Awards, plus a further three nominations, yet somehow the Hall of Shame doesn’t think him worthy of membership. They clearly know nothing about music.

I promised you a third song. Warren became great friends with David Letterman, and appeared on his Late Night show several times. This was one of Letterman’s favourites, and is another good example of Warren’s sense of humour:

It is nearly twenty years since we lost this genius, and still they can’t recognise him for induction, even when fans have shown them how much they value him. Money speaks more loudly than talent, it would appear. But I still love his music, whatever those clowns might think.

See you again for Tuesday Tunes 😊🎶

49 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: A Late, Great”

  1. Pingback: Goodbye July | Take It Easy

  2. I saw him in a tiny venue, and he was recording an ablum with just a grand piano, keyboard and guitar, all of which he played. The sound was perfection and the show was great. It’s still one of my favourite gigs. I really loved his music….(I used to sing Carmalita as a lullaby until my husband said “stop singing a song about junkies to the baby!” hehehe – it’s so pretty tho! #SeniorSalonPitstop

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    • Apologies for taking so long to reply – I’ve just found your comment in my spam folder and have released it!I envy you seeing him play live, something I never managed, though I know how good he was: David letterman said so too!Thank you for visiting and commenting, it’s much appreciated.

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  4. Pingback: Song Lyric Sunday: A Late, Great – MobsterTiger

    • I’m not alone in that. He has many fans, and if they had chosen to induct him there would have been a queue of musicians wanting to do it. Carl Hiaasen, the novelist, was also a big fan and friend, and often quoted Warren’s lyrics in his books. I’m pleased you enjoyed these too xx

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  8. When it comes to lists and the Hall of Fame, everybody’s will vary, but some of the performers left out and those who somehow got in are definitely head scratchers.

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  9. I assume the hall of Shame is bought and paid for by record companies.If they inducted him I’m sure it would increase sales in his albums and place his name in places not having heard of him previously. That would be Good Business but maybe not Big Business which is a religon all of its own. Hugs

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    • That’s how I think it works. The problem is that as he’s been dead for twenty years they wouldn’t have much to go on for promotion. That kind of makes it No Business in their eyes.

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  12. In 1971, Waddy Wachtel auditioned for the Everly Brothers upcoming tour and that’s when he first met Warren Zevon, who was the Everly’s musical director. In 1975, Phil Everly had a kooky idea after he just watched the 1935 horror film Werewolf of London, and he thought the title and subject matter would make for a great pop song and also become an accompanying dance craze (doing the Werewolves of London). I agree with everything you said about the Hall of Shame, Clive.

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  14. Sad story of Warren Zevon’s passing at such a young age. I am happy he has been inducted and I particularly liked the story of his family’s background Clive. At the end of the day the RRHOF is a bit of a joke. I still can’t believe Diana Ross isn’t in there as a solo artist considering how long she has been solo and her contributions to the industry. The great Tina Turner only managed to get in last year as a solo. It’s definitely political 😬😳🤣

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    • It is sad, isn’t it. He hasn’t been inducted – yet! Maybe he will get another try next year. I think the whole HOF is a corporate con – it just makes money for its owners, and like you say there are many who should have been there if it had been a level playing field, based on merit, and many of those in it shouldn’t be anywhere near it.

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  15. Pingback: The Case For Warren Zevon…His Complicated Life And Brilliant Music… – johnrieber

  16. Sharing this….I read a very honest and candid book about Zevon, written by his daughter using interviews from so many who knew him for decades…a volatile, complicated Artist to be sure…another song people should look for is “Sentimental Hygiene” from the album by the same name – as well as “Reconsider Me” – I worked with the woman he wrote it about…finally, when diagnosed with cancer, David Letterman asked him if he had any advice for people…”enjoy every sandwich” was his reply. Here’s a story I wrote about him: https://johnrieber.com/2015/12/14/warren-zevon-werewolves-of-london-brilliant-letterman-final-appearance-musics-mutineer/

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    • Thank you, John, much appreciated. I’ve visited and commented on your post, and clicked back to your earlier one, too: several of the videos aren’t available now, sadly, which happens to my posts too! I have that book on my TBR list, and really should get round to it!

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    • He was indeed. That is such a beautiful song, with all the meaning behind it. I agree on folk rock too, whichever definition is being used (it means something a little different here from N America, but I like both!).

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