David Letterman | Take It Easy

For Song Lyric Sunday this week Jim is inviting us to play a song that mentions bones, sticks, stones or words. I saw the connection between the first three but had to rely on his post The Old Adage to explain the last one. Of course, it’s the old playground taunt, but in my defence that was a very long time ago!

I’ve decided to go for a song which has one mention each of bones and stick, and it also contains lots of words, so I think that counts, right? I know I only played this guy for SLS a month back but he’s too good to resist. This is today’s tune:

As the video made abundantly clear, that was Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song), by Warren Zevon. And as the lyrics were in the video I’m not going to regurgitate them in full – I hope you were watching sufficiently closely to spot my two key words – and all the others, come to that. There are quite a lot of words in the song, and as a taster here are the first two verses:

He was born in Big Beaver by the borderlineHe started playing hockey by the time he was nineHis dad took the hose and froze the back yardAnd Little Buddy dreamed he was Rocket RichardHe grew up big and he grew up toughHe saw himself scoring for the Wings or CanucksBut he wasn’t that good with a puck

Buddy’s real talent was beating people upHis heart wasn’t in it but the crowd ate it upThrough pee-wee’s and juniors, midgets and mitesHe must have racked up more than six hundred fightsA scout from the flames came down from SaskatoonSaid, “There’s always room on our team for a goonSon, we’ve always got room for a goon”

Songwriters: Mitchell David Albom / Warren Zevon

Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song) lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

In case you have ever thought of ice hockey as licensed thuggery, that was for you – they kind of set the tone for the rest of the song, don’t they. Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) was on Warren’s eleventh – and penultimate – album My Ride’s Here, which was released in May 2002. Its only chart placing was at #22 in the US Independent Albums listing but, like everyone who knew of his genius, this was in my collection. Warren tragically left us early, taken at just 56 in September 2003 by a virulent form of cancer, but his remarkable legacy of songs lives on. During his time he made many appearances on David Letterman’s chat show, and they became firm friends, so much so that Warren gave David one of his guitars during one of those shows. David is credited with ‘backing vocals’ on this track: those shouts of ‘Hit Somebody’ are him!

If you aren’t familiar with Warren’s music you really should be: this is typical of his wry sense of humour. It’s no surprise that he was also friends with the wonderful novelist Carl Hiaasen, who shares a similar (warped) sense of humour and has often quoted Warren’s lyrics in his books. Needless to say, I’m a fan of both of them! One of the other tracks on that album was co-written by Carl and Warren: Basket Case, which was also the title of one of Carl’s incredibly funny novels. The song’s lyrics were of course included in the book.

This track was released as a single but, like just about every single of his, it didn’t make the charts: his was very much (and still is) a cult following and he mostly sold albums. You either get him or you don’t. I’d like to think that I’m in good company, as Carl Hiaasen and David Letterman are two good compadres to have. The mark of the man was, I think, best demonstrated by the huge support he received from his peers when he set out to to make one final album after his terminal cancer diagnosis: it’s like a Who’s Who? of music!

For today I thought I’d play you a little extra. This is from Warren’s appearance on David Letterman’s show just after My Ride’s Here was released – I think this was the penultimate time he was on. He played this song, and although you can’t see David on screen you can just about hear his contributions from offstage, through Paul Shaffer’s efforts:

“Let’s play golf” 🤣 Knowing what was to come that still feels poignant to watch. The full session is on YouTube, but as another little bonus for you here it is, all 23 minutes of it, including three more songs:

You are of course under no obligation to watch that, but if you enjoy seeing two old friends catching up with each other and enjoying the music, it won’t disappoint you.

That’s my lot for today – just the one song but a few extras to go with it. I’ll see you again for Tuesday Tunes, so until then stay warm and well 😊