Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known musicians, including Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young. His best-known compositions include "Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money", "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" and "Johnny Strikes Up The Band," all of which are featured on his third album, Excitable Boy (1978). Other well-known songs written by Zevon have been recorded by other artists, including "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (a top 40 hit by Linda Ronstadt), "Accidentally Like a Martyr," "Mohammed's Radio", "Carmelita", and "Hasten Down the Wind".
Along with his own compositions, Zevon recorded or performed occasional covers, including Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and Leonard Cohen's "First We Take Manhattan". He was a frequent guest on Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman. Letterman later performed guest vocals on "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" with Paul Shaffer and members of the CBS Orchestra.
He was born to a Russian Jewish father and a Mormon mother and soon moved to California. At the age of 12/13, Warren Zevon was a regular visitor to the home of Igor Stravinsky where he, along with Robert Craft, would study music.
He turned to a musical career early, including a stretch as part of a Sonny and Cher-type male/female duo called Lyme and Cybelle, and spent time as a session musician (notably as piano player for the Everly Brothers) and jingle composer. He wrote several songs for his White Whale label-mates the Turtles, though his participation in their recording is unknown. Another early composition ("She Quit Me") was included in the soundtrack for Midnight Cowboy, released in 1969. His first attempt at a solo album, Wanted Dead or Alive (1969), did not fare well, and his second effort, Leaf in the Wind, was scrapped (though release was considered just prior to his death). In the early 70s he toured regularly with the Everly Brothers as keyboard player and band leader/musical coordinator. His dissatisfaction with his career and the opportunities for a song-writer led him to move to Spain briefly, where he played in a small bar owned by a former mercenary. Together, they penned Zevon's classic "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner."
In the mid-70s he moved to Los Angeles, and became associated with the then-burgeoning West coast music scene, including collaborations with Jackson Browne, who would produce and promote Zevon's self-titled major-label debut in 1976, The Eagles, who appeared on that first album, and Linda Ronstadt, who would record several early Zevon songs including a hit version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me". Zevon's first tour in 1977 included guest appearances in the middle of Jackson Browne concerts.
In 1978 Zevon released his breakthrough album, Excitable Boy, to critical acclaim and popular success. Several tracks from this album received heavy FM airplay and the single release "Werewolves of London", which featured a relatively lighthearted version of Zevon's signature macabre outlook, was a top-ten hit.
For the next 20 years Zevon would continue to record and release albums sporadically and with varying levels of success, while fighting personal demons including an acknowledged battle with alcoholism and drugs. (His fourth album, Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School is dedicated to novelist Ross Macdonald, who crucially assisted Zevon during a particularly difficult episode in 1979.) Apparently success did not treat Zevon well, as evidenced by his movements (living on Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square, etc.), well-documented stints in rehab, and withdrawal from the spotlight. After the release of The Envoy in 1982, Zevon effectively quit his career as a full-time occupation, appearing rarely and usually solo, without a band. He also collaborated with several members of R.E.M. to record as the Hindu Love Gods in 1990, though initial collaboration occurred during his "lost period" in 1984.
In 1987 Zevon made a comeback with a modest hit album Sentimental Hygiene, which featured collaborations with Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and members of R.E.M., among others including long-time collaborators Jorge Calderone and Waddy Wachtel. The follow-up album, Transverse City in 1989 also featured guests, including Jerry Garcia and David Gilmour. The tradition of collaborations with more famous musical talents was consistent throughout his career, from the appearance of Jackson Browne and The Eagles on his first album, to Bruce Springsteen on his last.
Zevon toured the US regularly during the 90s, often alone, with minimal accompaniment. He did conduct a tour with Odds, a band from Vancouver, Canada. Many tours started in Colorado to allow Warren an opportunity to visit with his long-time friend, Hunter S. Thompson. Warren was close to several prominent writers who also collaborated on song-writing, including Carl Hiassen. He also served as musical coordinator for an ad-hoc group called the Rock Bottom Remainders, a collection of writers performing rock and roll standards at book fairs and other events. This group included Stephen King, Dave Barry, and other popular writers.
In interviews, Zevon described a lifelong phobia of doctors and seldom received medical assessment. In 2002, after a long period of untreated illness and pain, Zevon was encouraged by his dentist to see a doctor; when he did so he was diagnosed with inoperable mesothelioma (a form of lung cancer associated with exposure to asbestos rather than smoking). He then began recording his final album, The Wind, with guest appearances from close friends including Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, David Lindley, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and others.
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. It was this show where Zevon offered his insight on facing death: "enjoy every sandwich."
Zevon previously stated that his illness was expected to be terminal within months after the diagnosis in the Fall of 2002; however he lived to see the birth of twin grandsons in June of 2003 and the release of The Wind on August 28, 2003. When his diagnosis became public, he told the media that he just hoped to live long enough to see the next James Bond movie, a goal he also accomplished. Appropriately, the film was called Die Another Day.
Zevon died at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 7, 2003. The Wind was certified gold by the RIAA in December of 2003 and Zevon received 5 posthumous Grammy nominations, including Song Of The Year for "Keep Me In Your Heart".
A tribute album titled Enjoy Every Sandwich: Songs of Warren Zevon was released October 19, 2004. His son, Jordan Zevon, did a large part of the work on the album and performed "Studebaker," a previously unreleased composition. A second tribute album, titled Hurry Home Early: the Songs of Warren Zevon (the lyrics "hurry home early" are from the song "Boom Boom Mancini," on Sentimental Hygiene) was released by Wampus Multimedia on July 8, 2005.
On February 14, 2006, VH1 Classic premiered a video from a new compilation, "Reconsider Me: The Love Songs of Warren Zevon." The video, titled "She's Too Good For Me," aired every hour on the hour throughout the day. The video was not well received among many of Zevon's fans, as evidenced by their responses on the official Bulletin Board.
Turbulence
Warren Zevon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
Well, you can talk about your Perestroika
And that's all right for you
But, Comrade Shevardnadze, tell me
What's a poor boy like me to do?
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
Well, we've been fightin' with the Mujahedeen
Down in Afghanistan
Comrade Gorbachev, can I
Go back to Vladivostok, man?
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
Lost city on the red desert
I hear voices of enemies from everywhere
I miss my mother very much
"Village is lost in the red desert
On all sides, silence of an enemy
And we want to see our mothers."
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
In Warren Zevon's song Turbulence, he sings about the political unrest and chaos in Moscow, and how it has affected him personally. The repetition of the phrase "Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me" during the chorus emphasizes the impact of the political turmoil not just on the country, but on individuals as well. The first verse alludes to the political reforms of Perestroika, suggesting that they have not helped the average citizen. Zevon then addresses Comrade Shevardnadze directly, lamenting the fact that he, as a "poor boy," does not know what to do in the midst of this turbulence.
The second verse mentions the conflict in Afghanistan and its effect on the singer. He pleads with Comrade Gorbachev to allow him to return to his hometown of Vladivostok, a city in the far east of Russia. The final verse changes tone slightly, as Zevon explains that he hears the voices of enemies everywhere and misses his mother. The repeated phrase of the chorus ties the song together, emphasizing how the political turmoil affects all aspects of life for those in Moscow.
Overall, Turbulence is a poignant commentary on the effects of political upheaval on everyday people. Zevon's use of specific names and places highlights the personal nature of the song, while the repeated phrases underscore the importance of these events on a broader scale.
Line by Line Meaning
Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me
The chaos and instability in Moscow have resulted in negative consequences for me.
Well, you can talk about your Perestroika
I acknowledge the concept of Perestroika, the restructuring of the Soviet Union, but it doesn't help my current situation.
And that's all right for you
It might work for others, but not for me.
But, Comrade Shevardnadze, tell me
I address Comrade Shevardnadze, who was the Soviet Union's Foreign Minister at the time, and seek advice from him.
What's a poor boy like me to do?
I express my helplessness and ask for a solution to my problems.
Well, we've been fightin' with the Mujahedeen
I refer to the Soviet-Afghan War, where the Red Army fought against the Mujahedeen rebels in Afghanistan.
Down in Afghanistan
The location of the conflict mentioned earlier.
Comrade Gorbachev, can I
I seek Mikhail Gorbachev's approval, who was the Soviet Union's leader at the time.
Go back to Vladivostok, man?
I inquire if it is possible for me to return to Vladivostok, a city in eastern Russia.
Lost city on the red desert
I describe a city that has been destroyed and abandoned.
I hear voices of enemies from everywhere
I feel surrounded by enemies and hear their voices all around me.
I miss my mother very much
I express my longing for my mother, who might be far away and unable to help me.
"Village is lost in the red desert
This is a continuation of my earlier description of a destroyed city, now referring to a lost village in the desert.
On all sides, silence of an enemy
I express my fear and vulnerability, as the silence around me reveals the presence of a hidden enemy.
And we want to see our mothers."
I speak on behalf of a group of people who share my longing to reunite with their loved ones.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WARREN ZEVON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind