I haven't given this blog much attention lately and so far I have alternated an album review with a topic about music in general. Today, I turn my attention to the third issue by the great Warren Zevon. Warren left us much too early a few years ago but back in 1978, he went from quirky contemporary of such southern California mellow rockers such as Jackson Browne, The Eagles, and Linda Ronstadt to a commercial success in his own right. He had gained a measure of success with his self titled album when Linda Ronstand recorded Poor,Poor, Pitiful Me and Hasten Down the Wind. Exitable Boy was new territory for Zevon. Produced by Jackson Browne and guitarist Waddy Wachtel, showed that Zevon went a bit deeper and quite a bit farther off center than his more mellow friends like Browne or Henley/Frey of the Eagles
It's difficult to separate Zevon from his most well known song. Werewolves of London. He considered the song a throwaway but at the urging of Browne, it was included on the album and issued as the first single. It turned out to be the only song Zevon performed that placed in the American top 40. As with many hits, Werewolves is not Zevon's best song...in fact, it isn't even the best song on this album. Personally, I prefer 4 songs on Excitable Boy over the hit.
Let's start with the title track. It's a happy little ditty about a guy that has some behavioral control problems that include being less than a gentleman with his junior prom date. Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner is another story song. This time it's about a mercenary who is so good at his job that he makes some enemies while doing his job. He does manage to exact his revenge in the end though. Next, we can listen to another story...Lawyers, Guns, and Money is about an operative who is a bit less successful than say... James Bond. Finally, there's Accidently Like a Martyr which is a wonderful song about a doomed relationship. Trust me, Warren Zevon does not write anything conventionally.
What helps this album stand out is that Zevon is surrounded by great musicians and performers. How about a lineup that includes Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac. Let's not forget Jackson Browne, backup singers Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes along with such great studio musicians such as Waddy Wachtel, Rick Morotta, Leland Sklar, and Bob Glaub.
Give this one a listen. Warren Zevon was no ordinary song writer. Excitable Boy may be the best example of how Zevon could pen a sensitive intelligent ballad then turn around and give you the macabre story of the revenge of a headless mercenary.
I am a fan of Warren Zevon and so are some of music's finest. After you spin Excitable Boy on the old turntable, follow it up by slipping The Wind into the CD player. Zevon recorded this album after receiving the diagnosis of incurable lung cancer in 2002. It starts with more great Warren Zevon compositions and gets the support of people like Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, and Dwight Yoakam. Now that's how to make a farewell album.
