Sophisticated 70s Icon Wrote SILLY Song on a DARE…Became His ONLY HIT! | Professor of Rock
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- Warren Zevon was told by one of the founding fathers of rock, Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers that he should write a novelty song about a horror movie icon… So he wrote a total joke song…One he called a piece of crap called the Werewolves of London... It became his only hit! It’s a song about a mysterious, sophisticated gent who could be seen dining at Chinese restaurants, and drinking Pina Coladas in posh areas of Soho & Kent. He’s a dapper fellow, with tailored suits, and perfectly coiffed hair. But don’t let appearances fool you….Despite his dashing looks, you better keep your distance... cause he’ll rip your lungs out. The truth behind this ‘hairy handed’ bottled lightning hit, and the tortured artist who released the cap- then “drew blood" is NEXT... on Professor of Rock.”
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It’s time for another edition of our series Bottled Lightening where we celebrate a song or album that was king for a day…Here we honor artists and bands and that rocketed up the charts… but for reasons unknown weren’t able to sustain that success. Called by some ‘one-hit wonders’, we celebrate them instead as lightning in a bottle.
The story of Warren Zevon is, in many ways, an archetypical account of an immensely talented, but tortured, rock star. Like many before, and after him, he was somehow convinced that genius followed the road of excess. In his own words, he lived the life of Jim Morrison, but, for some reason…he lived 29 years longer. Zevon was beloved by his peers, a collection of the best artists of the so-called, Troubadour Era of the early to mid-70s. He was a highly sought-after session player for many years before the great Phil Everly convinced him to write a song about werewolves, fashioned after the “Monster Mash,” and the result was a 'bottled lightning’ track that became his only pop hit.
Warren Zevon’s childhood resembled episodes of The Sopranos…During his formative years, Warren’s father, William Zevon, worked as a bookie who managed volume bets and dice games for the scandalous LA mobster Mickey Cohen.
The Cohen crime family gave him the nickname “Stumpy” Zevon, and he was even the best man at Mickey Cohen’s first wedding…
As far back as Warren can remember, “Stumpy” drifted in & out of his son’s life, often making a ruckus when he reappeared. Like the time when Warren was 9, and his bookie father showed up to give his son a piano that he had won during a poker game. Warren was thrilled with his father’s gift, but his Mom was none too pleased and promptly ordered her erratic husband to remove the piano immediately. Stumpy responded by hurling a kitchen knife- narrowly missing his Mom’s head, then stomped out of the house. Warren got to keep the piano…..
Poll: What is your pick for the funniest classic song of the rock era?
Leon Redbone: Diddy Wa Diddie
Lonzo And Oscar: I'm My Own Grandpa
Jim Stafford- Spiders & Snakes ..... you fool, you fool .....lol
1. Rock Lobster by The B52s
2. If I Had A Million $ by Bare Naked Ladies
" If I had a million dollars ( if I had a million dollars )
I'd buy you a green dress
But not a real green dress that's cruel."
If I Had a Million Dollars - Barenaked Ladies
Gotta give it to "Weird Al" Yankovic who did "It's All About the Pentiums" - a parody of "It's All About the Benjamins". I was just starting tech school for IT and that song kept me laughing and motivated.
I heard a story on the radio where a young woman and her father used to argue often on whether this was a good song or not. The father loved it and the daughter despised it. On her wedding day she had found the perfect song for her Father/daughter dance and changed it last minute to Werewolves of London. When her father heard the song start he burst into tears. I found it so moving and so selfless that this young lady gave this “win” in honor of her father. I think of this sweet story every time I hear this song.
Seriously. THat's just awesome!
And now I will too! What a sweet story!❤
I too will never forget this story when I hear Werewolves! Thank you for sharing.
Awwwww…this woman is just too kind.
I've read about that! Can't remember where.
Warren zevon was that rare talent that could split your sides with laughter and totally break your heart with his honest ballads he was a one of a kind talent that left us way to early
He deserved more success. He died before I was born but sounded like such a great guy nonetheless.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 considering he had support from Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, waddy Wachtel, JD Souther, don Henley and etc he was more of a songwriter and background artist before he became a solo artist and his style of songwriting were more character based and humor laced vignettes of the California and USA of the late 70s and early 80s and all of his iconic albums self titled, excitable boy, bad luck streak in dancing school and sentimental hygiene are a great balance of humor, heartbreak, crazy character vignettes and a touch of optimism to close it all up
No lie there.
@@georgemathie8123 He wouldn’t have made it without his peers. His stuff is so sentimental and hilarious. I just can’t help but love it.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I think Warren would've been a great movie director or character actor when you hear songs such as Roland the headless Thompson gunner, lawyers, guns and money, boom boom Mancini and werewolves of London you can't help think that they might be good scripts for a movie plot Warren had that cinematic quality to his songs
For me, "Lawyers, Guns and Money" or "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" are at the top of his extensive list of great songs. He had a knack for capturing the sort of griminess of unsavory, sketchy characters but was able to mitigate the bleakness with a sardonic humor. And "Excitable Boy" is kind of a wild ride about what happens when you make excuses for a child's inexcusable behavior, something that, as a parent and grandfather, is always on my mind.
100% agree!...That whole Excitable Boy LP is a classic!
Yeah, but the song, "excitable boy" is also straight up comedy.
A show I saw in Charlotte in ‘96, Warren played that song first and Werewolves last.
Werewolves is a classic. Fabulous voice. And I think excitable boy doesn't get the recognition it deserves.
It’s such a fun listen for when you are feeling bored.
Werewolves of London is one of those few songs that, in one listen, can change your mood from bad to good.
So true... Bad mood killer.
You hear that piano riff…you immediately start to jam.
Everytime I walk through China town in London, this song springs to mind.
The entire Excitable Boy album is CLASSIC! Not a bad song on it. Mr. Bad Example was another fantastic album!!
"A little old lady got mutilated late last night," is one of the best lyrics ever constructed.
It really is, but for a guy who didn't write many love songs, no one will ever top "They say love conquers all, you can't start it like a car, you can't stop it with a gun." He's also known for being the only songwriter to use "brucellosis" in a song, as well!
As he sings so cheerfully...😅
That really is a horror twist!
Warren has dozens and dozens of great songs.
No question.
I’m surprised he did not go into Roland the headless thompson gunner. Excitable Box was an absolute masterpiece.
He is so underrated as an artist.
Hit somebody!
Desperados under the eaves, one of my favorites.
Excellent choice today, Adam! Werewolves is one of my favorite sing-alongs, and Brother Zevon was one of the underrated singer-songwriters in rock. Gotta give it up to Lawyers, Guns, and Money, too!
Lawyers Guns and Money is my favorite by him!
@@ProfessorofRock Boom Boom Mancini is up there.
i was just getting ready to comment on that same song one of his little known lowkey hits
@@ProfessorofRock heh. Mine too. Been thinking of it since I started watching this video.
Right! I love this song. That interview with Letterman when Zevon knew he was going to die was heartbreaking.
A nice nod to the late, great Zevon...a man whose career defines "underappreciated." Enjoy every sandwich.
Warren's Biography is a great read. Put together by his wife Crystal. Caught Warren in concert several times. The Everly brothers reunited in the mid 80's. I caught a show where some one shouted out "Where's Warren?" Much to the delight of the band. The key board player even plunked out the Werewolves riff. Much to the delight of the audience. R.I.P David Lindley.
So cool.
Great story!
I was lucky enough to be pretty good friends with Warren back in the day. He was one of the most interesting and intelligent people I've ever known. I miss him a lot. Great to see you give him an episode:)
I was friends with him too, when he had his gold Corvette. He came to the party I had when I joined the Army and then I never saw him again.
'Keep Me in Your Heart' puts a smile on my face, a tear in my eye, a break in my heart... every time... love the man still...
This one was an instant classic. Warren Zevon was one of the greatest songwriters of the rock era. Thanks for covering this, Adam.
He was a brilliant songwriter and musician, Rest in peace Warren
🙏🤘🙏
Zevon was indeed a genius, and also a great showman. I saw him in the 90's at a club, of all places. He never left his piano, and it was still one of the best shows I had ever seen. The man could have been a standup comedian.
Been waiting for this one. When I was in college I worked at an autobody shop and was introduced to classic rock music while working there. It played constantly. EVERYTIME this song would play my boss Garry and I would find each other and run our hands past our hair when "his hair was perfect" was sung. I still do it 30 years later. RIP Garry.
Love this song.
Thanks for sharing.
What a great memory! ❤
Haha, I use that lyric when I see a cool hairstyle. I’m like, “Her hair is perfect” “His hair is perfect”
How do you manage to put out so much quality content so often?! Incredible!! My favorite channel!! ❤
Thanks Autumn. It's hard work, but worth it.
@@ProfessorofRock Hard Work being the key words here. I'm pretty sure most of your fans have no clue the work you put into these. To curate and research....I don't know how big your staff is but I'm guessing you keep everybody hopping. Great work.
@@ProfessorofRock So often I click the link just to see which artist or song you are talking about and I get suckered into watching the entire video. You have a knack. Now do a video on "Do You Know What I Mean" by Lee Michaels and "Hot Rod Lincoln" quite the history behind the latter song.
@@ProfessorofRock Why this channel doesn't have well over a million subscribers is a mystery to me.
Quality over quantity.
Holy shit! Warren Zevon hung out with Igor Stravinsky?!? Professor, my mind is blown yet again! I doubt Frank Zappa ever hung out with Stravinsky, even though Stravinsky was one of Zappa's biggest influences.
Stravinsky was a big deal!
Who knew how much we would long for those cassette-and-pencil days? As I was grumbling about my tape having been eaten by my sister’s boom box, I had no idea that I would one day think of those moments with such nostalgia!
Ha!
You had to just wind the tape back in with a pencil, amirite?
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 You got it. The tapes would unravel a bit. Pencil fit perfectly.
The past few months I have been going through all the cassette tapes I had 30-40 years ago.
I taped a lot of my LP collection for use in the car.
They sound surprisingly good to my old ears, and I'm catching up on music I hadn't thought about in ages.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Yes, if you were lucky. Sometimes the player crumpled it so much that it never sounded the same again, or it ate it so badly that you had to rip it out of the player (destroying the ribbon) and throw away the cassette. My (older) sister had a few friends who were adept at taping them back together (which salvaged the tape and only left a short blank space where the rip had occurred), but I never tried it. My fine-motor skills were never that good.
What a wonderful rock and roll history lesson. I'll never forget watching Warren play it live in an intimate S.E. Portland club in 1988, backed by bassist Timothy B. Schmit and guitarist Dan Dugmore.
He even worked with David Gilmour!
WZ was an artist's artist. He might not have had much commercial success, but he was deeply talented and deeply respected by artists from the top 40 who were jealous of his freedom and talents. WZ is sorely missed, and WoL is not his top work, just another solid work he did for a lark.
Some artists just transcended the top 40. He was one of them. We lost him way too soon.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 far too soon. But he left a great catalog for us to cherish.
@@darknagaadventures7884 Thank heavens for that.
I agree, while I do love the song it's not even my top 5 favorite Warren Zevon songs.
@@darknagaadventures7884 I recall when Warren was diagnosed with lung cancer he declined cancer treatment so he could create that last masterpiece double album before he passed.
Whilst I am not a Warren Zevon fan perse, this was a fascinating fact filled episode Professor. Once again you have provided a backstory that increases my appreciation for a song that I already enjoyed.
Very cool!
Now I will play this song at Halloween!
I would urge you to explore his catalog. He is one of the very best rock songwriters and record makers of our late, great, 20th century.
The songs on his first four LPs only get better and better with repeated listenings. ❤
I love Warren's music, it spans the complete range of emotions from rip-roaring fun to complete heartbreak. Songs like Genius and Mr Bad Example show the range of his skill with words and the standard of musicians who looked up to him prove that he was no one hit wonder. Thanks Professor!
He was hilarious and down to earth.
One of your BEST contributions of your music awareness effort. Most people have NO IDEA of Warren and his background, let alone his significance to other musicians, you present it beautify. Great job !!!
My dad and I both love Zevon’s hilariously sad “My S***s F***ed Up” a song about his cancer diagnosis.
F**k cancer indeed.
I love all his songs, but this one saved my life!
I saw Warren Zevon live 3 times. Shook his hand the 3rd time. What an amazing songwriter and musician. Look up the huge list of other artists that have contributed to Warren's songs.
Wasn't he great in concert?
So cool! He was a national treasure.
I only saw him once but i will never forget it
A friend of my brother played a song from The Wind "My Sh#ts F#cked Up at a dinner party and we all laughed about it thinking of it as just a song about getting old. I bought the album and then heard about his passing and realized that he was writing this as someone who was facing his own mortality. The whole album had a different feeling with that perspective and that song still retained some humor but was layered with a bittersweet vibe. He was complex like that throughout his career and to the very end.
There's not a more heartbreaking cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door. Hits different when you learn he was dying when it was recorded.
" his hair was perfect"😅
Ha ha.
He did look cute. 😅
Looks like he's finally going to get into the Rock Hall this year!
Certainly deserves it; more than some acts that are already in there IMHO. One of the best songwriters of his generation.
Let’s hope 🤞
The rock and roll hall of fame is a joke. Maddanna is in yet Warren not yet?
It is the bain of being a musician that your career is dependent on the tastes, the mood of the public. I had never thought of it until you did this ... Werewolves was Warren's only hit?!?! In 5 seconds I thought of Poor Poor Pitiful Me, Roland ...., Lawyers ...; his life and fame and respect from peers reminds me of Townes van Zandt. Perhaps Bob Seger said it best about music when asked in early 80s how it felt to be an overnight success ... and he replied that he'd worked really hard for 10 years to be an overnight success ... applies to so many.
I know! He should have had dozens.
My favourute Zevon is his penultimate album, My Ride's Here, which has a number of songs about his cancer
It always reminded me of my stepfather, who had died of cancer some years before this album, with the dark humour and acceptance of his fate.
My stepdad had been told there was absolutely nothing they could do but they asked if he was willing to try an experimental technique that could, at most, buy him a month or two but would help in the future
Even though he was in perennial pain, suffered from deilitating headaches and seizures, he volunteered. It was rough on him, causing him extreme nausea. But he perservered, knowing that, while he would not see any results, at some point in the future his actions would help someone else fight, and even beat, cancer
My stepdad, an ordinary man, a truck driver by trade, proved he could be a hero
It is said that that a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.
RIP, Bram. You were a good man. Enjoy a beer in the shade you helped set up
He passed from mesothelioma, which is a toughie. My condolences for your stepfather.
What a beautiful tribute to your step dad.
My mom was one of 11 kids on a small farm in the Midwest. Her little brother was born with hydrocephalus, what were called
water head babies in the 40s.
Her parents agreed to some experimental surgeries when he was 2. Sadly he died at age 3 and they donated Kenneth to science. My grandad told me the story of him when I was 14 and was proud of the gift that was their son so other kids could survive. Today it's a simple shunt surgery to cure this malady.
Yes real heroes are those who give with no glory.
And his hair was perfect I have used that line so many times lol I love Warren Zevon
The sense of humor of Werewolves of London is so fabulous. It doesn't even surprise me that it took about 15 minutes to write. I had friends and relatives who would top each other with jokes and that is what the song feels like.
I can only imagine a werewolf eating beef chow mein. 😆
My best friend Shane was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer just over 5 years ago . I went to the cancer treatment center with him near Atlanta a few times. ( I can tell you that you don't walk out the same person that you go in. Suddenly you realize that your problems are kinda insignificant compared to the people who you see there. And it totally ruins the concept of feeling sorry for yourself after seeing people fighting for another day.. ) As we were heading back to muscle shoals we stopped at Wendy's and were eating the big baconator I remembered the interview on the Letterman show and Warren gave me the best advice right there " Enjoy Every Sandwich.. " .
My fav Zevon songs: Werewolves of London, Lawyers Guns and Money, Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, and Carmalita.
Great choices.
Been longer than just awile Warren. You're still in our hearts. 😢
Zevon is criminally underrated as a songwriter.
I agree!
Pencil and scotch tape yes sir yes ma'am
I still hear werewolves of London on my local rock radio station. RIP Mr Warren Zevon your song ain't trash 🙏 ♥️
"Werewolves of London" isn't just lightning in a bottle, it was a MONSTER hit!
Sorry, couldn't resist. 😂
(cackles like Dracula)
There are songs that take you back to a particular time in your life. This, and King Tut by Steve Martin are a couple of those for me for that time. As for Zevon, he may have only had one hit, but songs like, "Lawyers, Guns, and Money", and "Ain't That Pretty At All" are really classics.
I remember King Tut from when I was a baby!
One hit like The Grateful Dead only had one (A Touch Of Gray).
I love your Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Rat Fink T-shirt. 🙂 Haven't seen them in years. (Way before your time I would think.)
He lived by me when he was alive!
@@ProfessorofRock Aha! I remember Big Daddy Roth Rat Fink's cartoon hot rods as a little kid, and on bubble gum cards.
The lyrics are catchy and it sounds a lot like "Sweet Home Alabama" so I understand why they picked it as the first single. His albums show you can have a lot of talented people do great songs but they do not sound enough like a pop song to hit the top 10. Be safe.
I remember thinking this was an extension of Sweet Home Alabama as a little girl.
This man here deserves so much more than what he got. I'm really glad this was your choice today. I'm a musician myself and his style and voice has influenced me so much. If you get the chance watch the documentary "The Wind" if you haven't already
I agree!
I’ll put it on my To Be Watched list.
Score one for Phil Every!!
@@ProfessorofRock you've really opened my eyes about some of my favorite performers. You should do Uriah Heep. Started out decades ago. I mean they just put out another album Prof.
I've been a fan of Zevon since late '70s. In the late 1980's, I found myself in Wichita Falls, Texas, going through a military alcohol rehab program. (As close to prison as I ever want to get.) I discovered Zevon's Sentimental Hygiene album and it helped get me through some dark days. It told me I wasn't alone in this fight, and that other people were dealing with it, too. I'm blessed to say I am 34 years sober. Every now and again, I'll put on that album and have Warren help me through some tough spots. I have all his work, but I'm particularly attached to that one.
Warren had a writing style all his own. He certainly knew how to write catchy songs. By the time I became a DJ he had released his fourth album.
I remember playing his cover of "A Certain Girl" on the radio station. It was his only other song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
You know your history my friend!
I'm sort of surprised Boom Boom Mancini didn't chart at all.
He only charted twice?! Wow.
I loved the muscular Jungle Work and the sarcastic Gorilla, You're a Desperado off that album. Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School was, like many Zevon albums, underexposed and surprising.
"Keep me in your heart" was one of my favorite songs for 2000-2009. Such a beautiful track from the perspective of somebody knowing they're going to die.
It's on my list for my last songs.
Warren wrote so many great songs, it's incredible that this is his only charting number.
Really not a fair world.
With titles like "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner", I guess he wasn't trying to be recognized by the public, just by true music fans.
I have no clue how he didn't have MORE HITS
The Hot 100 is so deceitful. Most classic hits have eclipsed almost all of the #1s.
Personally, the Zevon songs that cut the deepest are “The Indifference of Heaven” and “Searching for a Heart,” and for my money, it has to be the “Learning to Flinch” versions of them both.
Had the single when it came out in the 70s. Lawyers, Guns And Money and Excitable Boy were great as well.
Love all of those songs. So good!
All three are great ones.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 👍🏻
While I also loved Lawyers Guns and Money my favorite song of his ever was also on Excitable Boy was "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner".
Werewolves of London is my all-time favorite Warren Zevon song! Thanks for covering this superb artist’s life.
I was fortunate enough to have had the chance to see Warren Zevon live twice, both in an electric and acoustic setting. Sorely under appreciated artist.
Warren Zevon has been somewhere in my top 5 all time favorite musicians since about 1979. I was 16 when I first heard him and he’s been on every playlist since. I miss him.
A few of my thoughts on Warren.
His albums used to be on steady rotation among my circle of friends in the late 70's / early 80's. Back when you read every word of the liner notes, and we would play anything and everything that came out from what we called the Asylum mafia.
I only saw him perform live once. He played the Calgary Folk Festival main stage in 2002, was supposed to stay for Sunday side stage performances but left early. He had not been well, and it was on his return to LA that he found out how bad things were. Ya just had a feeling that something was not right.
The in studio videos during the recording of The Wind are a joy to watch. You can see and feel the love and respect the other musicians have for Warren. He has a huge smile on his face while they are recording Disorder in the House.
Lots of really good covers of this songs. Of course Linda Ronstadt's cover of Poor Poor Pitiful Me is well known. His songs have been covered by a few artists here north of the border - Terri Clark also does a good version.
The first recorded version of Carmelita was by singer songwriter Murray McLauchlan, an artist who has kind of been forgotten today but has some great songs himself. I still remember seeing Murray do Carmelita in concert around the time that Werewolves was hitting it big. Murray used to joke about how they had traded songs, but Warren hadn't recorded his yet.
Sorry Warren wasn't around longer.
Until the Black Keys song "Howling for You" came out it was used as the Goal Celebration song for the NHL Phoenix/AZ Coyotes
Ahhh... my favourite singer songwriter. Criminally underrated and fingers crossed he gets his dues in early May and inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame. Great work Prof.
So true. Let's get 'em in there.
@@ProfessorofRock Warren would have declined the "honor" I hope.
He definitely deserves his place in the Hall.
Zevon is too good for the RRHOF...
Love Werewolves Of London!♥️Thanks for keeping the music alive!🎶
Big horror fan, so I love this song! When I had my last dog, he loved howling along with the song! 😆
Ha ha. Very cool!
Just like a wolf.
How could I forget running in formation in 1984 to the pulsating lyrics of my fellow infantrymen chanting
"Strength and muscle and Jungle work-
Strength and muscle and jungle work. "
Perfect.
This may have been his only hit, but he has a ton of funny, excellent songs.
I encourage all of you to dig in!
Always loved this song and Zevon. Personally, I think the line "His hair was perfect" is so memorable was that it was followed immediately by that distinctive verbal "tic" he added to emphasize the line's uniqueness.
Yeah, love the vocal tic!
Hey, cool video, Adam. Amazing what you can accomplish with three chords -- four if you wanna be fancy. And Waddy crafted a guitar solo that became totally iconic. Nothing quite like the production quality of the '70s.
The 70s was a spectacular decade.
Have you done a video on Lawyers, Guns and Money?
Me want that
Very impressive that he hung out with Stravinsky when he was a teenager. "Lawyers, guns and money" and "Werewolves" were favorites. "Excitable Boy" was a great album. When he was ill, at the end, he said to "enjoy every sandwich and every minute".
I love Warren's music...I have every album that he's ever recorded including lyme and Cybil. He was a musical genius, extremely well read, a brilliant song writer, but was a tortured soul. A close friend of mine came home from work one day, jumped in the shower and heard his Australian Sheppard howling. He shut off the water went in the living room to see what his dog was so excited about. He was singing along to Werewolves of London on the radio! I guess Warren's music even transcends species....RIP Mr. Zevon...
A tortured soul is exactly right. Hope he found his peace!
Awwwww…you know you’re a legend when even the dogs themselves are singing along to your song.
The song is such a classic everytime I hear it I make sure my ears are bleeding before it's over.
I didn't know he didn't like this song. But like I told a fellow song writer, "a song doesn't have to be technically hard or compositional Intricate to be good. No one knows what makes a great songs they just are.
Even simple songs can transcend time.
I love what he said to Letterman, “Enjoy every sandwich”. Words to live by, people!
Only 1 hit but it may be the most lasting one ever because it will not be forgotten
So right!
TIMELESS.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Right On /**/
@@ProfessorofRock Thanks Professor ,that was a good run down of the history of Warren and he deserves to stay in the attention zone for the music he made .
I was lucky to see Warren play in Minneapolis twice in the late 80's.......my favorite was the fall of 1987.......we booked tickets and a hotel for the show months in advance......not knowing the Minnesota Twins and the St. Louis Cardinals would be playing the first game of the world series that night. the band X opened and then Warren put on an incredible show. As the show went on he'd tell us the score of the game.....for the encore he can out wearing a Twins jersey and announcing the Twins had won the game......the crowd went wild!
You are a great story teller.
One thing I draw on: for as long as humans have been making music, there's always been a serious side of it. But mostly humans have been making music to enjoy life....to enjoy the moment. Its rare when an artist can give both. I'm glad Warren could share both sides of music.
A fantastic one hit wonder, and a staple at every Halloween themed event. Shame that this was Warren's only hit single. 🎃🦇
Right? It's pretty surprising.
Zevon was a genius, and his timeless songs and brilliant lyrics will outlast most multi-hit "wonders."
Warren was most decidedly NOT a one hit wonder!
I need to get my parents to start playing this at Halloween. I’ve heard it at Halloween parties.
At my house, Warren had dozens of chart topping hits. His latest, Keep Me In Your Heart often has me looking for a box of tissues.
P.O.R., Ed from Midway. Driving in Boise, ID 15+ years ago and pulled up behind a truck with a bumper sticker that said, “I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand” and immediately smiled and laughed. My teenage son asked me why and I told him the story of growing up with that song. While Warren may not have been proud of it, all my friends growing up loved it and I still do. Favorite WZ song is “Hasten Down the Wind”!!! Absolute most underrated musician in history and should be in HOF.
I really hope he gets in this year.
It's the piano and the howling that make the song catchy and unique. So I don't blame the record company picking it.
It's true.
It’s an earworm.
My Dad passed Away from Long Cancer 2/27/2018 & is the one who turned me on to The Late Great Warren Zevon with the songs Lawyers Gun's and Money, Excitable Boy, Poor Poor Pitiful Me, Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, Things to DO in Denver When you Die & Werewolves of London, Dad was a Huge Fan now I am listening to the songs with my Kids! 😊💞
The history of art is just a crazy and wild ride. I love it. 😀👍
It really is!
I’ve been trying to get a history teacher at my school to devise a curriculum for “History of Rock and Roll”.
Werewolves of London always puts me in a good mood. How can you not howl along! But the entire Excitable Boy album is pure gold, Tenderness on the Block is another favourite.❤🇨🇦
Always interesting to see these more "off the cusp" iconic hits that almost came out of thin air. It seems that many songs take that route of creation, and it shows just how inherently talented they are. Cheers
It's an age old story. This one was so good. Love the Everly Brothers touch!
@@ProfessorofRock Yeah, from one the roots of rock themselves!
I wonder if it is because the artist relaxes and just gives people what they want. I think sometimes they might try too hard.
@@theman4884 That's a very interesting point. I'm sure that has been the case in many points throughout history. Music is a very intricate point of view, and sometimes it's just gotta come naturally, y'know?
It’s interesting to see what could have been.
I was lucky enough to have seen Warren Zevon play live. What a great show!
Keep Me in Your Heart For a While holds a special place for me now. Vote Zevon!
First of all, LOVE DA RAT FINK TSHIRT! SECOND, GREAT VIDEO! Late Night Host David Letterman did a beautiful tribute to Warren on his show when Warren passed. It brought me to tears! So cool to know about Waddy's involvement with Warren's works! (Waddy IS DA KING OF THE SIDEMEN for sure!) Thank You again for this great video and another chapter in Rock History!! ❤👍✌👏 p.s. love the photo of you and your Daddy!!!
Rock on!
@@ProfessorofRock Thank you kindly!!😊❤👍🤘
I met Warren in a club in Birmingham AL in 1982(?). I went in for a sandwich and beer for lunch and noticed a small stage set up. I glanced right and the guy was a dead ringer for Warren. I continued eating and I heard Warren's voice say "how's that sandwich?" I turned and saw him smiling at me. He played about and hour set to warm up for his night show later. He was between labels back then and played small Birmingham clubs pretty often.
Werewolves of London! Love it! Used in American Werewolf in London, along with Bad Moon Rising.
Warren Zevon was a great musician. He was lived amongst his peers, but never got the recognition from the public. Shame, as he was a talented musician.....
Thanks for this hair-raising episode, Professor! Love the different stuff you bring!
Right you are Roger!
It actually wasn’t used on the soundtrack. Which is a real head scratcher cuz it would’ve been perfect for that film.
Perfect placement in a movie. I always thought that the movie was based around the song.
One of my favorite songs ever! It always lifts my spicrits and energizes me. Love Warren Devon. RIP
Typos -spirits, Zevon. So sorry!
Warren Zevon has a quote." Enjoy every sandwich!"
What?
@@ProfessorofRockHe talked about how short life is so "Enjoy Every Sandwich!" 🥪 This sandwich looks good 👍
@@ProfessorofRock I believe he uttered this pearl of wisdom on the Late Night Letterman show.Warren was facing his demise due to cancer.As Dave's favorite artist he dedicated an entire show to him,with Warren as the sole guest.It was not a time for dry eyes.
🥪
@@kevmac1230 That's was so deep. Kevin MacReynolds
On my 28th birthday in 1994 I saw Warren at Shank Hall in Milwaukee, a tiny little place. Waiting for the show to start was bumped from behind and when I turned to look it was Warren making his way to the stage, there was no other way to access the stage there. It was just him no band, he either played piano or guitar. Fantastic show!
Isn't it astounding how many great songs that resonated with millions were considered crap songs by the artists?
Sot true. It's a trend for sure.
And I wonder why that is.
Warren Zevon truly was a musical genius. I grew up on him and am very jealous that my parents saw him live multiple times. I didn't fully appreciate him til I was an adult. From his first album to his last, his music just moves me. Wanted Dead or Alive has a special place in my heart, so does Frank and Jesse James. I used to rock out to that one on my rocking horse 🤣 He's been so influential and yet so underrated. Throughout his entire career, even though they weren't big hits, he had so many amazing, moving songs. He actually died on my 21st birthday. This was a great little tribute to a legend. I really enjoyed this video. Definitely brought on some waterworks.
***AHHH-WHOOOOO!!! ...THE 'WEREWOLF...' (FROM BROOKLYN) IS BACK, FOR A "BITE" FROM PROF., ABOUT THE 'ZEV''s 1978 CLASSIC....*** ...OUCH! ....Here I AM! ...but for a brief visit....My work Project is wrapping up late April, so the pinch for completion is ON....but, I gotta help The Prof. out....the charts, May, 1978....
30. Running On Empty - Jackson Browne
29. Our Love -Natalie Cole
28. Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
27. Flashlight - Parliament
26. You Belong To Me - Carly Simon
25. Sweet Talkin' Woman - ELO
24. Take A Chance On Me - ABBA
23. Jack & Jill - Raydio
22. It's A Heartaache - Bonnie Tyler
21. ***Werewolves Of London*** - Warren Zevon
(P.S., the #1 was "If I Can't Have You" (Yvonne Elliman)....too tight for time...
.....y'know, I always thought "Zev" wrote the tune because he was in the midst of the crossover from Soft / Yacht Rock to New Wave in '78, and he was more of a 'Randy Newman' type......Oh well, ya learn sumpthin' new....and, I ALWAYS do, from *PROF.!* .....Gotta split AGAIN, Thanks! ; )
RBS! We freaking miss you! Thanks for making an appearance!
Definitely musical cousin to Randy Newman.
1978 is one of my favorite years in music and this list of songs is proof why. So many great songs from 21-30 shows the diverse quality in the music.
@@stephenhanft1226 Little Feat's "Waiting For Columbus" Live album was and is a classic favorite too from 1978.
Hi Professor, I'm really touched by your love for your dad. I recently lost my dad. Never realized how much I loved him until he was gone.
Love this song!!! lol It was cheesy, but a lot of fun. We used to listen to it on the way to the midnight movie showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show. I had it on cassette (yes, I kept a pencil in my car) and before my friends got in the car with me I'd have the cassette queued up to the spot where the song would start playing right away. I lost count how many times we saw RHPS.
It's so good!
Rocky Horror is the type of stuff I dig.
One of the best shows I've ever seen was Warren Zevon at a small club in Scottsdale, AZ. He was an incredible performer!
WOW> that woulda been COOL!
Nice!
My favorite Warren Zevon song is My Shits fucked up
Still have that album.
Very explicit but still worth a listen.
I always loved Warren Zevon's quirky sense of humor, so my fave has always been Gorilla, You're a Desperado.
Oh yea!
Kinda hard to have radio friendly hits with lyrics like "grampa pissed his pants today... He don't give a damn"
😂😂😂
The cattle all have brucellosis!
If you listen carefully you’ll notice the “Werewolves Of London’s” main chord progression closely resembles those of “Sweet Home Alabama”
I first noticed the similarity when I heard “Kid Rock’s” tune.
Similar indeed
It's true. That's why Kid rock did it. Thanks Walt!
That’s the first thing that came to my mind when I heard it.
Except Zevon was a genius and Kid Rock is a chode.
I always thought the song a takeoff of Bertold Brecht’s opener for his Three Penny Opera, Mack The Knife. Obviously not in Bobby Darrin’s Jazz rhythm, but in the original (assuming that you ever caught it in PBS Pledge Drive).
Warren is one of America's best singer/songwriters I think. It's so sad he had so many demons, along with being abusive to his wife. I have enjoyd his music from the first time I heard "Frank and Jesse James" on WNEW-FM in NYC. Excitable Boy ad Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School remain two of my favorite albums ever. Ironic his most heartfelt song, "Keep Me in Your Heart for Awhile," was on his final album.Loved the Rat Fink T-shirt, great 60's reference.
This is one of the first albums my kids begged me to buy! They love it to this day.
Really? Great choice by them!
@@ProfessorofRock yep, they absolutely loved it and would sing it in the car at the top of their lungs!
Awesome!
I think this whole channel is a lovely tribute to Dad. I bet he is smiling.
Interesting story teller in his songs. Check out Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) if haven't yet. Thank me later.
Great song.
Love songs about hockey.
My favorite WZ story song is Mama Couldn't be Persuaded. Daughter, don't marry that gamblin' man!
I was privaleged to catch the Letterman show. Quite by accident I walked through the living room to hit the bathroom. I thank my bladder for some of the best TV ever