The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
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Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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Links
To explicitly state the obvious, these external links go to interesting and provocative websites, but they speak for themselves. I don't necessarily agree with anything they say - especially that no-goodnik Richard Marcus.
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
September 08, 2003
Warren Zevon hastens down the wind, 1947-2003 I'm at something of a loss for what to say about Warren Zevon, but I surely can't let his passing go unremarked. He's too important in my mental landscape for that. Forgive me then if I start to ramble.
I should have had something in mind for the occassion. It's not like we didn't know it was coming. Yet it didn't feel right planning an obit for Mr. Bad Example. Maybe the doctors underestimated him. Maybe he'll last another year, make even one more album. Ah well.
Today, "The Envoy" comforts me best of his lot. I've always loved this boyish intellectual macho. Oh, yeah, he was a badass diplomat, with diplomatic immunity to use that lethal weapon that no one can see. If he weren't sick, he could have probably gone in and strong-armed Saddam personally. Hell, Warren might even have been able to make peace amongst all the Blogcritics. Well, let's not get TOO crazy.
"My Shit's Fucked Up" does not get the notice that it deserves. He wrote it about five years ago, a while before his cancer was diagnosed. It was probably the best melody he'd written in a decade. It also had that unique emotional duality of his best work, a strong dose of humor based on great emotional dis-ease. There is an ultimate equality at work, though: the rich folks suffer like the rest of us. "I went to the doctor. I said I'm feeling kind of rough. 'Let me break it to you son, your shit's fucked up.'" I like to play this at birthdays.
Down here on the farm, of course "Play It All Night Long" works real good blasting out of a pickup kicking up dust through the Rabbit Holler. "There ain't much to country living but piss, shit, jizz and blood." Warren, you wrote my life.
Naturally, the "Excitable Boy" makes it onto mix CDs for all the young nephews. This song is like catnip for 10 year old boys. Oh, yeah. For Barger boys, anyway. They may be a little bit different lot.
I note in puting together links for this column that Amazon lists The Wind as their #1 seller. That's nice.
Also, Transverse City should be considered a great lost album. The first half particularly whips ass. Look out for "The Long Arm of the Law." You see, "when the judge says 'Who done it?' you'll be crying 'Not me, not me!'" Guilty, I say! You KNOW he done it.
Here is the approximately 77 minute custom Warren Zevon Mastermix CD conjured up today:
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead Play It All Night Long The Envoy Lawyers, Guns and Money Mr. Bad Example Sentimental Hygiene Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded Excitable Boy Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School Hasten Down the Wind I Was in the House When the House Burned Down Poor, Poor Pitiful Me Run Straight Down Detox Mansion Werewolves of London Carmelita Mohammed's Radio Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Jeannie Needs a Shooter Transverse City Desperados Under the Eaves My Shit's Fucked Up (live 1-22-99)
Famously, he said "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Hopefully he rests better than Roland. RIP Warren.
