I Still Don't Sleep At Night

"I SAID, 'MAN I'D LIKE TO STAY
BUT I'M BOUND FOR GLORY
I'M ON MY WAY
MY RIDE'S HERE..."

Yep, Warren Zevon's ride came and now he can, like one of his album titles, says ... "Sleep When I'm Dead." He won't sleep though. He'll have to make some kind of music or raise some kind of hell. So to speak. I'm glad he died in his sleep though. He deserved that. He deserved lots of good things if you ask me. He gave us a lot through his gifts. I loved him as much as you can love somebody you never met, (but less than John Lennon to be absolutely honest. You know--that was The Beatles, come on--they changed my life forevever.)

But I loved Warren from the first time I heard him because I knew an untamable spirit when one rocked me. And this was before I knew a thing about him. He was equally lyric and outrageous. He had a classical flair; indeed, he'd known Stravinsky, but he didn't mind using strings as background music for his mad lyric movies.

I like the way Rolling Stone began their announcement of his death: "A year after learning he had an inoperable form of lung cancer-- and more than twenty-five years after he began obsessing over death in song--Warren Zevon passed away in his Los Angeles home on Sunday; he was fifty-six." Funny. He was only given three months to live a year ago when he told us about it on Letterman. Funny. Who ever thought he'd live to fifty-six? The way he lived he was lucky to see thirty and he'd be the first to say so. He compared his partying life to that of Jim Morrison.

Last Christmas my 12-year-old son wanted to know what one gift he could get me. My kids aren't into surprises like I am. So I told him the one thing I wanted most in the world was a copy of Warren's new CD, My Ride's Here. I got that and a black sweater with a hood from my daughter. It was an ironic, yet merry Christmas. I still need to get my friend Ellen to translate the French song on there that he does with his daughter. I wish my prig neighbors would let me play the CD at the volume I always feel Warren deserves. (Same goes for Neil Young. No point in listening if you can't play it at the required volume.)

And give me a break with the Werewolves of London and Excitable Boy. I'm making a point of not listening to the radio. You'd think those were the only goddamn songs he ever made. I love Accidentally Like a Martyr and I never get to hear it. It's off that same CD I think.

Here's a really good site with more about Warren Zevon and his music. It has biography, obituaries, reminiscences, candid pictures and self-portraits, lots of articles and reviews.

When he was on Letterman I remember how determined he was to get out new music before the end came. He did it with the new CD The Wind which came out two weeks ago. He also was blessed with twin grandchildren that he got to see last month I believe.

Do you think he's partying with Jimi, Janis, Kurt and Jim? Maybe, but he's still sober. Once you reach the end of the road with that stuff it loses it's lure. But at least he has compatriots who dig him. No one is calling out there for him to sing Werewolves of London again.

We'll miss you Warren. Don't rest in peace or we won't know who you are.