Werewolves Of London Album: Excitable Boy Year: 1978 Writers: LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel & Warren
Zevon Producers: Jackson Browne & Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel
Inspired by a suggestion from Phil Everly, "Werewolves Of London"
became Warren's breakthrough hit and most popular song, propelling the platinum
album Excitable Boy to #8 on the Billboard Top 200. "Werewolves
Of London" was released again as a single in 1986 due Tom Cruise famously
lip-syncing the song in the hit film The Color Of Money. "Werewovles"
endured through the years, appearing on the Time Warner Sounds Of The
70s collection and remaining a staple on virtually every Halloween music
compilation. After numerous attempts at capturing the song to tape dating
back to 1974, the combination of Warren, Waddy Wachtel, Mick Fleetwood and
John McVie captured magic on the second take. Jorge Calderón had
the honor of playing the werewolf in the promotional music video.
Warren: Phil Everly said, "I'm making another solo album. Why don't
you guys write a song for me - a dance song. Call it, 'Werewolves Of London.'"
I was at LeRoy's house a few days later, and he was playing that little
V-IV-I figure when Waddy walked in. "What are you doing?" he asked, and
we answered, "We're doing the Werewolves of London." Waddy said, "you mean,
Ahhooo - those Werewolves of London?"
Nighttime In The Switching Yard Album: Excitable Boy Year: 1978 Writers: Jorge Calderón, David Lindell, Waddy Wachtel & Warren
Zevon Producers: Jackson Browne & Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel
While "Werewolves Of London" was the breakout hit from the 1978
album Excitable Boy, various territories released follow-up singles
to capitalize on the song's success. "Nighttime In The Switching Yard"
was released May 1978 in the UK as the album's second single. "Nighttime"
was an anomaly compared to the other eight tracks, pure disco that Asylum
hoped would appeal to the masses. The UK 7" A-Side is edited to 3:43 backed
by "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" on the B-Side. Asylum
also released a 12" promo vinyl in the US featuring the track unedited on
both sides.
"Nighttime" was a collaboration between Warren, Jorge Calderón,
David Lindell and Waddy Wachtel. Jorge suggested additional verses that
clearly illustrates the main character in the song, a train track operator,
is a junkie.
One omitted verse:
Bearing down on the switch
Feel that dripping sweat pouring down
Lying down on the ditch
Not a sobering soul around
All agreed additional verses would make the song too long.
Sentimental Hygiene Album: Sentimental Hygiene Year: 1987 Writer: Warren
Zevon Producers: Warren Zevon / Niko Bolas / Andrew Slater Source: YouTube upload provided by mrbriefcaseMUSIC from MTV2 capture
After a five year layoff, Warren returned with the album Sentimental
Hygiene, released by Virgin Records. This first of many comebacks is
notable for multiple guest stars including Bob Dylan, Neil Young and the
members of R.E.M. acuting as Warren's backing band. The track "Sentimental
Hygiene" was one of four commercially available singles worldwide to
support the album. The promotional video uses the single edit audio featured
on most 7" vinyl releases.
Leave My Monkey Alone Album: Sentimental Hygiene Year: 1987 Writer: Warren
Zevon Producers: Warren Zevon / Niko Bolas / Andrew Slater Source: YouTube upload provided by AnExcitableBoy from VH1 Classic
capture
Warren's unlikely collaboration with the Prime Minister Of Funk, George
Clinton and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers was described by Warren
as, "a dance number that touches on the violent conflict between the
colonialists and the Mau Mau in 1950s Africa." "Leave My Monkey
Alone" was released as a worldwide single, backed with the non-album
track "Nocturne" and various remixes depending on territory and
format. The music video was choreographed by none other than Paula Abdul,
a year before "Forever Your Girl" became a hit and launched her
into stardom.
Run Straight Down Album: Transverse City Year: 1989 Writer: Warren
Zevon Producers: Warren Zevon / Duncan Aldrich / Andrew Slater Source: YouTube upload provided by TransatlanticMoments from VH1
Classic capture
Warren's 1989 Virgin release Transverse City was a cyber-folk themed
concept album, inspired by the writtings of William Gibson and Thomas Pynchon.
Although it was only released as a promo CD in the US, a music video was
produced for "Run Straight Down," featuring Pink Floyd's David
Gilmour.
Warren: Woozy from reading the Thomas Pynchon canon at a sitting,
so to speak, I conceived of Transverse City as a multi-layered cyberpunk
album. This track, with several simultaneous vocal lines including a list
of carcinogens in the environment I got from the Sierra Club, suggests the
dense texture I was striving to create when I ran out of Virgin's money.
We sent the 24-track tape to David Gilmour in London, and he recorded his
leads and sent it back.
Raspberry Beret Album: Hindu Love Gods Year: 1990 Writer: Prince Producers: Niko Bolas / Andrew Slater Source: YouTube upload provided by Art Varkington from VH1 Classic
capture
At the conclusion of the Sentimental Hygiene sessions, Warren Zevon
and R.E.M. members Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry returned to the
studio to jam and record some potential bonus tracks to be used as B-Sides.
The result was released three years later in 1990 as Hindu Love Gods,
which awarded Zevon a three album solo deal with Giant Records. At manager
Andy Slater's suggestion, the group recorded "Raspberry Beret"
which was released as a single in the UK and throughout Europe.
Searching For A Heart Album: Mr. Bad Example Year: 1991 Writer: Warren Zevon Producer: Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel
"Searching For A Heart" was written for Alan Rudolph's 1990 film
Love At Large. The following year, the track was included in Lawrence
Kasdan's film, Grand Canyon; a music video was produced featuring
Warren, Waddy Wachtel and Jeff Porcaro intermixed with clips from the movie.
A proper single was released in Germany on 7" and CD. A cassette single
and promo CD were made available in the US. The cover photo for the single,
taken by Diego Uchitel, was later used on the 2025 box set Piano Fighter:
The Giant Years.
David Letterman was fond of the song, quoting the lyrics multiple times
ahead of Warren performing it live on June 26, 1992. Warren's son, Jordan,
performed the track on the Late Show in 2007 to promote the release of Preludes.
Warren: I wrote this for Love At Large, the aforementioned
Alan Rudolph picture. Alan told me he'd use anything I wrote, and he said
Neil had written a song for his last movie - "He took the script home and
wrote it that night!" "Oh, yeah?" I said, "Did it have a bridge?" Lawrence
Kasdan also used the song in Grand Canyon. I liked both films very
much. They both stiffed.
Keep Me In Your Heart Album: The Wind Year: 2003 Writer: Warren Zevon & Jorge Calderón Producers: Jorge Calderón / Noah Scot Snyder / Warren Zevon Source: Official MNRK Nashville YouTube Channel
As Warren was battled terminal cancer, work on his final album, The Wind,
had slowed. Unable to return to the studio, Warren recorded his final song
from home. "Keep Me In Your Heart" is a touching goodbye to his
fans, becaming an instant classic. The music video is a compilation of clips
from the 2002 documentary VH1 (Inside) Out: Warren Zevon. In subsequent
years, "Keep Me In Your Heart" has been famoulsly performed by
Eddie Vedder and Willie Nelson.
She's Too Good For Me Album: The Wind Year: 2003 Writer: Warren Zevon Producers: Jorge Calderón / Noah Scot Snyder / Warren Zevon Source: Official MNRK Nashville YouTube Channel
"She's Too Good For Me" first appeared on Warren's final album,
The Wind and notably includes backing vocals by Eagles alum Don Henley
and Timothy B. Schmit. The song got a second lease of life in the form of
a music video to support the compilation Reconsider Me: The Love Songs.
The video debuted on February 14, 2006 on VH1 Classic, airing every hour
that day.
Werewolves Of London (Official Lyric Video - 2020) Album: Excitable Boy Year: 1978 Writers: LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel & Warren Zevon Producers: Jackson Browne & Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel
Werewolves Of London (Official Lyric Video - 2021) Album: Excitable Boy Year: 1978 Writers: LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel & Warren Zevon Producers: Jackson Browne & Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel
Werewolves Of London (Official Lyric Video - 2022) Album: Excitable Boy Year: 1978 Writers: LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel & Warren Zevon Producers: Jackson Browne & Waddy Wachtel Source: Official Rhino YouTube Channel