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Warren Zevon: Sex, Drugs & Unpaid Hotel Bills

Classic Album Review | November 10, 2026



Warren Zevon’s 1976 album is one comprised ot desperate tales of lost and dispirate souls and is seen a remarakble acchievement for songwiriting. Let’s discuss

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Written by Classic Album Review

Comments

This post currently has 32 comments.

  1. @buddhafella

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    There is a phenomenal book called I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, compiled by his ex wife with his complete blessing (as long as she talked about his faults as much as his good attributes).

  2. @TonyYeatropoulos744

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    Well, you proved me wrong. I thought the Nick Drake was the crowning jewel of your creations, but this is by far the most thorough, informative and emotional examination into the heart of a human and his inner turmoil, that I can ever recall hearing. I've long been a fan, but only for 3 albums from his middle period. I do believe it's time to ADD TO CART!! I've never heard this particular album, start to finish. So shall it be done!
    And there it is.

  3. @PhilBaird1

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    He lived an outlaw life, lived fast and died far too young, like a character in one of his songs. He would've been one of America's finest noir fiction writers if he hadn't have gotten into the rock and roll game. He could tell a twisted tale with great economy and a killer hook. Desperados Under The Eaves suggests and hints at so much in just a few lines and images. I hope they played it at Warren's funeral. It's still so sad that he caught that last train.

  4. @seanarthurjoyce7366

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    There is no doubt, Zevon's first record is a masterwork, if a tragic one foreshadowing his own dissolute life. Modern noir for sure. Puts it right in there with Exile on Main Street. Though I think it's time we retired the coolness of debauchery. Such a waste of life.

  5. @douglasnovascotia

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    A songwriter's songwriter! Waren Zevon had a challenging life journey but came out the other end as a clever, respected, witty, and honest musician and person. I was fortunate to catch Warren live in Toronto in 1990. Thanks for sharing the video about a true music legend and that wonderful self-titled album from 1976. Keep him in your heart.

  6. @Eric.Taylor.1962

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    I was lucky enough to see him in Melbourne on his 1992 tour. He actually forgot some of the lyrics to Werewolves of London to everyone's amusement! It was always good to see how many big names like Springsteen and Dylan that would cite his talent.

  7. @Justin_Kipper

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    I've enjoyed his music for decades. I even have that first album. So many of his songs are intelligent, witty, catchy, funny, and dark…all at the same time. It's notable that when Linda Ronstadt made a hit with Zevon's "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me", she left out the dark and violent final verse and the song still worked as a fluffy humorous song for the radio.

  8. @chanceotter8121

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    This album captured the flipside of America’s Bicentennial year. Desperadoes Under the Eaves is my favorite song of his. It sounds like an unused theme to a Seventies neo-noir; it fits perfectly as a nightcap after watching films like Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and the later Cutter’s Way, as well as any number of lesser known gems. It is no wonder Dylan references Carl Wilson’s glorious vocal arrangements in his ode about the death of JFK and the tragic American aftermath “Murder Most Foul”. Those harmonies, echoing the humming of the AC, slide into the ocean, as the mystics predicted they would.

  9. @GregNewman-f1v

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    Loneliness and frustration
    We both came down with an acute case
    And when the lights came up at two
    I caught a glimpse of you
    And your face looked like something Death brought with him in a suitcase
    You looked so wasted
    Another pretty face
    Devastated

    The Zevon "hits" CD, "GENIUS" was not ironically titled.
    As a long standing customer of Warren's, I thank you for this well done episode.

  10. @garykelly9475

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    Like a few others below, I caught his solo gig in Glasgow at the Old Fruitmarket and a set that would have been similar to Learning to Flinch. Amazing songwriter and lyricist with a sardonic twist, but despite his talents and obvious human foibles absolutely ripe for his tales, the gaps in his output often through self-inflicted career suicide, he didn't quite have enough albums that were drop dead classics from top to bottom. But absolutely love listening to him

  11. @JamieMeyers-v8l

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    Fantastic review. You did your homework, filling in all sorts of details behind the music. Zevon is a top singer/songwriter in my book, and this album is his best work IMHO, though I like a good amount of his later stuff as well. "Sentimental Hygiene" was a sadly overlooked comeback album, made after he got sober. I quite like the unhinged album "The Envoy" that he made before he put the booze down. "The Wind" is really good as well, with a supporting cast of characters that rivals "Warren Zevon". "Life'll Kill Ya", from 2000 is more understated but has some fine tracks on it. Those are my personal favorites but I like them all to one degree or the other. Good to see WZ mentioned on your channel. I saw him live twice, wish I'd met him, at least if he was in a good mood. I've read "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", written by his ex wife. He could certainly be a bastard at times.

  12. @MT-ez3rc

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    "These are the people who believed in the quality of his work" Or they all had the same Agent, Managers Etc as Zevon. Which is the real behind the scenes story as to the rock stars participation on this Zevon LP. We will never know for sure.

  13. @sammysliver

    November 10, 2026 at 10:20 am

    Brilliant album, one of my desert island disks. I saw Warren Zevon twice. Both times in places so small one could just walk up to him afterwards and shake his hand. I still have his autograph hanging on my wall. I cried when he passed. RIP excitable boy.

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