| February 14, 2018 | |||||||||
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Lyrics: I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Aa-hooo! Werewolves of London! If you hear him howling around your kitchen door Aa-hooo! He’s the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent Aa-hooo! Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen Aa-hooo! Get It: Pick up a copy of the 2007 remastered version of Excitable Boy at Amazon: |
I am fairly certain that among the songs named by couples as “our song,” Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London tops exactly one couple’s list: Mr. and Mrs. Dances with Bass. I am also fairly certain that I cannot tell you exactly how this strange selection became our song, but strangely enough, it is. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it’s some Weird Science mixture of some funny editorial back-and-forth, our shared loved of seventies music, and the fact that my hair is always perfect. Beyond that, the depths of this song’s connection to our relationship remain largely unplumbed. Regardless of its origins, today—a day on which we celebrate the Feast of Saint Valentine and semi-clothed cherub archers—seemed like the right time to share this factoid with the world. (And by “world,” we mean the seven of you reading this blog.) Warren Zevon got his start as a musician in 1965 in a duo, lyme & cybelle (lowercase intentional) and he was a regular with the Everly Brothers, performing as a keyboardist, bandleader, and musical coordinator. In 1975, he was the roomie and official third wheel of rock and roll star couple and Fleetwood Mac members, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Zevon collaborated with Jackson Browne on his 1976 self-titled debut record. Zevon broke out as a soloist with the release of today’s featured album, Excitable Boy, in 1978. The single, Werewolves of London, was Zevon’s only major hit, though he was a critical darling until his death in 2003. Interestingly, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac played the drums and bass, respectively, on Werewolves of London (though they don’t appear in the video). Also, Jackson Browne played guitar, piano, and lent backing vocals to many of the tracks on Excitable Boy.  In fact, Zevon was so revered by David Letterman that Zevon’s was a regular on the show and even was an occasional bandleader. On that October 2002 appearance, Zevon was the only guest for the entire hour. A short time prior to appearing on the show, Zevon had been diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which attacks the membrane around the lungs. Zevon was known for being frightened by doctors, and he didn’t visit a doctor for 20 or more years prior to his diagnosis. Zevon also was known for his macabre sense of humor, and while on the show with Letterman, he jokingly said, “I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years.” He also sardonically told Letterman that his best life advice was to “enjoy every sandwich.” Zevon’s final live performance featured him playing Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, at Letterman’s behest. So while we don’t know exactly why this is our song, we hope that hearing it today inspires you to grab your favorite hairy-handed gent and walk with your queen while doing the Werewolves of London. Don’t make us rip your lungs out, Jim.¹ ¹ (Though we’d like to meet his tailor.) Video:
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