Enjoy Every Sandwich
Warren Zevon died a little over a year ago. His son Jordan and his collaborator Jorge Calderon have assembled a tribute album of Zevon's music. I found the CD in the local rack two days early.
"Enjoy Every Sandwich" was Warren's philosophy in the last days of his life. It's also the title of his tribute album. Maybe I lack the capacity for change, but none of the tunes on this album surpassed Zevon's original recordings. Maybe that's to be expected. I've been a Zevon fan for years. When I first got my license I'd drive my used '70 Chevelle downtown blasting "Send Lawyers, Guns and Money -- the shit has hit the fan!" It's ok. It was the 70s. Downtown was dead at night.
What remake could replace the sound of Zevon's voice in my memory? Sure, there could be a Pixie fan who has never heard Zevon's voice full of pain, resignation, and courage practically croak "It Ain't That Pretty at All." Maybe that Pixies fan would enjoy the harsh screaming of Frank Black and Kim Deal. Guess what I thought? Well, I'd rather hear their rendition than nothing at all. But barely.
I never expected the songs to be note-for-note copies. I did expect to still "hear" Zevon in the songs. That's my fault. I will always still hear his voice no matter who sings lead in the remakes. For a couple of cuts I thought Zevon was in the studio singing a duet. Jorge Calderon's version of "Keep Me in Your Heart for Awhile" conjured up the ghost of Zevon. Then there was Adam Sandler singing "Werewolves of London." Yes, you read that right. It was the song I was most afraid to hear. When the album was announced I believed it madness to let a comedian sing that song. "He'll ruin it," I thought.
I was wrong. He respected it. The Wedding Singer didn't show up in the studio. A bit of scat at the end distracted, but Adam Sandler sang a version where you could imagine Zevon at the studio controls.
Jackson Browne was singing Zevon's songs before most of the world knew Linda Ronstadt didn't write "Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me." He had championed Zevon in the early days. If anyone earned the right to remake a song by Warren Zevon it was Browne. So it's ok with me if "Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me" sounded like an outtake from a Jackson Browne album session. I liked listening to Browne and Bonnie Raitt, but I really wanted to hear someone sing "She asked me if I'd beat her."
I don't want to talk about it.
In the polished sounding department: The Wallflowers sang "Lawyers, Guns, and Money." Is it me or does Jacob Dylan sound more like Tom Petty than Bob Dylan? Anyway, he did a better job than his dad, but that could be my dislike of Bob Dylan's current voice.
Speaking of sons, Jordon Zevon sang "Studebaker," an unreleased song of his fathers. That makes it impossible to compare to the elder Zevon's version. I'll have to listen to that song a few times before I can tell you what I think. On the other hand, Warren Zevon heard something in Billy Bob Thorton's voice that I'm missing. Thorton sang another unreleased Zevon song "The Wind."
Now you're asking "Domoni, basically you don't believe anyone can sing a Zevon song other than Zevon. Right?"
Well, no. It won't be up to his high level, but it doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed on its own. Take, for example, Peter Yorn singing "Splendid Isolation." I'd buy an album called "Peter Yorn Sings the Classics of Warren Zevon." I'll listen often to Steve Earle and Reckless Kelly sing "Reconsider Me" and David Lindley and Ry Cooder did right proud with "Monkey Wash, Donkey Rinse."
As for Van Dyke Parks; he should arrange and conduct a double album of Zevon's music. I'd pay for my copy now and schlep equipment for free just to help the project.
Then there is Jill Sobule's version of "Don't Let Us Get Sick." Mother taught me to say nothing if I had nothing good to say. But, she didn't tell me what to do if I liked something so much I was left speechless.
So, I'll try this: if you buy this album for nothing more than to hear Jill Sobule you will have spent your money well.
(Note: This was written while the Red Sox were beating the Yankees Sunday night. I am sure you can understand that I was distracted. So, in the cold rain of Monday, I've fixed a couple of typos and made a couple of sentences run even longer.)
