Favourites : Warren Zevon - The Wind

Last week I wrote about Townes Van Zandt's almost posthumous Far Cry from Dead and mentioned that Warren Zevon had recorded The Wind in similar circumstances.  Knowing he was dying Zevon wanted to record one final album.

At that stage it could not really have been about the money.  While Zevon had recorded a number of really good albums in the 5 or 6 years before he was diagnosed with cancer they were not great sellers and probably on reached hard core fans like me.  To say they did not bother the charts would be an understatement.

His last few albums had seemed to have predicted his situation but he denied that.  Truth was his lyrics were always a bit dark and morbid with earlier song titles like I'll Sleep When I'm Dead and Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead (the title stolen for a movie).  Therefore new songs on the albums before The Wind like My Shit's Fucked Up, MacGillycuddy's Reeks and My Ride's Here could well have just been coincidental to his situation - or maybe some kind of premonition.

Anyway back to this album.  While sentimentally many say it is better than those immediately previous albums I am not quite so sure.  They are in my opinion as good as this one.  However the backstory of Zevon determined to and struggling to complete this and the quality of that final song certainly give a poignancy not always associated with Zevon.  The story of the album is presented really well in the video Inside Out.

So what of the songs?  They are really a typical Zevon "pick'n'mix".  With a good rocker Dirty Life and Times "I'm looking for a woman with low self esteem", a plea for forgiveness with Please Stay,

Will You Stay with me to the end?

When there's nothing left

But you and me and the wind

We'll never know till we try

To find the other side of goodbye

an inspired cover of Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door with it's plea/demand to "Open up! Open up!"

The final song on the album was also apparently the final song he recorded and like Johnny Cash's last songs he could not get the vocals in a single take.  A song that I think will be played at many funerals the beautiful, simple and final "Keep Me In Your Heart" 

Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for awhile

If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for awhile

When you get up in the morning and you see that crazy sun
Keep me in your heart for awhile

There's a train leaving nightly called when all is said and done
Keep me in your heart for awhile

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-li-li-lo
Keep me in your heart for awhile

Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-li-li-lo
Keep me in your heart for awhile

Sometimes when you're doing simple things
around the house
Maybe you'll think of me and smile

You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on
your blouse
Keep me in your heart for awhile

Hold me in your thoughts, take me to your dreams
Touch me as I fall into view
When the winter comes keep the fires lit
And I will be right next to you

Engine driver's headed north to Pleasant Stream
Keep me in your heart for awhile

These wheels keep turning but they're running out
of steam
Keep me in your heart for awhile