SIDE ONE 1. The Envoy
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The EnvoyWritten by Warren Zevon
Nuclear arms in the Middle East Israel's attacking the Iraqis The Syrians are mad at the Lebanese And Baghdad does whatever she please Looks like another threat to world peace For The Envoy Things got hot in El Salvador CIA got caught and couldn't do no more He's got diplomatic immunity He's got a lethal weapon that nobody sees Looks like another threat to world peace For The Envoy Send The Envoy Send The Envoy Whenever there's a crisis The President sends his envoy in Guns in Damascus Woah, Jerusalem Nuclear arms in the Middle East Israel's attacking the Iraqis The Syrians are mad at the Lebanese And Baghdad do whatever she please Looks like another threat to world peace For The Envoy Send The Envoy . . . Send for me Waddy Wachtel guitar David Landau guitar Warren Zevon guitar solo, synthesizers, prepared piano Leland Sklar bass Jeff Porcaro drums Don Henley harmonies Warren Written in honor of peacemaker Philip Habib, who’d been President Carter's envoy to the Middle East. Mr. Habib sent me a very nice letter of appreciation on State Department stationery. 2. The Overdraft
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The OverdraftWritten by Thomas McGuane & Warren Zevon
I had a little girl, now We crossed the state line It was more than just an overdraft We were looking at time If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer We had to leave in a hurry, now No time to hesitate It was worse than misunderstanding I had to ask her not to call it fate If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer No one sleeps on the yellow line No one's that alone Someone's in the window So don't try to use the phone We're just up against it We turned up in the zone If you ever get an overdraft You'll never make it home If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer If I do say so I can't let go And I don't take no for an answer Waddy Wachtel guitars David Landau rhythm guitar Warren Zevon piano Leland Sklar bass Jeff Porcaro drums Lindsey Buckingham harmony 3. The Hula Hula Boys
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The Hula Hula BoysWritten by Warren Zevon
I saw her leave the luau With the one who parked the cars And the fat one from the swimming pool They were swaying arm in arm I could hear their ukuleles playing Down by the sea She's gone with the hula hula boys She don't care about me She's gone with the hula hula boys She don't care about me They're singing, Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Yesterday she went to see The Polynesian band But she came home with her hair all wet And her clothes all filled with sand I didn't have to come to Maui To be treated like a jerk How do you think I feel When I see the bellboys smirk? And I can hear their ukuleles playing Down by the sea She's gone with the hula hula boys She don't care about me They're signing, Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana Waddy Wachtel acoustic guitars Warren Zevon electric piano Leland Sklar bass Jeff Porcaro drums, Tahitian log drums, pule sticks Jim Horn recorders Jordan Zevon & Warren Zevon harmonies Warren: Written on another vacation in the islands, this time Maui. The chorus, "Ha'ina i’a mai ana ka puana" is an idiom which means "Sing the chorus" or "Get to the point." No one could pronounce the Hawaiian but my son Jordan (who was 13 at the time). So Waddy and I had him sing all the background parts. Hunter Thompson quoted the lyrics in his book The Curse of Lono. 4. Jesus Mentioned
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Jesus MentionedWritten by Warren Zevon
I'm going down to Memphis Memphis, Tennessee I'm going down to Graceland Thinking about the King Remembering him sing About those heavenly mansions Jesus mentioned Can't you just imagine Digging up the King Begging him to sing About those heavenly mansions Jesus mentioned He went walking on the water He went walking on the water He went walking on the water With his pills Can't you just imagine Digging up the King Begging him to sing About those heavenly mansions Jesus mentioned Waddy Wachtel guitar 5. Let Nothing Come Between You
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Let Nothing Come Between YouWritten by Warren Zevon
When my Mama met my girl, she took me aside She's a soft-spoken woman but she speaks her mind She said "De de de de de, de de de de de - Let nothing come between you. De de de de de, de de de de de Don't let nothing come between you." I went to see my friend to ask his advice He just smiled and said, "She's good around the eyes." But I'd already made up my mind To let nothing come between us There are frustrated people in town Who might envy us and want to bring us down We know they don't really mean any harm That doesn't mean we've gotta let 'em hang around Got the license - got the ring Got back the blood tests and everything Putting on my boutonniere - it's her favorite flower Then I'm walking to the altar and I'm gonna take the vow De de de de de, de de de de de Don't let nothing come between us De de de de de, de de de de de Don't let nothing come between us There are frustrated people in town Who might envy us and try to bring us down We know they don't really mean any harm That doesn't mean we've gotta let 'em hang around I have advice for the young and old If I may be so bold When you find someone to have and hold Don't let nothing come between you De de de de de, de de de de de Get together and let nothing come between you De de de de de, de de de de de Get together and let nothing come between you De de de de de, de de de de de Get together and let nothing come between you Waddy Wachtel guitar, percussion Steve Lukather guitar Warren Zevon synthesizers, amplified piano Leland Sklar bass Jeff Porcaro drums Jorge Calderón, Waddy Wachtel harmonies Warren: I was engaged to a wonderful woman, about whom Jackson Browne had once observed, "She's good around the eyes." Steve Lukather joined the troupe for this track, and Jorge's vocal parts gave the song a great lift. As for the romance: Everything ended wretchedly. SIDE TWO 1. Ain't That Pretty At All
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Ain't That Pretty At AllWritten by LeRoy Marinell & Warren Zevon
Well, I've seen all there is to see And I've heard all they have to say I've done everything I wanted to do . . . I've done that too And it ain't that pretty at all Ain't that pretty at all So I'm going to hurl myself against the wall 'Cause I'd rather feel bad than not feel anything at all You know, I just had a short vacation, Roy Spent it getting a root canal "Oh, how'd you like it?" Well, it ain't that pretty at all So I'm going to hurl myself against the wall 'Cause I'd rather feel bad than not feel anything at all Gonna get a good running start and throw myself at the wall as hard as I can, man I've been to Paris And it ain't that pretty at all I've been to Rome Guess what? I'd like to go back to Paris someday and go to the Louvre Museum Get a good running start and hurl myself at the wall Going to hurl myself against the wall 'Cause I'd rather feel bad than feel nothing at all And it ain't that pretty at all Ain't that pretty at all Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar lead guitar David Landau guitar Warren Zevon synthesizer Leland Sklar bass Mike Botts drums Steve Forman percussion David Landau, J.D. Souther, Waddy Wachtel, Warren Zevon background vocals 2. Charlie's Medicine
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Charlie's MedicineWritten by Warren Zevon
Charlie dealt in pharmaceuticals Charlie used to sell me pills Yesterday his sister called to tell me He'd been killed Some respectable doctor from Beverly Hills Shot him through the heart Charlie didn't feel a thing Neither of them did Poor kid Charlie dealt in pharmaceuticals He sold those expensive drugs I gave Charlie all my money What the hell was I thinking of? Charlie had to take his medicine Charlie got his prescription filled I came to say goodbye I'm sorry Charlie died I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill Charlie dealt in pharmaceuticals Charlie used to sell me pills Yesterday his sister called to tell me He'd been killed Charlie had to take his medicine Charlie got his prescription filled I came to say goodbye I'm sorry Charlie died I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill I came to finish paying my bill Waddy Wachtel guitars Warren Zevon acoustic 12-string guitar, synthesizer Bob Glaub bass Rick Marotta drums 3. Looking For The Next Best Thing
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Looking For The Next Best ThingWritten by Kenny Edwards, LeRoy Marinell & Warren Zevon
I worked hard, but not for the money Did my best to please I used to think it was funny 'Til I realized it was just a tease Don Quixote had his windmills Ponce de Leon took his cruise Took Sinbad seven voyages To see that it was all a ruse (That's why I'm) Looking for the next best thing Looking for the next best thing I appreciate the best But I'm settling for less So I'm looking for the next best thing Looking for the next best thing All alone on the road to perfection At the inspection booth they tried to discourage me You can believe what you want - that'll never change it You'll have to come around eventually (And you'll be) Looking for the next best thing Looking for the next best thing I appreciate the best But I'm settling for less I'm looking for the next best thing Looking for the next best thing I'm looking for the next best thing Waddy Wachtel guitars Kenny Edwards guitar Warren Zevon synthesizer, piano Bob Glaub bass Jeff Porcaro drums Graham Nash & J.D. Souther harmonies Warren: LeRoy, Kenny Edwards and I wrote this one; in a rare outburst of social organization I was inviting various musician friends over for songwriting evenings in a big, gruesome house I’d rented in Nichols Canyon. You could look at the lights of the city from the ghastly, wrecked patio. 4. Never Too Late For Love
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Never Too Late For LoveWritten by Warren Zevon
You can't find him The way is dim You feel like giving up You ache for her Rest assured It's never too late for love You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Every time it hurts You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Everybody hurts Things go wrong The days are long You think you've had enough You feel discouraged Rest assured It's never too late for love You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Every time it hurts You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Everybody hurts Who am I to say I know the way you feel I've felt your pain And I know your sorrow You could try to let the past slip away Live for today Don't stop believing in tomorrow You've come so far The way is dark You feel like turning back But the way is black. . . The way is black. . . You can't find him The way is dim And you feel like giving up You ache for her Rest assured It's never too late for love You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Every time it hurts You say you're tired How I hate to hear you use that word Everybody hurts Who am I to say I know the way you feel ? I've felt your pain And I know your sorrow You could try to let the past slip away Live for today Don't stop believing in tomorrow Waddy Wachtel guitars Warren Zevon piano Bob Glaub bass Russell Kunkel drums 2007 RHINO CD BONUS TRACKS Word Of Mouth (Outtake) Let Nothing Come Between You (Alternate Take) The Risk (Outtake)
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The RiskWritten by Warren Zevon
Like a rattler in the sun The risk you run Lying in bed like a loaded gun The risk you run, the risk you run Like a switchblade long and sharp It's the risk, the risk you run Let it cut right through your heart It's the risk you run, the risk you run Run the risk Or you'll never know for sure If it's her She's the one With the risk you run, the risk you run Are you ready, are you not For the risk you run, the risk you run All it takes is all you've got For the risk you run, the risk you run Remember when you bet your life It's the risk you run, the risk you run Love is what makes life worthwhile It's the risk you run, the risk you run Run the risk Or you'll never know for sure If it's her She's the one With the risk you run Wild Thing (Outtake) |
RELEASE
DATE July 16, 1982 (US) LABEL Asylum (US) CATALOG NUMBER 60159 PRODUCER Warren Zevon / Greg Ladanyi / Waddy Wachtel STUDIOS Record One, Los Angeles CHART #93 (Billboard) |
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