 |
 |
 |
Produced by Greg Ladanyi / Warren Zevon
Recorded at The Sound Factory, Hollywood
USA release: 15 February 1980
Asylum LP E5-509
Friday Music CD FRM-509
Billboard #20
| Side One 1. Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School
close ×
Bad Luck Streak In Dancing SchoolWritten by Warren Zevon
Bad luck streak in dancing school Down on my knees in pain Bad luck streak in dancing school Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Pauline, don't make me beg Bad luck streak in dancing school Down on my knees in pain I've been acting like a fool Pauline, I swear I'll change Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain Bad luck streak in dancing school Down on my knees in pain I've been breaking all the rules Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Swear to God I'll change Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain Down on my knees in pain David Lindley lap steel guitars Warren Zevon guitars, strings Sid Sharp concertmaster Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Warren: I was studying dance with a choreographer named JoAnn DeVito. The classical intro and the song were conceived together as a rock video, which in the end no one would pay for, since no one seemed to know exactly what a rock video was. The sounds that were supposed to suggest the dance master's hand-claps were actually made by a Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum revolver fired into a trash can filled with gravel. 2. A Certain Girl
close ×
A Certain GirlWritten by Naomi Neville
There's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . I can't reveal her name until she's mine What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . I've tried to make her time and time again Still we're introduced as nothing but friends There's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . There's a certain chick I've been sweet on since I met her What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . I can't reveal her name until I get her What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . Someday I'm gonna wake up and say I'll do anything just to be your slave And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . There's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . I can't reveal her name until she's mine What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . I've tried to make her time and time again Still we're introduced as nothing but friends And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time What's her name? I can't tell you Ahh . . . Waddy Wachtel lead guitar Don Felder guitar Jorge Calderón bass Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Jackson Browne and Rick Marotta vocals 3. Jungle Work
close ×
Jungle WorkWritten by Jorge Calderón & Warren Zevon
Lear jet S.W.A.T team On a midnight run With the M16 And the Ingram gun We parachute in We parachute out "Death from above" We're screaming now Where the pay is good And the risk is high It's understood We'll do or die Sten gun in hand Where the gun is law From Ovamboland To Nicaragua Strength and muscle and jungle work Three young men In a Russian truck With a little M10 Sent 'em running to the huts A few young men The few who dare To battle in hell Le Mercenaire! Strength and muscle and jungle work Joe Walsh lead guitar Warren Zevon guitar, string synthesizer Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums, syndrums Jorge Calderón, Rick Marotta and Warren Zevon vocals 4. Empty-Handed Heart
close ×
Empty-Handed HeartWritten by Warren Zevon
All these empty places I try so hard to fill Will I find another love? I pray to God I will Girl, we had some good times But time does not stand still It's rolling like a rockslide down a hill I've met someone I care for I know she cares for me Will I fall in love again? It's a possibility Girl, we had some good times That time cannot undo No one will ever take the place of you Heart jinxed condition Never sure how I feel Trying to separate the real thing From the wishful thinking Sometimes I wonder If I'll make it without you I'm determined to I'll make my stand And if after all is said and done You only find one special one Then I've thrown down diamonds in the sand Then I've thrown down diamonds in the sand Then I've thrown down diamonds in the sand Then I've thrown down diamonds in the sand Descant: Remember when we used to watch the sun set in the sea You said you'd always be in love with me All through the night we danced and sang Made love in the mornings while the churchbells rang Leave the fire behind you and start I'll be playing it by ear Left here with an empty-handed heart Waddy Wachtel guitar Warren Zevon piano, strings Sid Sharp concertmaster Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Linda Ronstadt descant 5. Interlude No. 1
close ×
Interlude No. 1Written by Warren Zevon
(instrumental) Warren Zevon strings Sid Sharp concertmaster 6. Play It All Night Long
close ×
Play It All Night LongWritten by Warren Zevon
Grandpa pissed his pants again He don't give a damn Brother Billy has both guns drawn He ain't been right since Vietnam "Sweet Home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long Daddy's doing Sister Sally Grandma's dying of cancer now The cattle all have brucellosis We'll get through somehow "Sweet Home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long I'm going down to the Dew Drop Inn See if I can drink enough There ain't much to country living Sweat, piss, jizz and blood "Sweet Home Alabama" Play that dead band's song Turn those speakers up full blast Play it all night long David Lindley guitar, lap steel guitar Warren Zevon string synthesizer Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Jackson Browne harmony Warren: Written really fast on marijuana around the synthesizer ostinato. I'd just read a novel called Black Angus by Newton Thornburg; I found the cattle disease in there. David Lindley's guitar parts make it one of my favorite tracks. |
Side Two 1. Jeannie Needs A Shooter
close ×
Jeannie Needs A ShooterWritten by Bruce Springsteen & Warren Zevon
I was born down by the river where the dirty water flows And the cold wind cut through me; it cut right through my clothes And the anger and the yearning, like fever in my veins Set the fire burning She came down from Knightstown with her hands hard from the line From the first time I laid eyes on her I knew that she'd be mine Her father was a lawman - he swore he'd shoot me dead 'Cause he knew I wanted Jeannie and I'd have her like I said Jeannie needs a shooter Shooter like me Jeannie needs a shooter Jeannie needs a shooter Shooter on her side Jeannie needs a shooter We met down by the river on the final day in May And when I leaned down to kiss her, she did not turn away I drew out all my money and together we did vow To leave that very evening, and get away somehow Jeannie needs a shooter Shooter like me Jeannie needs a shooter Jeannie needs a shooter Shooter on her side Jeannie needs a shooter The night was cold and rainy down by the borderline I was riding hard to meet her when a shot rang out behind As I lay there in the darkness with a pistol by my side Jeannie and her father rode off into the night Jeannie needs a shooter Joe Walsh guitars (solo) Warren Zevon guitar, strings Sid Sharp concertmaster Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums, tubular bells Warren: I'd heard this Springsteen song title from his manager, Jon Landau. I asked Bruce about it so many times, he finally said, "You like it so much, why don't you write it?" I did write a few lines. T-Bone Burnett added something, I cut a track and actually put strings on it, then showed up at Bruce's house in Asbury Park in the middle of the night. He was asleep on the sofa in front of a videotaped baseball game. I roused him and played what I had for him. "It's nice," he said, "but where are all the other verses?" I just smiled. 2. Interlude No. 2
close ×
Interlude No. 2Written by Warren Zevon
(instrumental) Warren Zevon strings Sid Sharp concertmaster 3. Bill Lee
close ×
Bill LeeWritten by Warren Zevon
You're supposed to sit on your ass and nod at stupid things Man, that's hard to do And if you don't, they'll screw you And if you do, they'll screw you, too When I'm standing in the middle of the diamond all alone I always play to win When it comes to skin and bone And sometimes I say things I shouldn't Like... And sometimes I say things I shouldn't Like... Warren Zevon piano, harmonica Glenn Frey harmony 4. Gorilla, You're A Desperado
close ×
Gorilla, You're A DesperadoWritten by Warren Zevon
Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo Snatched the glasses right off my face Took the keys to my BMW Left me here to take his place I wish the ape a lot of success I'm sorry my apartment's a mess Most of all, I'm sorry if I made you blue I'm betting the gorilla will, too They say Jesus will find you wherever you go But when He'll come looking for you, they don't know In the meantime, keep your profile low Gorilla, you're a desperado He built a house on an acre of land He called it Villa Gorilla Now I hear he's getting divorced Laying low at L'Ermitage, of course Then the ape grew very depressed Went through Transactional Analysis He plays racquetball and runs in the rain Still he's shackled to a platinum chain Big gorilla at the L.A. Zoo Snatched the glasses right off my face Took the keys to my BMW Left me here to take his place Jackson Browne slide guitar, guitar Warren Zevon string synthesizer Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums, percussion Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther and Don Henley harmonies Warren: To their credit, when the Eagles came in to sing backup, they asked me if I wanted them to make fun of themselves; I said, "No, no, just sing great like you do." 5. Bed Of Coals
close ×
Bed Of CoalsWritten by T-Bone Burnett & Warren Zevon
I've been lying in a bed of coals I've been crying out of control I roll and I tumble Every time I come down I'm too old to die young And too young to die now I've been sleeping on a bed of nails I've been bleeding - it never fails I feel every needle That pierced through my heart I'm too old to die young And I can't play the part Bed of coals Bed of nails Through the smoke Behind the veils Bed of coals Bed of nails Through the smoke Behind the veils I've been lying in a bed of stone I've been dying all alone I pray for the power to turn it around I'm too old to die young And too young to die now Bed of coals Bed of nails Through the smoke Behind the veils Bed of coals Bed of nails Through the smoke Behind the veils Ben Keith pedal steel guitar Warren Zevon piano, organ Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Linda Ronstadt and J.D. Souther harmonies 6. Wild Age
close ×
Wild AgeWritten by Warren Zevon
You've seen him leaning on the streetlight Listening to some song inside You've seen him standing by the highway Trying to hitch a ride Well, they tried so hard to hold him Heaven knows how hard they tried But he's made up his mind He's the restless kind He's the wild age He's the wild age He's the wild age Wild age It's the wild age And the law can't stop 'em No one can stop 'em At the wild age Mostly when the reckless years end Something's left to save Some of them keep running 'Til they run straight in their graves To stay the wild age Stay the wild age Stay the wild age Wild age . . . David Lindley guitar Warren Zevon piano Leland Sklar bass Rick Marotta drums Glenn Frey and Don Henley harmonies |
Singles
USA Singles· A Certain Girl c/w Empty-Handed Heart
· Gorilla, You're A Desperado c/w Jungle Work
UK Singles
· Gorilla, You're A Desperado c/w Empty-Handed Heart
· A Certain Girl c/w Jungle Work
· Jeannie Needs A Shooter c/w Interlude No. 2 / Bill Lee