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The Wind ReviewYou know someone is unique when the guy finds out he has a terminal illness and he, not Leno or Letterman (no, certainly not Letterman), is the one who sees gallows humor in the predicament.
On the Letterman Show, Warren Zevon, with a wry, paradoxical smile and laugh, said that his fear of doctors was "one of those phobias that didn't pay off." Also on that night, Zevon, who has told us so much through his songs, gave us a precious nugget he discovered, something he knows that David Letterman and other people whose life expectancy doesn't number in months or days, or in Warren's case, as he's already supposed to be sleeping while dead, negative numbers: we better learn to enjoy each sandwich.
Zevon, surpassing the limitations prescribed by his doctors, has lived to see the birth of his twin grandchildren and the release of his wonderful latest album, the understandably melancholy, yet at times strangely upbeat, _The Wind_. I feel privileged to bear witness to the Mutineer's final journey, as it, like his last two studio albums, holds its own with Zevon's greatest albums (Warren's best album for my money is "Life'll Kill Ya," written and recorded way before the cancer diagnosis).
Anyway, Zevon starts out with one of his great turns of phrase: "Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me, Some days the sun don't shine." I love that image of a shadow casting a person -- it evokes a darkness, a state of nothingness, death, and yet, the lyrics are carefully crafted: only on some
days does Zevon, and I'm going to presume that there's plenty of self-reference going on on this album, feel that his shadow is casting him and that the sun is not shining. Even in the face of certain death, the implication remains that there are days when the sun shines -- when Warren still casts his own
shadow. Later in the song we're reminded that Warren's "winding down [his] dirty life and times," and the lump hits the throat. Oh, is this a painful record. And it was so painful, on so many levels (the VH-1 special is essential viewing), for Warren. But like all great works of music, it somehow raises the spirit -- of both the listener and the singer-songwriter.
Next is "Disorder in the House," an outrageous, confused rocker, that describes both Warren's state-of-mind, and, on a broader scale, the state-of-mind of his country: "The floodgates are open, We've let the demons loose, The big guns have spoken, and we've fallen for the ruse." Bruce Sprinsgteen lends sharp
vocals and killer guitar to Disorder.
The third song is "Knockin'." There's nothing I can say about this song, this rendition, and all it means, that could do it justice. So I won't try.
"Numb as a Statue" proves that, no matter what, Zevon's not going to lose that biting, intelligent, sarcastic sense of humor: "I don't care if it's superficial, You don't have to dig down deep, Just bring enough for the ritual, get here before I fall asleep."
What follows is a song that I immediately place among Warren's greatest, and without hesitation I find it to be the best thing on "The Wind": "She's Too Good For Me." This one brought tears to my eyes, but, strangely enough, not in the way "Dirty Life and Times" or, my God, the last song did, but on a level
associated purely with the song itself -- I can envision the situation as removed from Warren Zevon's life and disease; it works on many levels. It's a work of pure beauty.
"Prison Grove" strikes me as in some ways Zevon's "I Shall Be Released." Both songs are ostensibly about escaping prisons, but ultimately the songs are universal and we're all in prisons that we will all one day inevitably escape: "Some folks have to die too hard, Some folks have to cry too hard, Take one last look at the prison yard, Goodbye Prison Grove."
There are also two great blues numbers on _The Wind_, "Please Stay" and "Rub Me Raw," that reminded me a bit of Dylan's blues on "Love and Theft." At this point, I think Zevon's blues have a basis that might even be comparable on an emotional level to the blues's original impetus: racism. Nobody is going to
question this white man singing the blues.
The album's final song is "Keep Me in Your Heart." It's opening pays homage to Dylan's _Time Out of Mind_: "Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath." This song absolutely destroys me, tears flow free, beyond mere watery eyes. If the
message "Keep me in your heart for awhile" is directed to Warren Zevon's fans, and not just his family and friends, Warren, you're going to be in my heart for a lot longer than a while. I only hope that I can be as strong and courageous as Warren Zevon, "Mr. 'Bad' Example", if the situation calls for it.
Rest in Peace, Warren. And thank you for all you've given us.
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