Many combinations of bass players and drummers were tried before they got it. A big part of this was down to creating that distinctive, interlocked groove, and choosing the musicians and their respective takes carefully in order to achieve it. The balance which seems so seamless when you hear it now took some time to strike. The central character in this song is slightly ridiculous, but also legitimately dangerous, too. What this song relies on is a sense of whimsy held perfectly in balance with a sense of dread. (actually namechecked in this song!) while also being something of a comment on characters that are perhaps more contemporary? So, what about this song which evokes the classic 1941 The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney, Jr. His work has a satirical edge, certainly on display on songs like “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” and “Lawyers, Guns and Money”, also appearing on this same record. But, despite having a hit, the song still reflects Zevon’s approach, that being slightly bent and left of center, with a broad streak of dark humour. But, unlike Browne, Zevon’s impact on the mainstream charts was not quite as ubiquitous, that is until this song helped him to move up in stature with a top 40 hit. Like Browne, Zevon was on the scene in Los Angeles by the 1970s, moving in some of the same circles. The song was written with sought-after session guitarist Waddy Wachtel, with the record (and the rest of the album) produced by fellow singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. It’s “Werewolves of London”, his biggest hit off of his best-selling record to date, Excitable Boy from 1978. Listen to this track by singer-songwriter-satirist with a jaundiced eye Warren Zevon.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |