History YMMV / WarrenZevon

* CompleteMonster: The titular boy from the darkly humorous "Excitable Boy" is obviously insane from the start of the song, but as it goes on his actions become more psychotic until he rapes and kills his date to the Junior Prom. Then, after getting released from an asylum after 10 years, he digs up her grave and makes a cage out of her bones.

* [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Crowning Moment of Awesome]]: When he announced that he was dying from cancer, Zevon said that he just hoped he would live long enough to see the next Film/JamesBond movie. He made it.

-->''From Youngstown, Ohio came Boom Boom Mancini\\

In round number one.''

** Music/TheGratefulDead frequently played "Werewolves of London" in concert between the late 70's and the early 90's.
** After his death, a bunch of artists made a tribute album titled ''Enjoy Every Sandwich'', after a quote from his last appearance on Letterman. It includes covers by Music/BruceSpringsteen, Music/BobDylan, Pete Yorn, Music/TheWallflowers, his son Jordan Zevon, and a surprisingly good cover of "Werewolves of London" by Creator/AdamSandler.
* CrossesTheLineTwice: "Excitable Boy". The title character [[spoiler:rapes and kills his prom date, drives her corpse home afterward, is committed for 10 years, then digs up her grave when he's let out]].
** You forgot to mention the part about [[spoiler:building a cage with her bones.]] Perhaps that's a third time?

** During the VH-1 documentary on Zevon's bout with cancer, he was recording "Disorder in the House" with Music/BruceSpringsteen. Springsteen just ended a take with a blistering guitar solo. Warren's response? "My God. You really ''are'' him."

** During the VH-1 documentary on Zevon's bout with cancer, he was recording "Disorder in the House" with Music/BruceSpringsteen. Springsteen had just ended a take with a blistering guitar solo. Zevon's response? "My God. You really ''are'' him."

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: After his diagnosis, songs like "My Ride's Here," about a last ride in a hearse, "Don't Let Us Get Sick," and "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" took on a whole new, terrifyingly sad meaning. In addition to that, the third to last album he released was entitled '''''Life'll Kill Ya.''''' Holy crap.
** Don't forget "My Shit's Fucked Up." (Which was, fittingly enough, on ''Life'll Kill Ya.'')
** Also, the title track mentions dying of the "awful, awful diseases." He died of mesothelioma.

* HilariousInHindsight: From "Disorder in the House:"

** The song was released about a year before Paris Hilton's [[HomePornMovie sex tape]]. It wins extra hilarity points for being exactly the sort of reference Zevon ''would've'' made.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Warren was hired to write several of these for a ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' episode called "King of the Road." One of them, "Roll with the Punches", appears on the album ''I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.''

** Dylan later repaid the favour by putting a whole bunch of Zevon songs on his regular set list.

* [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic Crowning Music Of Awesome]]: When Warren was diagnosed with lung cancer and told he had months to live he started recording a final album and called in every favor he was owed. That is how you get Music/BruceSpringsteen to play guitar and Billy Bob Thornton and Music/TomPetty to do background vocals on your album. The full list of all the people who performed is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_%28album%29#Personnel here]].

** The song was released about a year before ParisHilton's [[HomePornMovie sex tape]]. It wins extra hilarity points for being exactly the sort of reference Zevon ''would've'' made.

** Raised to funny by the fact that Kid Rock also used, and mentioned in the lyrics, Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama", which Warren had previously ripped in "Play It All Night Long."

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Warren was hired to write several of these for a ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' episode called "King of the Road." One of them, "Roll with the Punches", appears on the album ''I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.''

* [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Crowning Moment Of Funny]]: The song titles. "Gorilla, You're a Desperado". "Hostage-O". "I Was in the House When the House Burned Down". "For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer".

* [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Crowning Moment Of Awesome]]: When he announced that he was dying from cancer, Zevon said that he just hoped he would live long enough to see the next Film/JamesBond movie. He made it.

Like father like son.\\

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: After his diagnosis, songs like "My Ride's Here," about a last ride in a hearse, "Don't Let Us Get Sick," and "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" took on a whole new, terrifyingly sad meaning. In addition to that, the third to last album he released was entitled '''Life'll Kill Ya.''' Holy crap.

* CompleteMonster: The titular boy from the darkly humorous "Excitable Boy" is obviously insane from the start of the song, but as it goes on his actions become more psychotic until he rapes and kills his date to the Junior Prom. Then, after getting released from an asylum after 10 years, he digs up her grave and makes a cage out of her bones.

** As did Stevie Nicks with "Reconsider Me".

** After his death, a bunch of artists made a tribute album titled ''Enjoy Every Sandwich'', after a quote from his last appearance on Letterman. It includes covers by Music/BruceSpringsteen, Music/BobDylan, Pete Yorn, The Wallflowers, his son Jordan Zevon, and a surprisingly good cover of "Werewolves of London" by Creator/AdamSandler.

*** The ''title track'' of her album ''Hasten Down the Wind'' is a Zevon cover.

** Linda Ronstadt had a hit with Zevon's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me".

* SignatureSong: "Werewolves of London"

** Raised to funny by the fact that Kid Rock also used, and mentioned in the lyrics, Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama", which Warren had previously ripped in "Play It All Night Long."

* BigNameFan: DavidLetterman. Zevon was often guest bandleader and has performed on Letterman's show more than any other artist. Letterman is a great fan of Zevon's and provided backing vocals on "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)"
** Also: Mitch Albom, Peter Asher, Dave Barry, JacksonBrowne, Lindsey Buckingham, T-Bone Burnett, David Crosby, Don Everly, Phil Everly, Don Henley, Carl Hiaasen, Jon Kellerman, Creator/StephenKing, Jon Landau, Richard Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Shaffer, BruceSpringsteen, HunterSThompson, Billy Bob Thornton, JesseVentura, and DwightYoakam. (Going by the list of his friends who contributed to a book about his life.)
** If you also include people who've worked with him numerous times or have covered his work, you can add: BobDylan, Creator/AdamSandler, Steve Earle, Linda Ronstadt, Wallflowers, Pete Yorn, Ry Cooder, Pixies, Jill Sobule, R.E.M., Jennifer Warnes, TomPetty, NeilYoung, Dwight Yoakam, Jim Keltner, Jeff Pocaro, Waddy Wachtel... Let's just say that he's incredibly popular within the business.
* CoveredUp: Zevon covered BobDylan, Steve Winwood, Ernie K-Doe and (with his side project the Hindu Love Gods) Prince's "Raspberry Beret".

** The GratefulDead frequently played "Werewolves of London" in concert between the late 70's and the early 90's.
** After his death, a bunch of artists made a tribute album titled "Enjoy Every Sandwich," after a quote from his last appearance on Letterman. It includes covers by BruceSpringsteen, BobDylan, Pete Yorn, The Wallflowers, his son Jordan Zevon, and a surprisingly good cover of "Werewolves of London" by Creator/AdamSandler.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The song titles. "Gorilla, You're a Desperado". "Hostage-O". "I Was in the House When the House Burned Down". "For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer".

** During the VH-1 documentary on Zevon's bout with cancer, he was recording "Disorder in the House" with BruceSpringsteen. Springsteen had just ended a take with a blistering guitar solo. Zevon's response? "My God. You really ''are'' him."

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: When he announced that he was dying from cancer, Zevon said that he just hoped he would live long enough to see the next JamesBond movie. He made it.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: When Warren was diagnosed with lung cancer and told he had months to live he started recording a final album and called in every favor he was owed. That is how you get BruceSpringsteen to play guitar and Billy Bob Thornton and TomPetty to do background vocals on your album. The full list of all the people who performed is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_%28album%29#Personnel here]].

** Don't forget "My Shit's Fucked Up." (Which was, fittingly enough, on "Life'll Kill Ya.")

--> I just got my paycheck, I'm gonna paint the whole town gray.
--> Whether it's a night in Paris, or a Fresno matinee.

* SampledUp: KidRock used the "Werewolves of London" riff for "All Summer Long".

* SampledUp: KidRocke used the "Werewolves of London" riff for "All Summer Long".

* SignatureSong: "Werewolves of London"

* MagnificentBastard: The narrator and title character of "Mr. Bad Example".

** If you also include people who've worked with him numerous times or have covered his work, you can add: BobDylan, AdamSandler, Steve Earle, Linda Ronstadt, Wallflowers, Pete Yorn, Ry Cooder, Pixies, Jill Sobule, R.E.M., Jennifer Warnes, TomPetty, NeilYoung, Dwight Yoakam, Jim Keltner, Jeff Pocaro, Waddy Wachtel... Let's just say that he's incredibly popular within the business.

** After his death, a bunch of artists made a tribute album titled "Enjoy Every Sandwich," after a quote from his last appearance on Letterman. It includes covers by BruceSpringsteen, BobDylan, Pete Yorn, The Wallflowers, his son Jordan Zevon, and a suprisingly good cover of "Werewolves of London" by AdamSandler.

** The song was released about a year before ParisHilton's [[HomePornMovie sex tape]]. It wins extra hilarity points for being exactly the sort of reference Zevon ''would've'' made.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: When Warren was diagnosed with lung cancer and told he had months to live he started recording a final album and called in every favor he was owed. That is how you get BruceSpringsteen to play guitar and BillyBobThornton and TomPetty to do background vocals on your album. The full list of all the people who performed is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wind_%28album%29#Personnel here]].

** The song was released about a year before ParisHilton's [[HomePornMovie sex tape]]. It wins extra hilarity points for being exactly the sort of reference Zeveon ''would've'' made.

** Also, the title track mentions dying of the "awful, awful diseases." He died of mesothelioma.

* CompleteMonster: The song "Mr. Bad Example" is about one, with a side order of MagnificentBastard.

** Also: Mitch Albom, Peter Asher, Dave Barry, JacksonBrowne, Lindsey Buckingham, T-Bone Burnett, David Crosby, Don Everly, Phil Everly, Don Henley, Carl Hiaasen, Jon Kellerman, StephenKing, Jon Landau, Richard Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Shaffer, BruceSpringsteen, HunterSThompson, Billy Bob Thornton, JesseVentura, and DwightYoakam. (Going by the list of his friends who contributed to a book about his life.)

** Also: Mitch Albom, Peter Asher, Dave Barry, JacksonBrowne, Lindsey Buckingham, T-Bone Burnett, David Crosby, Don Everly, Phil Everly, Don Henley, Carl Hiaasen, Jon Kellerman, StephenKing, Jon Landau, Richard Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Shaffer, BruceSpringsteen, HunterSThompson, Billy Bob Thornton, JesseVentura, and DwightYoakam. (Going by the list of his friends who contributed to a book about his life)

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and TearJerker: "Keep Me in Your Heart", the last song he wrote and recorded.
** In terms of lyrics, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PokDj9u09A Hit Somebody]] (co-written by Mitch Albom), the story of a hockey goon, becomes this with a bit of [=CMoA=]. No wonder KevinSmith wants to turn it into a movie. A somewhat ''serious'' movie.
** His final appearance on ''Late Show With David Letterman'' - in which he was the sole guest for the entire hour - about a year before his death, which was his final public performance. It's hard not to get misty-eyed seeing him play "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner", the last thing he played on the show. After the end of the show, Zevon gave Letterman - a huge fan of his - the guitar he always played on the show.