This tribute album opens with a song from one of Warren Zevon's best albums, Excitable Boy. The song is "Accidentally Like A Martyr," here performed by Pete Mancini & The Hillside Airmen. These guys set their version apart from Warren Zevon's original studio recording in its first moments. Then this rendition features a really good, passionate vocal performance, plus some nice work on guitar. "The hurt gets worse, the heart gets harder." Then Tricycle - The Fortier Family Trio gives us "Mohammed's Radio," a song from Warren Zevon's 1976 self-titled album. "But don't it make you want to rock and roll all night long?" Oh yes. "I heard somebody singing sweet and soulful on the radio." And that description could very well be about these very musicians. This is certainly a soulful and sweet rendition, and it features some good harmonies.
Jimmy Webb, known of course for his own songwriting, also chooses a song from the self-titled album, delivering a wonderful rendition of "Desperados Under The Eaves." This track was chosen as the first single released from this album, which makes total sense, as it's an excellent rendition. His voice is a perfect choice to sing the lines "And if California slides into the ocean/Like the mystics and statistics say it will/I predict this motel will be standing/Until I pay my bill." Warren Zevon could be (and often was) simultaneously humorous and moving, and Jimmy Webb totally gets that here. Willie Nile, another incredibly talented songwriter, chooses a song from later in Warren Zevon's career, giving us the title track from his 1995 album Mutineer. And immediately it strikes us as a perfect choice for him. Willie owns this song, and if you didn't already know this song, you might assume it was his. "I was born to rock the boat/Some may sink, but we will float/Grab your coat, let's get out of here/You're my witness, I'm your mutineer." This is one of my personal favorite tracks.
We then go back to Excitable Boy, with Mike Nugent & The Blue Moon Band covering "Nighttime In The Switching Yard," delivering a cool, fun rendition. The disco influence isn't quite as strong here as on the original, but certainly the funk is present, with some cool work on bass. And this track features some really good stuff on mandolin. This band, you might recall, gave us a strong rendition of "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" on last year's Uncovering Dylan Volume 4. Jack Licitra follows that with another song from Excitable Boy (after all, it's a great album from beginning to end), "Tenderness On The Block," this one more in the country realm. This track features a really nice vocal performance, and has a sweet vibe. "I know how much it hurts to see her go/She has a mind of her own, you know." This song was co-written by Jackson Browne, one of the artists who performed at the Wild Honey show.
"Empty Hearted Town" is a song that was included on Warren Zevon's Preludes: Rare And Unreleased Recordings, a compilation released four years after his death. Here it is covered by Claudia Jacobs. "Ain't life strange, ain't it funny/Nothing matters much but love and money/Things don't work out the way you reckoned." Claudia gives a little laugh on "ain't it funny." This is a beautiful, tender, moving rendition, another of this disc's highlights. That's followed by "My Ride's Here," the title track from Warren Zevon's 2002 album, co-written by Paul Muldoon. On this tribute album, James O'Malley puts his own spin on it, and there is some strong work on guitar right at the beginning.
Caroline Doctorow delivers a wonderful rendition of "Heartache Spoken Here," a song from Mr. Bad Example. a song more in the country vein. "Heartache spoken here/I know a thing or two about heartbreak and tears/So come on down, we'll talk about it." Ah, but listening to her voice, I feel we can all pull through. This song is raising my spirits. And when you have a chance, also check out Caroline Dotorow's cover of "Cold, Cold Heart" on 2023's Hank Williams Uncovered. "Heartache Spoken Here" is followed by another song that was included on Mr. Bad Example (though first on the soundtrack to Love At Large a year earlier), "Searching For A Heart." Mick Hargreaves delivers an excellent rendition, featuring good work on harmonica and guitar. And these lyrics stand out these days: "Certain individuals aren't sticking with the plan/I'm searching for a heart/Searching everyone/They say love conquers all/You can't start it with a car/You can't stop it with a gun."
Tara Hack offers a touching and beautiful rendition of "Never Too Late For Love," a song from Warren Zevon's 1982 record The Envoy. "You say you're tired/How I hate to hear you use that word/Every time it hurts." This track is like a hand guiding us through the darkness, and it features gorgeous stuff on violin. "And don't stop believing in tomorrow." We are then more in the rock realm with "Outside Chance," a song that Warren Zevon wrote for The Turtles, who released it in 1966. It was included on All The Singles, a compilation released in 2016. The Bangles covered it, including it on Ladies And Gentlemen...The Bangles! (also released in 2016). Allen Santoriello & The Phantoms have a good time with this song, giving it the right energy.
"Keep Me In Your Heart" is the song used as the title for this wonderful tribute album. It is the final song on Warren Zevon's final studio album, and it's a beautiful song, a song that might find you in tears. A song of death and life and memory. Richard Barone does an excellent job with it. "Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath/Keep me in your heart for a while/If I leave you, it doesn't mean I love you any less/Keep me in your heart for a while." Ah, that's the most a lot of can hope for, before we're forgotten forever. This is another of my personal favorite tracks. We then return to Warren Zevon's self-titled album for "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me," a song that was a hit for Linda Ronstadt. This rendition by Freedy Johnston might be a bit mellower than Warren Zevon's original recording, but it works really well. Well, of course everything Freedy Johnston does is good. Gerry McKeveny then delivers a wonderful, sweet rendition of "Backs Turned Looking Down The Path," also from that self-titled 1976 record.
"Reconsider Me" is a song from Sentimental Hygiene, released in 1987 (this song was also released as a single). James Maddock delivers a gentle, tender rendition. "And I'll never make you sad again/Because I swear I've changed since then/And I promise that I'll never make you cry/Let's let bygones be forgotten/Reconsider me, reconsider me." This is a great rendition. It is, for me, another of the disc's highlights. It's followed by Kenny White's cover of "Don't Let Us Get Sick," a song from Life'll Kill Ya, released in 2000, It is another song that deals with death. "Don't let us get sick/Don't let us get old/Don't let us get stupid, all right." This rendition has a spiritual sound, which works so well, featuring some gorgeous vocal work. I love this approach. It helps make this track yet another highlight.
"The Wild Age" is a song from Warren Zevon's 1980 album Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School. Here it is performed by Revolver. "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." Ah, I don't think I can even try to stay the wild age, not with the back pain I'm dealing with at the moment. This is a really good rendition, featuring a nice bass line. Then we get another song from Excitable Boy, "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner," which seems to be a favorite of most fans, or at least most of the Zevon fans I know. Ray Lambiase delivers an excellent rendition here, featuring some good work on violin.
Kerry Kearney picks "Rub Me Raw," another choice that makes perfect sense. This is a blues number from Warren Zevon, a song from his final studio album. Kerry Kearney also included this on the self-titled CD from The Kerry Kearney Band, released just a few months ago. It's a really good rendition, featuring some strong guitar work. The disc concludes with the title track from Excitable Boy, here done by Emily Duff. She slows the song down, delivering a thoughtful and cool rendition. I really like this approach. By the way, this track also concludes the two-disc version.
CD Track List
- Accidentally Like A Martyr - Pete Mancini & The Hillside Airmen
- Mohammed's Radio - Tricycle - The Fortier Family Trio
- Desperados Under The Eaves - Jimmy Webb
- Mutineer - Willie Nile
- Nighttime In The Switching Yard - Mike Nugent & The Blue Moon Band
- Tenderness On The Block - Jack Licitra
- Empty Hearted Town - Claudia Jacobs]
- My Ride's Here - James O'Malley
- Heartache Spoken Here - Caroline Doctorow
- Searching For A Heart - Mick Hargreaves
- Never Too Late For Love - Tara Hack
- Outside Chance - Allen Santoriello & The Phantoms
- Keep Me In Your Heart - Richard Barone
- Poor, Poor Pitiful Me - Freedy Johnston
- Backs Turned Looking Down The Path - Gerry McKeveny
- Reconsider Me - James Maddock
- Don't Let Us Get Sick - Kenny White
- The Wild Age - Revolver
- Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner - Ray Lambiase
- Rub Me Raw - Kerry Kearney
- Excitable Boy - Emily Duff
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