Few can touch the legendary singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. For decades, his artistry—while too often underappreciated—was unparalleled. A master of words and a cinematic song teller, Zevon crafted undeniable hits with a sharp wit and an unapologetic pen.
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He did the same for others, penning songs that resounded with his instantly recognizable flair, a style brimming with snark, but also genius. Here are 3 songs you may not have known the icon wrote for other artists.
1. “Carmelita” – Murray McLauchlan (1972)
Written by Warren Zevon
Carmelita hold me tighter / I think I’m sinking down / And I’m all strung out on heroin / On the outskirts of town, plays the wistful classic “Carmelita.”
While the tune is best known by Zevon’s rendition, “Carmelita” was originally recorded and released by Canadian singer-songwriter Murray McLauchlan in 1972. Zevon would release his own version in 1976 and Linda Ronstadt would also give the tune a go the next year.
2. “Outside Chance” – The Turtles (1966)
Written by Warren Zevon and Glenn Crocker
Whatever you do girl / You know you can’t get through girl / Can’t bring me down / Hang me up or even hang around / And you don’t stand an outside chance, The Turtles sing in their 1966 deep cut “Outside Chance.”
Written by Zevon with Glenn Crocker, “Outside Chance” was written for the ’60s psych-pop group of “Happy Together” fame. Zevon would record a version of the song, but it wouldn’t be released until 2003 when it appeared on a compilation album of his early recordings, The First Sessions.
3. “Reconsider Me” – Stevie Nicks (1998)
Written by Warren Zevon
You can go and be what you want to be / It will be alright if we disagree / I’m the one who cares and I hope you’ll see / That I’m the one who loves you / Reconsider me, Stevie Nicks sings in “Reconsider Me.”
While Zevon was the first to release the song on his 1987 album, Sentimental Hygiene, Nicks was the first to record it. She originally laid down the tune for her 1984 album, Mirror, Mirror, but when the album was pulled, her take on “Reconsider Me” was left unreleased until it appeared on her 1998 box set, Enchanted.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
