5 Incredible Album-Openers by Warren Zevon

We often think about the work of Warren Zevon in terms of his ballads. The guy could really hit you hard with his slow stuff. Those songs displayed the bruised heart beneath the gruff exterior of his persona.

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But Zevon could raise the tempo a bit and bring a bit more energy and heat when needed. In fact, he generally went uptempo to start his albums. Here are five outstanding album openers from his wonderful catalog!

“Frank And Jesse James” from ‘Warren Zevon’ (1976)

It’s probably unfair to completely write off Zevon’s 1969 debut album, as there are some lovely songs on there. But it’s fair to say that he hadn’t really established his artistic identity on Wanted Dead Or Alive. When he returned with his self-titled 1976 album, he had not only figured it out, but he also delivered a stone-cold masterpiece. The opening track, “Frank And Jesse James”, sets the tone with Zevon’s nimble piano work. It also establishes some instrumental motifs that would be revisited later in the album.

“Johnny Strikes Up The Band” from ‘Excitable Boy’ (1978)

After the success of his self-titled album, Zevon took advantage of the critical groundswell behind him to deliver Excitable Boy, a record that put him on the radio. Of course, there was the big hit “Werewolves Of London”. But songs like the title track and “Lawyers, Guns And Money” also provided some pep for radio airplay. “Johnny Strikes Up The Band”, as the leadoff track, gets listeners ready for the more upbeat sound of the record. Danny Kortchmar’s guitar work sets Zevon up for his musings on rock band mythology.

“Sentimental Hygiene” from ‘Sentimental Hygiene (1987)

It seemed like the late 80s was the epicenter for veteran artists who’d maybe slumped through the first half of the decade to release a kind of comeback record. They were often filled with star-studded guests to add to the release publicity. Sentimental Hygiene, released in 1987, served this role for Zevon. On the title track, which also led off the album, Neil Young provides his signature squalls of lead guitar. The tough music provides the right setting for Zevon to make his bluesy laments about his soul’s cleanliness (or lack thereof).

“I Was In The House When The House Burned Down” from ‘Life’ll Kill Ya’ (2000)

Zevon found his artistic groove in the final years of his life, releasing a trio of albums that rank with his finest work. Life’ll Kill Ya started that hot streak, and it featured a killer opening track in “I Was In The House When The House Burned Down”. Even though it’s mostly acoustic, it possesses a knockout rhythmic kick. Zevon delivers a standout lead vocal, even venturing into falsetto territory now and again. The lyrics speak to a lifetime of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, although he hints that sometimes he caused the ruckus instead of being just a bystander.

“Dirty Life And Times” from ‘The Wind’ (2003)

If you thought Zevon was going to go out with only soft-hearted ballads on his final album, you weren’t listening closely enough to his catalog before. Granted, he acknowledges his heartbreaking fate on certain songs on the LP. But he also takes several opportunities to reference his ne’er-do-well reputation. For example, “Dirty Life And Times” doesn’t shy away from the misdeeds of his past. But he faces it all down with a wry smile, helped along by some deft lead guitar by special guest Ry Cooder.

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