First of all, way past time for a Warren Zevon song to show up here.
Desperados Under the Eaves showcases all the talents of Warren Zevon. Musically, it builds from a focus of Zevon’s vocals over his piano, to the realization you are listening to all these string instruments hiding the song Dixie in the grand finish. Lyrically, it haunts with some of Warren’s most biting lines.
A recent email conversation reminded me of the final appearance of Warren Zevon on David Letterman. Letterman only had Zevon on as a guest, and he paid a respectful living tribute to all that Zevon’s music had meant to him. And Zevon was so appreciative. It is a bittersweet kaleidoscope of television programming that reminds us that entertainers are as human as the rest of us, and that show captured a lot of what is the best of our humanity. One of the best TV “episodes” of all time.