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Warren Zevon — Lawyers, Guns And Money
Album: Excitable Boy
Avg rating:
7.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1936









Released: 1976
Length: 3:22
Plays (last 30 days): 1
I went home with the waitress
The way I always do
How was I to know
She was with the Russians, too?

I was gambling in Havana
I took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns and money
Dad, get me out of this - Hyah!

I'm the innocent bystander
Somehow I got stuck
Between the rock and a hard place
And I'm down on my luck
Yes I'm down on my luck
Well I'm down on my luck

I'm hiding in Honduras
I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns and money
The shit has hit the fan

All right
Send lawyers, guns and money
Huh!
Uh...

Send lawyers, guns and money
Uhh!

Send lawyers, guns and money
Hyah!

Send lawyers, guns and money
Ooh!
Yeah!

Yeah

Yeah...

Uh!
Comments (266)add comment
 Sunman wrote:

Greatest opening line in a song. Ever.


Although I'm not really a fan of Nick Cave, I don't think you can improve on his  "We Came Along This Road"

I left by the back door
With my wife's lover's smoking gun

What an innately American message ... "Send lawyers, guns, and money."

The Z-man certainly knew how to craft a lyric.

 Sunman wrote:

Greatest opening line in a song. Ever.



Almost. My favourite opening line is also from a Warren song:  "Grandpa pissed his pants again, he don't give a damn."  
A driving beat, melody and message
 ImaOldman wrote:

This was my theme song after I got busted for pot smuggling...



It's a good one!
This was my theme song after I got busted for pot smuggling...
Great tune!
Fun stuff! Also true to life!
Warren Zevon is an artist that passed much too young.
For a while there this was a historical footnote (but still a damn fine song).  Now, low and behold, we seem to have come back around to international shenanigans and clock and dagger schemes.  Lawyers guns and money indeed.
 Kaisersosay wrote:
I always loved how Warren seemed to write the soundtrack of my life...........this is one of those songs 
 Hear Hear!  I've thought the same over the last 40 plus years..and I still have to try that French Inhaler

The entire LP is a 10. Hell, everything he did was a 10.
Because of the great Warren Zevon, how many times historically  when I've been in a jam have I told others I was very much in need of  lawyers, guns and money?

Almost everyone immediately got the reference. 
 More_Cowbell wrote:
This is a 10!
 
I'd make it an 11 if that rating was available
This is a 10!
I always loved how Warren seemed to write the soundtrack of my life...........this is one of those songs 
 KMITTE01 wrote:
How was I to know.. she was with the Russians too?
 
Ask Trump.
How was I to know.. she was with the Russians too?
Just read his life story, i'll sleep when i'm dead, very interesting.
 Elroweho wrote:
"The sh*t has hit the fan"  Oh how I can relate!{#Beat}

 
Or, as a lawyer would likely put it: "The defecation has hit the oscillation".
 Michael_Dean wrote:


What a cool name!  - Zevon I mean... Bill is cool, too though!

 
No, "Bill" is not a cool name unless you're Bill the Cat and your sidekick is named Opus. Otherwise it's just a regular old name like Mike or Dave or Bob.

However, names like Chad & Muffy are cool...if you're in a frat house at Dartmouth or some other vomit-inducing yuppie endeavor.
Album title fixed.  thanks!
Bill, "Lawyers, Guns and Money" is the closing track on his 1978 album Excitable Boy and is not included in Warren's "Warren Zevon" album.

What a cool name!  - Zevon I mean... Bill is cool, too though!
Poor Warren, died way too young....  (click here)
That ole excitable boy, writing exciting lyrics.

Who can't enjoy lyrics about shit hitting the fan?  
 
Godlike. {#Motor}

PopKombo wrote:
godlike

 


godlike
A true original
 RedGuitar wrote:
Played  this with a band last Labor Day weekend.  A buddy told me it was "rock 'n' roll moment."  I can live with that.

 
Need a lead singer?
gutsy fucker with a great voice
Still appropriate after all this time.  {#Notworthy}
I always think of Hunter S. Thompson when I hear this.
 
 Sunman wrote:
Greatest opening line in a song. Ever.

 
Seconded
Every word in these lyrics: Solid gold. 
Greatest opening line in a song. Ever.
I took a little risk...
Dad - get me out of this!!!!!!
miss, miss, miss you Warren!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love this guy!
Check out the recent film THE COUNSELOR for a good screenplay about lawyers drugs and money in Latin america
I didn't know the man, but I bet he never was "... the innocent bystander, and somehow I got stuck".
More than godlike
"The sh*t has hit the fan"  Oh how I can relate!{#Beat}

 RedGuitar wrote:
Played  this with a band last Labor Day weekend.  A buddy told me it was "rock 'n' roll moment."  I can live with that.

 
Yes it truly fuckin' is. Captures all the things-are-falling-apart craziness of the late 70s. And as Bill noted, like many of Warren's songs, it's a 4.5-minute screenplay.

The live version from "Stand in the Fire" is way better: Warren goes right over the top. 
 ch83575 wrote:

Lazarus, I think I'm a convert.  Your church now has a small chapel in the corner of my office.  I hope you are having a great day!
 

Welcome...  everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches be praying that you are having fun right this minute...

this song is marvelous...  love it... 
 Lazarus wrote:


Everybody in my church loves this song...

“For many people this will be the end of the line,” said Diane Thompson, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. “This is a much lower number for the banks compared to what they were at risk for.”

“The regulators have decided to replace the fox in the henhouse with the wolf,” added John Taylor, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

 

 

 
Lazarus, I think I'm a convert.  Your church now has a small chapel in the corner of my office.  I hope you are having a great day!
What a great song!  Spun this record a lot back in the 70's - good times...
dad - get me outta this
 templebeautiful wrote:
sorry, no disrespect but, this is tired and old, it needs to be re-tired.

 
Great music doesn't have a "retirement date". We're still listening to Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, & Vivaldi, hundreds of years old.

People will still be listening to bands like this, Beatles, Stones, Dylan, etc. 1000 years from now - because it's good.



 unclehud wrote:
"How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?"

Meaning of the sentence isn't what it was during the Cold War years, but still has an interesting interpretation in 2013: if you get entangled with the wrong Russians today, you'd still need lawyers, guns and money.

 

My friend did - it involved importing acrobatic planes - they took him for his last ruble/buck.

fun to play on the piano...  love it...
 
sorry, no disrespect but, this is tired and old, it needs to be re-tired.
 hencini wrote:


Check out some of the live versions.  "Stand in the Fire" and "Learning to Flinch" both have great examples of this tune.  As a rule, Zevon's live and outtake / demo versions seem to have a realness or rawness that he just can't capture in the studio.  Werewolves is another song that just rips live or even on the "Preludes" demo, but can feel a little ploddy in studio form.  

 
Agree strongly with this. His ballads in their studio form are fine, but the rockers had a lot more energy on the stage than on the albums. Even his live albums don't really capture the raw power of songs like this one, which was always a concert highlight. "Jeannie Needs a Shooter" is another example of a song that just kicked ass at his live shows, but the recordings pale in comparison.
Played  this with a band last Labor Day weekend.  A buddy told me it was "rock 'n' roll moment."  I can live with that.
 Papernapkin wrote:
I want to like this song. It has an idea and fun lyrics. But it just doesn't sound good. The beat just plods along.
 
LOL - no you don't.
The producers of The Americans have to find a way to license this song for the show. Would be awesome.
"How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?"

Meaning of the sentence isn't what it was during the Cold War years, but still has an interesting interpretation in 2013: if you get entangled with the wrong Russians today, you'd still need lawyers, guns and money.
Epic. Maybe it's me but somehow this song is always appropriate, no matter when. I must be surrounded by too much feces and too many rotary blades. 
Never know when you're gonna need this stuff.
Spent a bit of time in Honduras, was always surprised how evasive people got when you asked the ex-pats where they were from. Lots of vague answers always made me think of this song.


Everybody in my church loves this song...

“For many people this will be the end of the line,” said Diane Thompson, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. “This is a much lower number for the banks compared to what they were at risk for.”

“The regulators have decided to replace the fox in the henhouse with the wolf,” added John Taylor, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

 

 
 Papernapkin wrote:
I want to like this song. It has an idea and fun lyrics. But it just doesn't sound good. The beat just plods along.
 

Check out some of the live versions.  "Stand in the Fire" and "Learning to Flinch" both have great examples of this tune.  As a rule, Zevon's live and outtake / demo versions seem to have a realness or rawness that he just can't capture in the studio.  Werewolves is another song that just rips live or even on the "Preludes" demo, but can feel a little ploddy in studio form.  
 Kaisersosay wrote:
Miss you Warren , RIP,,,,soundtrack to my life
 
"Send lawyers, guns and money.  Dad, get me out of this."

Hits home for me too, but unfortunately I'm "Dad" in this case. 
Miss you Warren , RIP,,,,soundtrack to my life
Yeah baby!

The shit has hit the fan!!!


I want to like this song. It has an idea and fun lyrics. But it just doesn't sound good. The beat just plods along.
What a perfect little vingnette of a song.  Warren is missed and always appreciated.
Everyone in my cell block is loving this and dancing together. Mommy please send lawyers, guns and money ... I am down on my luck as I am dancing with Tiny.
 HIGGS_BOSON wrote:
warren zevon sucks end of story..............................
 
poor poor Higgs, you need a hug
 HIGGS_BOSON wrote:
warren zevon sucks end of story..............................
 
Well, your existence is purely theoretical, Mr. Boson.
warren zevon sucks end of story..............................
Nice story of how this lyric came about.  My submarine buddies and I used to sing this as we rode into Waikiki, Oakland, Tokyo, Seattle, Perth, — or whatever city we were about to sack and burn.
Love it Love it Love it!! Indeed the sh*t has hit the fan!

RIP Warren{#Pray} 
 modemhead wrote:
Everyone on my cellblock loves this song.
 
You , just made my day....

Reminds me of a cousin.
The Sh!t has hit the fan, indeed.

Miss ya, Warren.
Love the Waddy Wachtel guitar work. Great song.
Everyone on my cellblock loves this song.
 hencini wrote:

(From the "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" liner notes) 
 

If you're at all a fan, this book is excellent.
The story behind this song is excellent: 

"My friend Burt Stein (who was also my A&R man at Asylum records) and I were on vacation in Kauai, Hawaii.  We were riding past the cane fields with a young woman whose acquaintance I'd made the previous evening and she was taking us to a friend's 'plantation house.' She mentioned sort of off-handedly that her friend wasn't home; that we might, in fact, have to break in.  I turned to Burt.  'Dear Joe,' I said, thinking of Joe Smith, the president of the record company, 'Send lawyers.' 'And guns,' Burt added.  I said, 'And money.'"

(From the "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" liner notes) 
  Kokoloco53 wrote:

What inspirational comments. Oh, they fit good though with such an uninspiring song. Crappola!

 

I find it hilarious that the people making negative comments about Zevon are also the least literate.  Good is an adjective— not an adverb as used above— and "crapola" only has one "p".   
 The_Enemy wrote:

I've always loved the attempt by April Wine to get on the radio with their song "If You See Kay". It's childish but funny.
 
Sad but True:  Britney Spears actually pulled that off with "If U Seek Amy"  a few years back. 

this song ALWAYS reminds me of the Kennedys...
 Cynaera wrote:

That Nickelback song "Rock Star" is censored when it plays on the radio in our town. They can't say the words "drugs" or "assholes."  But they can still sing the line about popping pills from a Pez dispenser (I guess the censors figure that it's a convenient way to take aspirin or vitamins.)  "The girls come easy and the bleeep comes cheap..."  It's completely arbitrary censorship, and is ludicrous at best.  At worst, it's a horrible sign of the loss of freedom of speech.  George Carlin was right - if one uses a word often enough, pretty soon one gets used to hearing it and it loses its power to offend.

Unless one is a member of the Moral Majority.  (Quick censorship story:  I once posted on a friend's comment at Facebook. It was about someone who had tossed a crippled puppy in a dumpster and left it to die. Someone else heard the puppy's whimpers and took it to the vet, and eventually, the authorities found the person who'd dumped it. The sorry excuse for a human being got a slap on the wrist and a small fine.  So I posted, "FUCK the courts - I want JUSTICE."  My friend (and also someone I didn't even KNOW) were both horrified that I'd use that kind of language in a public forum. "I have underage nieces and nephews who read this stuff!" she wrote.  And the stranger wrote, "Please tone down your language. Children read this. Blah, blah, blah."

I deleted my post, and never went back to that Facebook page again, but it occurred to me - they weren't outraged by the atrocity of that cruel abandonment of the puppy - they were aghast at the F-bomb.  And then I wondered how young children were being allowed to view Facebook content anyway. No parental control? Hmmm.)

Anyway, I love RP because there's no censorship here, and if there appears to be censorship, it's only because the upload approved had already been pasteurized before it was uploaded.   Didn't mean to go on so long here - MUSIC forum, and allathat.

* Kicks soapbox back under the red velvet curtain and slinks out of the room..... *

 
Amen.

 Cynaera wrote:
There are certain words that radio stations are not permitted to play
<SNIP>
This has been happening for years - when the Who came out with "Who Are You?" most radio stations weren't required to censor it.  
 
I've always loved the attempt by April Wine to get on the radio with their song "If You See Kay". It's childish but funny.

What inspirational comments. Oh, they fit good though with such an uninspiring song. Crappola!


 Jelani wrote:

Shit , piss, fuck , cunt ,cocksucker, motherfucker,and tits.

Sorry to those who can't take it. :) 
 
That Nickelback song "Rock Star" is censored when it plays on the radio in our town. They can't say the words "drugs" or "assholes."  But they can still sing the line about popping pills from a Pez dispenser (I guess the censors figure that it's a convenient way to take aspirin or vitamins.)  "The girls come easy and the bleeep comes cheap..."  It's completely arbitrary censorship, and is ludicrous at best.  At worst, it's a horrible sign of the loss of freedom of speech.  George Carlin was right - if one uses a word often enough, pretty soon one gets used to hearing it and it loses its power to offend.

Unless one is a member of the Moral Majority.  (Quick censorship story:  I once posted on a friend's comment at Facebook. It was about someone who had tossed a crippled puppy in a dumpster and left it to die. Someone else heard the puppy's whimpers and took it to the vet, and eventually, the authorities found the person who'd dumped it. The sorry excuse for a human being got a slap on the wrist and a small fine.  So I posted, "FUCK the courts - I want JUSTICE."  My friend (and also someone I didn't even KNOW) were both horrified that I'd use that kind of language in a public forum. "I have underage nieces and nephews who read this stuff!" she wrote.  And the stranger wrote, "Please tone down your language. Children read this. Blah, blah, blah."

I deleted my post, and never went back to that Facebook page again, but it occurred to me - they weren't outraged by the atrocity of that cruel abandonment of the puppy - they were aghast at the F-bomb.  And then I wondered how young children were being allowed to view Facebook content anyway. No parental control? Hmmm.)

Anyway, I love RP because there's no censorship here, and if there appears to be censorship, it's only because the upload approved had already been pasteurized before it was uploaded.   Didn't mean to go on so long here - MUSIC forum, and allathat.

* Kicks soapbox back under the red velvet curtain and slinks out of the room..... *

 Jelani wrote:

Shit , piss, fuck , cunt ,cocksucker, motherfucker,and tits.

Sorry to those who can't take it. :) 
 
"Tits...it's like a nickname, 'Say, what's up, Tits?'"

 jagdriver wrote:

I'm in your camp, Crocky... I have to mute anytime anything by Zevon comes on. It's reminiscent of how terrestial radio shoved Hotel California and Stairway to Heaven down our collective throats.
  I hope Warren gets you "from the other side".
You could end up like Roland....the headless Thompson gunner!!!!!


 Cynaera wrote:

There are certain words that radio stations are not permitted to play - if they allow the F-word to be aired and someone calls the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and reports that station, it's an automatic fine (can't remember how much for a first offense, but it's pretty hefty.)  And if the station persists, they get their business license yanked.  I'm sure there are ins and outs regarding internet radio vs. commercial radio broadcasting with advertisements and sponsors.

This has been happening for years - when the Who came out with "Who Are You?" most radio stations weren't required to censor it.  Gradually, though, the FCC started becoming (or catching flack from) the moral majority and implemented strict rules on what could and could not be allowed on the air.

Grrr.  Freedom of speech - where did it go? {#Frustrated}
 
Shit , piss, fuck , cunt ,cocksucker, motherfucker,and tits.

Sorry to those who can't take it. :) 
"How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?"  Exactly!
 romeotuma wrote:


This is an awesome song...  we miss you, Warren...

 
 


 romeotuma wrote:


This song is the story of my life...  love it...  and I would love to dance with you right now, Cynaera...

 
 
maybe her keyboard is broken?  {#Wink}  I'm not dancing to this, believe me!

Great song great artist. Another  missed genius. 

Re:-.."the moral majority...fuck 'em."

They are neither moral or in the majority.

They have no lives of their own and get off in interfering in others.

IMO of course.
 Cynaera wrote:

There are certain words that radio stations are not permitted to play - if they allow the F-word to be aired and someone calls the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and reports that station, it's an automatic fine (can't remember how much for a first offense, but it's pretty hefty.)  And if the station persists, they get their business license yanked.  I'm sure there are ins and outs regarding internet radio vs. commercial radio broadcasting with advertisements and sponsors.

This has been happening for years - when the Who came out with "Who Are You?" most radio stations weren't required to censor it.  Gradually, though, the FCC started becoming (or catching flack from) the moral majority and implemented strict rules on what could and could not be allowed on the air.

Grrr.  Freedom of speech - where did it go? {#Frustrated}
 

..the moral majority...fuck 'em. {#Wave} 
I will always think of the film Grand Canyon whenever I hear this song. Loved that film, so I love this song.
 crockydile wrote:
Another Suck-ass song from the ulta-overrated, belated Mr. Zevon. What absolute crap.
 
I'm in your camp, Crocky... I have to mute anytime anything by Zevon comes on. It's reminiscent of how terrestial radio shoved Hotel California and Stairway to Heaven down our collective throats.
 
Posted: Jul 13, 2010 - 12:16 < Reply >

 Cynaera wrote:
One of my favorites by Zevon - unfortunately, it's censored on the radio. Damned FCC! 

shayde wrote:

Errr.  Huh?  Where what when?  Cite please.
 


they 'bleep' the word 'lawyer' in most civilized areas these days

 shayde wrote:

Errr.  Huh?  Where what when?  Cite please.
 
There are certain words that radio stations are not permitted to play - if they allow the F-word to be aired and someone calls the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and reports that station, it's an automatic fine (can't remember how much for a first offense, but it's pretty hefty.)  And if the station persists, they get their business license yanked.  I'm sure there are ins and outs regarding internet radio vs. commercial radio broadcasting with advertisements and sponsors.

This has been happening for years - when the Who came out with "Who Are You?" most radio stations weren't required to censor it.  Gradually, though, the FCC started becoming (or catching flack from) the moral majority and implemented strict rules on what could and could not be allowed on the air.

Grrr.  Freedom of speech - where did it go? {#Frustrated}
 crockydile wrote:
Another Suck-ass song from the ulta-overrated, belated Mr. Zevon. What absolute crap.
 
Suggestion: stop drying your Calvins on high. . .


 crockydile wrote:
Another Suck-ass song from the ulta-overrated, belated Mr. Zevon. What absolute crap.
 
Don't let the bitter hit you on the ass on the way out.

By the way, it's 'ultra', not 'ulta', and 'belated' means "delayed beyond the usual time."  I have no idea how you're trying to use it here. 

Personally, I love his arrangements, energy, and composition.  He's not a fantastic singer, no, but neither are Neil Young or Bob Dylan. Would you call their work 'crap'?
Another Suck-ass song from the ulta-overrated, belated Mr. Zevon. What absolute crap.
 Cynaera wrote:

One of my favorites by Zevon - unfortunately, it's censored on the radio. Damned FCC!
 
Errr.  Huh?  Where what when?  Cite please.
Gonzo! WZ is the king of the genius paranoids. 10

 romeotuma wrote:

Isn't this a great song?  What a classic!  And it sure brings back some memories...  sure wish Zevon were still with us...

 
 
One of my favorites by Zevon - unfortunately, it's censored on the radio. Damned FCC!  Oh, well - I can still listen to it on CD, and on RadioParadise!  {#Dancingbanana_2}
 romeotuma wrote:


I seem to remember this as A, D and E...  I am gonna have to fire up my piano...  this is a great song...


 
I think that's right - I used to play it in a band in the 80s.

I guess this is a pretty morose title to this album now!{#Eek}
Anyway, this is a fun song!
This brings back some memories! mIRC
"Enjoy every sandwich."
 rhbphoto wrote:
Is this set an ode to Tiger??
 
Actually, I think this is the memo that Scooter Libby sent to Dick Cheney's office.
this is a great anthology of Warren's music, with a lot of his lesser known ballads{#Sunny}  he was always about the coolness


 rhbphoto wrote:
Is this set an ode to Tiger??
 
{#Lol}

Is this set an ode to Tiger??
The live, 12-string acoustic version on 'Learning to Flinch' is also as killer as the original.

Simply. Awesome. {#Sunny}
Next to Big Audio Dynamite's "Medicine Show" and Randy Newman's "Political Science", this is the funniest song about American foreign policy ever!
I heard this is Obama's theme song for getting the Olympics to come to Chicago.