# Warren Zevon is dying. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153 "2002-09-12T20:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/1 "2002-09-12T20:35:44Z")
Warren Zevon has untreatable lung cancer. [http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/12/people.warren.zevon.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/12/people.warren.zevon.ap/index.html) I can’t think of another artist who’s moved me as much, whose music accompanies more memories, good and bad, who’s made the despair that I’ve felt seem poetic, natural, even good. I can’t even imagine a time when I won’t be able to look forward to his next album. And yet… > [@](#): > > “I’m OK with it,” Zevon, 55, said in a statement. “But it’ll be a drag if I don’t make it until the next James Bond movie comes out.” If anyone can do this with style, Mr. Zevon can. I’ve got to go listen to _Learning to Flinch_ now. And maybe, later, _Life’ll Kill Ya_. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/2 "2002-09-12T21:19:59Z")
Thank you for posting this, **MrVisible.** I have been a fan of the under-ratedTenacious Z for many, many years. I knew he wasn’t well, but did not know just how bad it was. ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/3 "2002-09-12T21:36:59Z")
This really, really sucks. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/4 "2002-09-12T21:38:42Z")
Lawyers, guns and money… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/5 "2002-09-12T22:18:07Z")
Damn! One of the best, and most literate, of all songwriters. And one helluva performer, too! I’ve got a t-shirt with Warren’s “Ol’ Velvet Nose” logo on it (a skull with round glasses and a cigarette in its teeth. You can see a picture of the logo [here](http://morris2k.cti.depaul.edu/zevon/)) Sure seems ironic now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/6 "2002-09-12T23:43:18Z")
I logged into Yahoo and saw that headline. My day went to hell in a bucket seeing those few words that told me an icon of my life is about to cross over. Leave it to Warren, though, to actually make me laugh while I read the annoucement of his impending death. I adore the man (I’ve talked with him after a few of his shows here in Phoenix), I treasure his music, and I’m going to feel a hole when he crosses over. He’s my favorite rock songwriter of all time, and a genuinely brilliant and human person. “Life’ll kill ya That’s what I said. Life’ll kill ya, and then you’ll be dead.” Here’s hoping the new Bond flick makes it worth sticking around for him for a little longer, and here’s hoping his pain is as well managed as possible. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/7 "2002-09-13T01:55:07Z")
Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/8 "2002-09-13T02:45:42Z")
What DoctorJ said. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/9 "2002-09-13T04:34:41Z")
What **Arden Ranger** said. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/10 "2002-09-13T05:18:05Z")
The shit has hit the fan indeed… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/11 "2002-09-13T06:04:38Z")
I was sitting in the Hollywood Hawaiian Hospital… I was listening to the respirator hum… –goddam you cancer you mother humping crap bucket. I do hope he finally goes to the Lourve and gets a good running start and hurls himself at the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/12 "2002-09-13T06:12:34Z")
I’m just goin’ to hurl myself against the wall Cause I’d rather feel bad that not feel anything at all ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/13 "2002-09-13T06:26:02Z")
It seems that fate conspires to take great things while allowing mediocrity to live forever. He gave us a lot of really good music, and that this happens to him just tears me up. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/14 "2002-09-13T06:55:36Z")
Damn, damn, damn. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/15 "2002-09-13T07:34:02Z")
He’s left a mark. Even if it’s just a few classic rock radio station listeners who heard his popular anthems about lawyers and beasts, plus a few devoted fans, that’s something. Godspeed, Warren Zevon, our thoughts are with you, and though we might selfishly wish you had gifted us with more (as we often wish of artists), know that our wishes only serve to your credit. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/16 "2002-09-13T10:23:25Z")
Shit, man. ☹ Still, “But it’ll be a drag if I don’t make it until the next James Bond movie comes out.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![WavyDavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3da27b/32.png) [@WavyDavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WavyDavy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/17 "2002-09-13T13:42:58Z")
Ya know, it hurts a lot more when you know we’re losing a good one… I guess he’ll finally get some sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/18 "2002-09-14T01:45:40Z")
I’m very ashamed of myself that I didn’t find this out until twenty minutes ago when my mom sent me an e-mail. I called Mr. Rilch… …my hands are shaking… There, better. …and he said he’d seen it in USA Today. He’d been preparing himself to break it to me gently. In January of 1992, I saw Warren perform at a club in Cleveland. I hung around outside just to see him leave. I said to him, “Oh god Warren I love you so much.” He smiled and shook my hand and the world went black. Next thing I knew, I was running down the sidewalk, whooping and hollering. He’s not just my favorite musician, he’s my personal idol. Abuse survivor and all that. I just got his new album yesterday! Ordered online. I had no fucking idea about this. Funny thing is, I finally stopped drinking. Now I have an extra incentive to stay stopped, besides my personal reasons. See you in the next life, Warren. And I won’t forget to wake you up for meals. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/19 "2002-09-14T02:05:58Z")
Hm. On my anthology disc set, “Desperados Under the Eaves” is followed by “Johnny Strikes Up the Band”. So we go from “Look away, look away down Gower Avenue” to “Dry your eyes my little friend; let me take you by the hand”. I’m not ready to dry my eyes yet. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153/20 "2002-09-14T02:34:19Z")
… and he wants to break the world’s record for receiving the most post cards, is that it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warren-zevon-is-dying/128153.md?page=2)