The Wind (Warren Zevon album)
The Wind is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. The album was released on August 26, 2003, by Artemis Records. Zevon began recording the album shortly after he was diagnosed with inoperable pleural mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung), and it was released just two weeks before his death on September 7, 2003. The album was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. "Disorder in the House", performed by Zevon and Bruce Springsteen, won Best Rock Vocal Performance (Group or Duo). Songs from the album were nominated for an additional three Grammys.
The Wind | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 26, 2003 | |||
Recorded | September 16 – December 20, 2002 and early 2003 | |||
Studio | Various, including Billy Bob Thornton's Snakepit home studio[1] | |||
Genre | Rock, folk rock | |||
Length | 45:08 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Artemis | |||
Producer | Jorge Calderón, Noah Scot Snyder, Warren Zevon | |||
Warren Zevon chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Wind | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A−[3] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Recording and release
Upon learning of his cancer diagnosis, Zevon determined to record a final studio album. His record label gave him a large budget to record and he got assistance from several high-profile musicians and friends. Zevon was inspired to include a Bob Dylan cover after Dylan performed several of his songs in concert in 2002.[6]
Critical reception
The record was regarded by Robert Christgau as "one of those nearness-of-death albums", along with Mississippi John Hurt's Last Sessions (1972), Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind (1997), Neil Young's Prairie Wind (2005), and Johnny Cash's American VI: Ain't No Grave (2010).[7]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Dirty Life and Times" | Zevon | 3:15 |
2. | "Disorder in the House" | Jorge Calderón, Zevon | 4:36 |
3. | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | Bob Dylan | 4:05 |
4. | "Numb as a Statue" | Calderón, Zevon | 4:08 |
5. | "She's Too Good for Me" | Zevon | 3:12 |
6. | "Prison Grove" | Calderón, Zevon | 4:51 |
7. | "El Amor de Mi Vida" | Calderón, Zevon | 3:34 |
8. | "The Rest of the Night" | Calderón, Zevon | 4:41 |
9. | "Please Stay" | Zevon | 3:34 |
10. | "Rub Me Raw" | Calderón, Zevon | 5:44 |
11. | "Keep Me in Your Heart" | Calderón, Zevon | 3:28 |
Personnel
Adapted credits from the liner notes of The Wind.[8]
- "Dirty Life and Times"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
- Ry Cooder – guitar
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
- Don Henley – drums
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- Dwight Yoakam – backing vocals
- "Disorder in the House"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, acoustic guitar and percussion
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Bruce Springsteen – electric guitar and backing vocals
- "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – backing vocals, bass
- Brad Davis – electric guitar and backing vocals
- Steve Gorman – drums
- Randy Mitchell – slide guitar and backing vocals
- Tommy Shaw – 12-string acoustic guitar and backing vocals
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- John Waite – backing vocals
- "Numb as a Statue"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and piano
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, maracas and backing vocals
- Jim Keltner – drums
- David Lindley – lap steel guitar
- "She's Too Good for Me"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
- Jorge Calderon – bass guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Don Henley – backing vocals
- Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals
- "Prison Grove"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Ry Cooder – slide guitar
- David Lindley – electric saz and backing vocals
- Jorge Calderon – electric guitar and backing vocals
- Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Jordan Zevon – backing vocals
- Bruce Springsteen – backing vocals
- Jackson Browne – backing vocals
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- T Bone Burnett – backing vocals
- "El Amor de Mi Vida"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – Spanish-language vocals
- Luis Conte – bongos
- Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
- Jim Keltner – drums
- James Raymond – piano
- "The Rest of the Night"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and electric guitar
- Mike Campbell – electric guitar
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar and electric guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Tom Petty – backing vocals
- "Please Stay"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and keyboard
- Gil Bernal – saxophone
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Emmylou Harris – backing vocals
- "Rub Me Raw"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – electric guitar and bass guitar
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Joe Walsh – slide guitar
- "Keep Me in Your Heart"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – acoustic guitar, bass guitar and tres
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Technical personnel
- Bridgette Barr – executive Record producer
- Hugh Brown – art direction
- Jorge Calderón – production
- Steve Churchyard – engineering
- Greg Hayes – engineering
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- James Mitchell – engineering
- Matthew Rolston – cover photo
- Noah Scot Snyder – engineering, mixing, production
- Joe West – engineering
- Jordan Zevon – executive production
- Warren Zevon – production
Chart performance
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
2003 | US Top Internet Albums | 12 |
2004 | US Billboard 200[9] | 12 |
2004 | US Top Independent Albums[10] | 1 |
Awards
Grammy Awards
Year | Winner | Category |
---|---|---|
2004 | "Disorder in the House" | Best Rock Vocal Performance – Duo or Group[11] |
2004 | The Wind | Best Contemporary Folk Album[12] |
Grammy Award Nominations
Year | Nominee | Category |
---|---|---|
2004 | "Keep Me in Your Heart" | Song of the Year |
2004 | "Keep Me in Your Heart" | Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male |
2004 | "Disorder in the House" | Best Rock Song |
References
- Harris, Will (October 19, 2016). "Billy Bob Thornton on Goliath, Fargo, and Working with Warren Zevon". The A.V. Club.
- Mark Deming (August 26, 2003). "The Wind – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- "CG: warren zevon". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- "Warren Zevon: The Wind : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". August 27, 2003. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- Hyden, Steven (September 7, 2018). "His Sh*t's F***ed Up: The Complicated Legacy of Warren Zevon". The Ringer. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
- Christgau, Robert (May 2010). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- The Wind (booklet). Warren Zevon. Artemis. 2003. pp. 9–11. REDK 751156.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Top 200 Albums". Billboard. September 27, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- "Independent Albums". Billboard. September 13, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
- The New York Times. February 9, 2004. Missing or empty
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