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Warren Zevon — Splendid Isolation
Album: Genius
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1099









Released: 1989
Length: 4:19
Plays (last 30 days): 0
I want to live alone in the desert
I want to be like Georgia O'Keefe
I want to live on the Upper East Side
And never go down in the street

Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation

Michael Jackson in Disneyland
Don't have to share it with nobody else
Lock the gates, Goofy, take my hand
And lead me through the World of Self

Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation

Don't want to wake up with no one beside me
Don't want to take up with nobody new
Don't want nobody coming by without calling first
Don't want nothing to do with you

I'm putting tinfoil up on the windows
Lying down in the dark to dream
I don't want to see their faces
I don't want to hear them scream

Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation

Splendid Isolation
I don't need no one
Splendid Isolation
Comments (91)add comment
Boy, that Michael Jackson in Disneyland line took on a different meaning as time rolled on... 

Stellar track and phenomenal writing nonetheless. Harmonica line is reminiscent in The The's "Slow Emotional Replay", which came after.
 Dave_Mack wrote:

It struck me today as being very Bruce. In a good way.



Their cowritten song is Jeannie Needs A Shooter.  Which, like this gem, is even better on the live recording to my ear.
 kingart wrote:


Nowhere Man - The Beatles 


Alone   Blues Traveler
 drucev wrote:

More official songs of social distancing...

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Drink Alone - George Thorogood
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Lonely Boy - Black Keys
Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega
Solitude is Bliss - Tame Impala
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Hey You - Pink Floyd 
I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel 
Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers
I Alone - Live
I'm OK By Myself - Morrissey
How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Ode to Solitude - HIM
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold 



Me, Myself, I - Joan Armatrading
I find it interesting how in the Wikipedia photo from 1978 he has the identical "amused scoundrel" kind of look as he does on the 1989 album cover. Like it was his permanent state of mind.
It struck me today as being very Bruce. In a good way.
 drucev wrote:

More official songs of social distancing...

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Drink Alone - George Thorogood
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Lonely Boy - Black Keys
Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega
Solitude is Bliss - Tame Impala
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Hey You - Pink Floyd 
I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel 
Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers
I Alone - Live
I'm OK By Myself - Morrissey
How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Ode to Solitude - HIM
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold 



solitary man-Neil Diamond
Oh wow... Some of you wrote it already but since I am sitting home alone during f...ing Lockdown 4 (Austria)... damn I this song fits!
His hair was perfect.
Becoming 70  in two weeks, this song expresses my exact sentiments.  What could be more disillusioning than humanity.  Music is a refuge.
 drucev wrote:

More official songs of social distancing...

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Drink Alone - George Thorogood
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Lonely Boy - Black Keys
Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega
Solitude is Bliss - Tame Impala
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Hey You - Pink Floyd 
I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel 
Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers
I Alone - Live
I'm OK By Myself - Morrissey
How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Ode to Solitude - HIM
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold 

+ under the ivy - kate bush
solitude - billie holiday or duke ellington
alone again naturally - gilbert o'sullivan
eleanor rigby - beatles

 drucev wrote:

More official songs of social distancing...

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Drink Alone - George Thorogood
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Lonely Boy - Black Keys
Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega
Solitude is Bliss - Tame Impala
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Hey You - Pink Floyd 
I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel 
Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers
I Alone - Live
I'm OK By Myself - Morrissey
How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Ode to Solitude - HIM
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold 



Nowhere Man - The Beatles 
It would blend perfectly with Springsteen's Radio Nowhere (from the album Magic) :D 
It's the second time I hear it here on RP, and the second time I am fooled thinking this must be a Springsteen bonus track!
Yes
 bdwhitepm wrote:
David Letterman's favorite.  I still remember his final appearance when he was Letterman's only guest, played 3 songs in between sitting in the chair and told the world he had terminal cancer.  RIP warren you were one of a kind.  
 
Enjoy every sandwich.
c.
I had to bump this one from 7-9 because it captures the times so perfectly.
Warren Zevon trivia:  the back up band for Werewolf in London was largely Fleetwood Mac.
Has the same level of composing skills as Tom Petty.
David Letterman's favorite.  I still remember his final appearance when he was Letterman's only guest, played 3 songs in between sitting in the chair and told the world he had terminal cancer.  RIP warren you were one of a kind.  
Is that the Midnight Oil harmonica player? Maybe it's the chord similarity that makes it sound like him.
ETA: It's Warren hisself.
A brilliant virus crisis lockdown segue. Nice one, Bill :o)
 hayduke2 wrote:
Godlike tune for depressed folks
 

How about "Perfect Life", by Moby, or "Hurt", by Johnny Cash, then?
I wanna live on the Upper East Side and never go out? That hits hard for this New Yorker
Hmmm, wonder why Bill is playing this now...
c.
Nice set, Bill. Really miss Mr. Zevon - the musical counter part to Michael  O'Donoghue.
'I want to live on the Upper East Side
And never go down in the street'

Careful what you wish for; might get it. 
Bump up one 7->8 for Covid-19 applicability...
Nice one.  I shared a YouTube version of this with my friends last week.  Great minds?
Even for a hardcore introvert like YT having a very special someone to experience this with is better than being alone.
C'mon Bill, we need this song more than ever! :)
Perfect Covid-19 tune!
More official songs of social distancing...

All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Drink Alone - George Thorogood
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Lonely Boy - Black Keys
Solitude Standing - Suzanne Vega
Solitude is Bliss - Tame Impala
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Hey You - Pink Floyd 
I Am A Rock - Simon & Garfunkel 
Adventures in Solitude - The New Pornographers
I Alone - Live
I'm OK By Myself - Morrissey
How To Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Ode to Solitude - HIM
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold 
perfect for coronavirus times
The world's new Theme Song. 
So good. I miss Warren.
 snitramc wrote:
might want to edit that Michael Jackson reference.
 

Michael who?
R.I.P. Warren.  You were truly one of the Great ones!
might want to edit that Michael Jackson reference.
Surprised at the kinda low average rating for such a brilliant songwriter and musician.  Check out David Lindley's guitar accompanying Warren on "Detox Mansion".  
Well, we sure miss him. Thanks for playing this one.
just bumped it to 9 on the strength of the lyrics
 hayduke2 wrote:
Godlike tune for depressed folks

 
I am not depressed but my wife did leave a few years ago and now my daughter is in college and I live alone.  Sometimes I am sad and cry but this song makes me puff out my chest and hold my head high.  Thank you WZ and RP.  

 Proclivities wrote:

I thought he was born in Chicago.

 
Warren was born in Chicago. It was his father (original surname Zivotovsky) who immigrated from Russia. Warren did briefly study with Stravinsky.
No thanks - outta here!
 hayduke2 wrote:
Godlike tune for depressed folks

 
I almost felt elation when I read your comment. Almost.
 jmlbrugge wrote:


You're not alone.

 
I am, and it's splendid.
 thewiseking wrote:
i miss this guy
 

 

You're not alone.
 thewiseking wrote:
i miss this guy
 

 
Taken before he was finished, no doubt.  We love you Warren.
 thewiseking wrote:
i miss this guy
 

 
{#Yes}
i miss this guy
 
Godlike tune for depressed folks
 averybadcat wrote:
nice album cover. his hair is perfect.
Dude, 10 funny points for you. 
And a whole lotta musical talent !!!
 


gregskrtic wrote:
Warren was a genius!  {#Notworthy}

 


I want to be like Georgia O'Keefe!! 
Vivid lyrics. But no room for Totto!
Always liked this one a lot... a 9.
 
Warren was a genius!  {#Notworthy}
Where did you go Warren...{#Sunny}
I saw him twice in New Orleans in the early '90's at Tipitinas.  Both shows were excellent.

Very sad that he is no longer with us. 
 stunix wrote:
when you read up on him, it strikes me as sad that he should escape post war Russia, moving to California, studied classical music with Stravinski, and after his death be mostly remembered for

"AAAAHHH WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWAHHHH"

 
I thought he was born in Chicago.
 stunix wrote:
when you read up on him, it strikes me as sad that he should escape post war Russia, moving to California, studied classical music with Stravinski, and after his death be mostly remembered for

"AAAAHHH WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWAHHHH"

 
Just think fondly of him and remember to enjoy every sandwich.
nice album cover. his hair is perfect.
 MinMan wrote:
I thought this was "Cake".

Maybe Warren was taking the mickey out of this theme?

 
How could you mistake this for a Cake song. I mean, no vibraslap!{#Cheesygrin}


So good. 
That is one bad album cover.

The song is the star despite how it's recorded, but the acoustic version on 'Learning to Flinch' really frames the lyrics beautifully.


Nope.  This guy is a genius and Blue Rodeo is Blue Rodeo.
 

stephw wrote:
Holy Cow, I could have sworn this was the beginning of a Blue Rodeo song - am I right fellow Canadians?

 


I thought this was "Cake".

Maybe Warren was taking the mickey out of this theme?
Holy Cow, I could have sworn this was the beginning of a Blue Rodeo song - am I right fellow Canadians?
 Cynaera wrote:
Granted, this is a very dated song, but still holds its own.  The irony is that he writes about being isolated, but look at his "guest list" on "The Wind," right before he died.  He was anything but isolated, and anything but reclusive and anti-social. I just love Zevon, no matter where the winds of time have taken him.
 

Miss you so much, Cynaera...  well said...
 
Zevon characterizes agoraphobia in this song...
 
Understated for Warren.

Still evocative.  And good.     
Genius, indeed!  Rest in peace, Warren.
 jagdriver wrote:
Wow... a Warren Zevon tune I don't immediately detest!
 
Yeah, took me about 12 seconds.
Great Xmas Eve song. Thanks Bill!! xoxo
Michael Jackson in Disneyland. Lock the gates, Goofy, and take my hand.

Absolutely sublime. Some of the best lyrics I have ever heard. An all time favorite of mine.
when you read up on him, it strikes me as sad that he should escape post war Russia, moving to California, studied classical music with Stravinski, and after his death be mostly remembered for

"AAAAHHH WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWAHHHH"
When you hear these more obscure gems from Warren, you realize that —despite his popularity at times — he truly was under-rated.
Wow... a Warren Zevon tune I don't immediately detest!
Sing on Warren.

Send those lawyers, guns, and money. The shit has hit the fan!
Seeing Warren play solo to a pub full of just a few 100 people will always be a lifelong highlight for me - miss you Warren!
 d-don wrote:
One of the world's great songwriters. I miss him.
 
A complex artist. He had a bit John Lennon's troubled spirit and genius.
Incredible drummer isnt'it (gavin harisson inside no ?)
Finally, back on track, the shit storm has ended.
One of the world's great songwriters. I miss him.
My Hero.
Can never get enough Zevon.
 ronniegirl wrote:
Thought this might have been from his last, farewell album.  Sad.
 
Don't be sad!  "The Wind" was a wonderful, poignant, hysterically-funny last work for Zevon. My favorite is "Disorder in the House," with Bruce Springsteen on backup vocals. It's pretty obvious that there was probably only one rehearsal, if any, before going into the studio -Springsteen flubs his lines, misses the harmony vocals, and laughs his ass off during the whole thing, but it still works. My favorite line:  "I'm sprawled across the davenport of despair..."  Dang. I miss the man and his music, but what a wonderful legacy he left for future generations!

Yup, I miss this quirky guy. {#Yes}
Ironically, if I were in splendid isolation, I wouldn't be listening to this song....
Granted, this is a very dated song, but still holds its own.  The irony is that he writes about being isolated, but look at his "guest list" on "The Wind," right before he died.  He was anything but isolated, and anything but reclusive and anti-social. I just love Zevon, no matter where the winds of time have taken him.
I really know this place! Cocoroka!!!! {#Clap}
Thought this might have been from his last, farewell album.  Sad.
...nice!..