Lift Your Spirits Up

By Justin Cates

Today is a dark day for many reasons.

There is of course the obvious sadness emanating from Massachusetts following the bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Today also marks 6 years since the shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech that touched the lives of so many people important to me as well as many I'll never know beyond the intangible bond of belonging to the same community.

It's a day I always spend in reflection. I think about where I was, where I am, and where I might be going. I also invariably think of those who are no longer able to enjoy the latter two states of being.

There are many uplifting thoughts and quotes floating around that serve to console the heavy hearts of those touched by tragedy. I tend to come back to a simple thought I've mentioned before from one of my favorite musicians, Warren Zevon.

Knowing that he was dying, when asked what lesson he would like to impart to those he would soon depart he said simply, "Enjoy every sandwich."

Don't take anything for granted. Savor everything right down to a quick meal as you rush out the door. No one knows when things will come screeching to a halt.

We are sad that this is true, but that's why we have each other.

The flag pictured above was made the night of that shooting six years ago with my roommates and close friends. Through shock and pain it was cathartic and a proud sign of unity and strength in a time when both were sorely needed.

We weep for those lost in these tragedies and we curse those responsible, but we do it together and that's important.

Humanity has the power to cause unthinkable harm to itself, but we also possess the unique ability to band together and move ahead.

No one is immune. From American students of all ages, marathon runners and spectators, or the 31 people killed yesterday in Iraq, the world is all too often engulfed by the worst in humanity. It's easy to be disgusted by it all.

But somehow, wherever the worst happens, the best happens too.

People manage to put their differences aside and do what they can to help others.

We see it in the first responders who always selflessly rush into harms way in the moment. We see it in the aftermath in the kindness of total strangers directed at people they will never meet.

It restores faith, if only for a short while, that we can strive for something more than these senseless acts here at home and around the globe.

We're in this thing together, for good or ill.

Warren Zevon: Part 2

It's been a little while since I touched on Warren Zevon, but after some time to simmer in the summer heat I've had a chance to gather some other more recent songs from Zevon, including some of the last recordings of his career.

"Keep Me In Your Heart" from his final album The Wind essentially serves as his musical epitaph with such lines as, "If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less/Keep me in your heart for a while," the song is like a goodbye to everyone.



"Disorder In The House," Is a bluesy little jam featuring guitar work and vocals from Bruce Springsteen. It's also featured on Zevon's final album The Wind.



These are both excellent tunes. Hopefully they get your week started on the positive.

A Look at Warren Zevon: Part One

Damn it! Every time I apologize for a post hiatus, I manage to come right back with a magnificent lull. The only proper way to deal with this seems to be to stop apologizing and take no responsibility for any wrongdoing.

Anyway, my latest adoration in the singer/songwriter genre is for the genius of Mr. Warren Zevon.

Zevon's macabre humor and way with words helped forge some of the most lyrically intriguing songs in music history. His penchant for "hard-boiled" narratives told stories that were at once hilarious and heartbreaking.

Politics, the music business, celebrities; no one was off limits from the might of his pen, the growl of his guitar or the tinkling of the ivory keys on his piano.

His career spanned over four decades—not including the release of his 1969 debut album Wanted Dead Or Alive which Zevon said was released "to the sound of one hand clapping."

While Warren had only one "hit" in terms of solo chart success, 1978's "Werewolves of London", his albums created a cult following and he was respected throughout the business for his unique style and talents.

Zevon had a penchant for mischief and led a very hard life, struggling with substance abuse much like good friend Hunter S. Thompson, seen above giving Warren a mock check-up after he'd been diagnosed with terminal mesothelioma in the fall of 2002.

As Zevon told David Letterman during his final appearance on TV, "I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years."

During the same broadcast, Zevon also gave one of his most famous insights on life proclaiming that he learned to, "Enjoy every sandwich."

Below is his final public performance, the classic "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner." This song still gives me goosebumps when the dual vocals come in once poor Roland has lost his head in the narrative.

Also below is the studio version of the track from 1978's smash album Excitable Boy.

It's much crisper obviously and the vocals are stronger, but the emotion of the moment in Zevon's last television appearance is palpable.

Since I mentioned it earlier, I've included "Werewolves of London" from the same album. It essentially sums up Zevon perfectly, and you should absolutely know any song with a chorus consisting of a wolf howl.