Accidentally Like A Martyr

It is a beautiful winter day in South Texas and I am sitting outside listening to Warren Zevon. Anyone who reads this blog knows that when it comes to music, I am all about the lyrics. In my world, all great songs have one thing in common: they have great words. If it wasn't for my love of the lyrics, I would just listen to Booker T. & the MG's all day long. (see my post from October 25)  

When it comes to lyrics, Warren Zevon has written some of the great songs of the last 30 years. He is best known for some of his bigger, louder songs like Werewolves of London, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Poor Poor Pitiful Me, Lawyers, Guns and Money. I like all of these songs, but I am more impressed with his slower more subtle material. My greatest hits of Zevon list has the following near the top:

1. Accidentally Like a Martyr
2. Desperados Under the Eves
3. The French Inhaler
4. Mutineer

In my opinion, Zevon does his best work when he cranks down the volume and addresses the sad and dark side of life. He has a real talent for capturing the dark underbelly of our society Whether it is the washed up Hollywood starlet and the phonies in the Hollywood bar in French Inhaler or the image of the crucified thieves in Desperados, Zevon has a keen eye and his lyrics reflect it.

Accidentally Like A Martyr has some wonderful words. I'm not the only one who thinks so. Bob Dylan not only covered it during the 2002 version of the Never Ending Tour, he also used a line from the song for the title of Time Out of Mind, his Grammy winning album from 1997. Check out these words:

The phone don't ring

And the sun refused to shine

Never thought I'd have to pay so dearly

For what was already mine

For such a long, long time

We made mad love

Shadow love

Random love

And abandoned love

Accidentally like a martyr

The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

The days slide by

Should have done, should have done, we all sigh

Never thought I'd ever be so lonely

After such a long, long time

Time out of mind

We made mad love

Shadow love

Random love

And abandoned love

Accidentally like a martyr

The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder

A very beautiful song that needs to be on your playlist. Available on iTunes and from Amazon. While you are at it, you should pick up the greatest hits compilation Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon. It is available from Amazon, but not on iTunes.