Desperados Under the Eaves

"Desperados Under the Eaves" is a song written and performed by Warren Zevon off of the 1976 album, Warren Zevon.

About this Song

The song describes the narrator's growing alcoholism ("all the salty margaritas in Los Angeles; I'm going to drink them up") and laments that no matter what occurs, he will wind up paying the bill for his low rent digs at the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel. It ends with him listening to the sound of the air conditioner humming and converting the hum to the repeated chorus "look away down Gower Avenue," which is sung with greater hope than the somewhat morose tone of the rest of the song. This song features background vocals from Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys.

Song Lyrics

Note: the text of this song's lyrics is not under the same copyright license as the wiki's encyclopedic text, it is used under fair use/dealing.

I was sitting in the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel

I was staring in my empty coffee cup

I was thinking that the gypsy wasn't lyin'

All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles

I'm gonna drink 'em up

And if California slides into the ocean

Like the mystics and statistics say it will

I predict this motel will be standing until I pay my bill

Don't the sun look angry through the trees

Don't the trees look like crucified thieves

Don't you feel like Desperadoes under the eaves

Heaven help the one who leaves

Still waking up in the mornings with shaking hands

And I'm trying to find a girl who understands me

But except in dreams you're never really free

Don't the sun look angry at me

I was sitting in the Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel

I was listening to the air conditioner hum

It went Hmmmmmm... (Continued Humming)

Look away down Gower Avenue, Look away...

Look away down Gower Avenue, Look away...

Look away down Gower Avenue, Look away...

Look away down Gower Avenue, Look away...

Look away down Gower Avenue, Look away...

See Also

• Warren Zevon
• A Quiet Normal Life: The Best of Warren Zevon
• I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)
• Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
• The Warren Zevon Guitar Songbook

External links

• Warren Zevon and Jackson Browne performance
• Preludes version on YouTube
• Fan piano arrangement
• Bub Fish cover
• Amateur cover