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| − | '''The French Inhaler''' is a [[Warren Zevon]] song, written by Warren Zevon, off his 1976 [[Warren Zevon (album)|self-titled album |
+ | '''"The French Inhaler"''' is a [[Warren Zevon]] song, written by [[Warren Zevon]], off his [[Time Line#1970s|1976]] [[Warren Zevon (album)|self-titled album]]. |
| − | |||
== About == |
== About == |
||
| ⚫ | "The French Inhaler" is mainly intended as a kiss-off to [[Marilyn Livingston Dillow|"Tule" Livingston]]. The over-all bitter tone of the song was lyrically modeled after when Zevon found out about Livingston's post-breakup meeting with another musician. [[Jordan Zevon]] has described the lyrics of the song as "French Inhaler is [Warren Zevon's] way of saying 'fuck you' to my mom after she slept with another guy ... as much as it pains me that it's about my mother, it is the greatest ex-girlfriend 'fuck you' song of all time." He also commented that "despite the subject matter, my mom would play that song to me after a couple of glasses of wine and laugh and say: 'Isn't that brilliant?' She knew he was a genius". |
||
| − | |||
| ⚫ | The French Inhaler is mainly intended as a kiss-off to Tule Livingston |
||
| − | |||
'''She said, "So long, Norman."''' |
'''She said, "So long, Norman."''' |
||
| − | At the conclusion of the song |
+ | At the conclusion of the song, Zevon's lyrics also incorporate the furor surrounding [[:wikipedia:Norman Mailer|Norman Mailer]]'s exploitive 1973 [[:wikipedia:Marilyn Monroe|Marilyn Monroe]] biography. |
== Music == |
== Music == |
||
| ⚫ | The song is in the key of [[:wikipedia:D major|D major]]. There are also short points where the song is more prominently heard in D major's relative key of [[:wikipedia:B minor|B minor]] (specifically at "''we both came down with an acute case''"). The song's most prominent instrument is the piano, yet also features short, mildly distorted guitar fills throughout parts of the song. This album version's run time is 3 minutes and 49 seconds long. |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | The song is in the key of D major. There are also short points where the song is more prominently heard in D major's relative key of B minor |
||
== Lyrics == |
== Lyrics == |
||
| − | How're you going to make your way in the world, woman |
+ | How're you going to make your way in the world, woman |
| − | When you weren't cut out for working |
+ | When you weren't cut out for working |
| − | When your fingers are slender and frail |
+ | When your fingers are slender and frail |
How're you going to get around |
How're you going to get around |
||
| − | In this sleazy bedroom town |
+ | In this sleazy bedroom town |
If you don't put yourself up for sale |
If you don't put yourself up for sale |
||
| Line 31: | Line 27: | ||
| − | Where will you go with your scarves and your miracles |
+ | Where will you go with your scarves and your miracles |
| − | Who's gonna know who you are |
+ | Who's gonna know who you are |
| − | Drugs and wine and flattering light |
+ | Drugs and wine and flattering light |
| − | You must try it again till you get it right |
+ | You must try it again till you get it right |
Maybe you'll end up with someone different every night |
Maybe you'll end up with someone different every night |
||
| Line 44: | Line 40: | ||
All these people with no home to go home to |
All these people with no home to go home to |
||
| − | They'd all like to spend the night with you |
+ | They'd all like to spend the night with you |
Maybe I would, too |
Maybe I would, too |
||
| − | But tell me |
+ | But tell me |
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman |
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman |
||
| − | When you weren't cut out for working |
+ | When you weren't cut out for working |
| − | And you just can't concentrate |
+ | And you just can't concentrate |
And you always show up late |
And you always show up late |
||
| − | You said you were an actress |
+ | You said you were an actress |
| − | Yes, I believe you are |
+ | Yes, I believe you are |
| − | I thought you'd be a star |
+ | I thought you'd be a star |
So I drank up all the money, |
So I drank up all the money, |
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| Line 75: | Line 71: | ||
| − | Loneliness and frustration |
+ | Loneliness and frustration |
| − | We both came down with an acute case |
+ | We both came down with an acute case |
And when the lights came up at two |
And when the lights came up at two |
||
| Line 83: | Line 79: | ||
I caught a glimpse of you |
I caught a glimpse of you |
||
| − | And your face looked like something |
+ | And your face looked like something |
Death brought with him in his suitcase |
Death brought with him in his suitcase |
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| Line 90: | Line 86: | ||
Your pretty face |
Your pretty face |
||
| − | It looked so wasted |
+ | It looked so wasted |
| − | Another pretty face |
+ | Another pretty face |
| − | Devastated |
+ | Devastated |
The French Inhaler |
The French Inhaler |
||
| Line 100: | Line 96: | ||
He stamped and mailed her |
He stamped and mailed her |
||
| − | "So long, Norman" |
+ | "So long, Norman" |
| − | She said, "So long, Norman |
+ | She said, "So long, Norman" |
== Personnel == |
== Personnel == |
||
| Line 117: | Line 113: | ||
Glen Frey & Don Henley - Harmonies |
Glen Frey & Don Henley - Harmonies |
||
| + | |||
| + | == External Links == |
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| + | *[http://www.americansongwriter.com/2015/01/lyric-week-warren-zevon-french-inhaler/ Lyric of the Week: Warren Zevon, "The French Inhaler"] |
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== See Also == |
== See Also == |
||
| − | *[[Warren Zevon (album)]] |
+ | *''[[Warren Zevon (album)|Warren Zevon]]'' |
| + | *''[[Learning to Flinch]]'' |
||
| − | *[[I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)]] |
+ | *''[[I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology)]]'' |
| − | *[[Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon]] |
+ | *''[[Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon]]'' |
| − | *[[Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings]] |
+ | *''[[Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings]]'' |
| + | *''[[The Warren Zevon Guitar Songbook]]'' |
||
| + | [[Category:Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings Tracks]] |
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| + | [[Category:Featured media]] |
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| + | [[Category:Warren Zevon Songs]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Warren Zevon Tracks]] |
||
Latest revision as of 00:02, 24 October 2015
"The French Inhaler" is a Warren Zevon song, written by Warren Zevon, off his 1976 self-titled album.
About[]
"The French Inhaler" is mainly intended as a kiss-off to "Tule" Livingston. The over-all bitter tone of the song was lyrically modeled after when Zevon found out about Livingston's post-breakup meeting with another musician. Jordan Zevon has described the lyrics of the song as "French Inhaler is [Warren Zevon's] way of saying 'fuck you' to my mom after she slept with another guy ... as much as it pains me that it's about my mother, it is the greatest ex-girlfriend 'fuck you' song of all time." He also commented that "despite the subject matter, my mom would play that song to me after a couple of glasses of wine and laugh and say: 'Isn't that brilliant?' She knew he was a genius".
She said, "So long, Norman."
At the conclusion of the song, Zevon's lyrics also incorporate the furor surrounding Norman Mailer's exploitive 1973 Marilyn Monroe biography.
Music[]
The song is in the key of D major. There are also short points where the song is more prominently heard in D major's relative key of B minor (specifically at "we both came down with an acute case"). The song's most prominent instrument is the piano, yet also features short, mildly distorted guitar fills throughout parts of the song. This album version's run time is 3 minutes and 49 seconds long.
Lyrics[]
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman
When you weren't cut out for working
When your fingers are slender and frail
How're you going to get around
In this sleazy bedroom town
If you don't put yourself up for sale
Where will you go with your scarves and your miracles
Who's gonna know who you are
Drugs and wine and flattering light
You must try it again till you get it right
Maybe you'll end up with someone different every night
All these people with no home to go home to
They'd all like to spend the night with you
Maybe I would, too
But tell me
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman
When you weren't cut out for working
And you just can't concentrate
And you always show up late
You said you were an actress
Yes, I believe you are
I thought you'd be a star
So I drank up all the money,
Yes, I drank up all the money,
With these phonies in this Hollywood bar,
These friends of mine in this Hollywood bar
Loneliness and frustration
We both came down with an acute case
And when the lights came up at two
I caught a glimpse of you
And your face looked like something
Death brought with him in his suitcase
Your pretty face
It looked so wasted
Another pretty face
Devastated
The French Inhaler
He stamped and mailed her
"So long, Norman"
She said, "So long, Norman"
Personnel[]
Warren Zevon - Piano, Vocals
Waddy Wachtel - Guitar
Bob Glaub - Bass
Larry Zack - Drums
The Sid Sharp Strings
Glen Frey & Don Henley - Harmonies