Thanks to Jim Adams, for hosting Song Lyric Sunday. You can find upcoming themes, and the Official Rules at Jim’s site. Have a look around while you’re there, Jim writes about a lot of things.
I had three or four songs in mind for today’s theme, Songs that have a girls’ name in it which starts with an S, but I wanted to choose a song that maybe wasn’t familiar to everyone. I finally narrowed it down to two… Sheena Is A Punk Rocker by The Ramones, and my final choice: Excitable Boy by Warren Zevon
Wiki informs us that “Excitable Boy is the third studio album by American musician Warren Zevon. The album was released on January 18, 1978, by Asylum Records. It includes the single “Werewolves of London“, which reached No. 21 and remained in the American Top 40 for six weeks. The album brought Zevon to commercial attention and remains the best-selling album of his career.” The song Excitable Boy is the second song on the album, and one of five singles released.
Well, he went down to dinner in his Sunday best
Excitable boy, they all said. And he rubbed the pot roast all over his chest
Excitable boy, they all said
He took in the four a.m. show at the Clark
Excitable boy, they all said
And he bit the usherette’s leg in the dark
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he’s just an excitable boy
He took little Suzie to the Junior Prom
Excitable boy, they all said
And he raped her and killed her, then he took her home
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he’s just an excitable boy
After ten long years they let him out of the home
Excitable boy, they all said
And he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he’s just an excitable boy
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Wiki Fandom gives us these tidbits: “…was performed by Zevon (Piano), Waddy Wachtel (Guitar), Bob Glaub (Bass), Russell Kunkel (Drums), Jim Horn (Sax), Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes and Waddy Wachtel (Harmony Vocals).”
“Like most of Zevon’s darker ballads, the narrative is an attempt at humour rather than plain horror. This is achieved through the irony of, no matter how vile the charge, the adults around the “excitable boy” in question merely dismiss the rowdy behaviour as “well, he’s just an excitable boy”, with a chorus emphasizing this idea.”
“The song is also famously self-referential in many aspects in that it refers to Zevon himself and his restlessness. The anecdote about the pot roast for example was literally something that Zevon actually did, as described in I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. Zevon was later diagnosed as having obsessive compulsive disorder… This condition likely also contributed to his alcohol and drug addictions and other problems.”
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What’s your favorite song with an “S” named girl in the lyrics? Are you a fan of Warren Zevon?
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King Ben's Grandma 
great song choice, angie! love it! xoxo
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I’m glad you liked it🥳🎶💃🏼💕
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This one is all new to me! Thanks for the Sunday morning listen! 🎶
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Most people know Werewolves Of London, but that’s all. He’s got an odd sense of humor, and it shows in his lyrics.😲🤪 That whole album is pretty good.🎶💃🏼💕💫🌻🦋
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This song is new to me. Interesting back story too. I will have to give it a listen!
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Warren Zevon has an odd sense of humor. His lyrics are kinda twisted, set to campy, upbeat music.🤪😲🎶💃🏼
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He raped her and killed her, then he took her home, so let’s gibe him a pat on the head and a bowl of ice cream. Warren Zevon had a great sense of humor, thanks for sharing this rocker King Ben’s Grandma.
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I’m glad you liked it!🥳 Most people have heard Werewolves Of London, but I think the whole album is awesome. 🎶💃🏼🌠
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I can’t say that I have herd the whole album, but I am familiar with this song.
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Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner & Lawyers, Guns, and Money are good songs too. If you’re a fan of Zevon.
I think a lot of people either like him or don’t.🤷🏼♀️
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Warren Zevon is new to me. Thanks for expanding my musical horizons.
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My pleasure!🥰 I’m surprised you don’t know Werewolves Of London though. I thought most people knew that song, even if they didn’t know the artist.🤷🏼♀️
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Ah yes! I do know that song but I never knew who sang it.
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I’ve never come across Warren Zevon before. Although his song is horror comedy, there’s truth in it – ‘boys will be boys…’ can be a common excuse for all kinds of poor behaviour on the part of men! I love ‘Suzanne’ by Leonard Cohen. 🙂
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I actually looked at Suzanne by Cohen. I’m just not a fan. 🤷🏼♀️ I’ve listened to various songs at different times, and 🤷🏼♀️
A lot of people know Zevon’s song Werewolves Of London, just not his name.
He’s got a pretty twisted sense of humor. His creepy lyrics set to upbeat campy music just cracks me up. And the music is toe tappin😉🎶💃🏼
“Boys will be boys” explains why our politicians are so awful. We really need to change that mindset.💌
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