“Thank You, and Goodbye”

October 30, 2022 12:04 PM

On October 30, 2002, a cancer-stricken Warren Zevon returned to the ‘Late Show With David Letterman’ stage for one last performance. Twenty years later, Letterman and more remember the gravitas and emotion of that stunning night. (archive.ph link)
posted by Etrigan (20 comments total)

My dad loved Warren Zevon and was very moved by this interview. At dad’s memorial service, I made sure to include “enjoy every sandwich” in my eulogy.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:22 PM on October 30, 2022 [11 favorites]

But anyways RIP Warren Zevon, I was probably your only teen girl fan in my high school in 2006
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:24 PM on October 30, 2022 [9 favorites]

"My Shit's Fucked Up" is just about as distilled as it gets.

I just wish he wouldn't have blamed his smoking/drinking/hard-living for his diagnosis, because it wasn't the cause.
posted by credulous at 12:47 PM on October 30, 2022 [9 favorites]

This was very touching to read.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:31 PM on October 30, 2022

I'm not crying, you're crying.
posted by Splunge at 1:53 PM on October 30, 2022

I watched that episode at the time. I was a big fan of both those guys and there really was a kind of sweet, warm urgency about that particular show. So sad that he left us so early.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 1:56 PM on October 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

Here's the episode in question.
posted by kaibutsu at 2:22 PM on October 30, 2022 [11 favorites]

An amazing, touching hour.
posted by billsaysthis at 2:33 PM on October 30, 2022

Keep Me in Your Heart is the best sad song about death. Warren Zevon was the best.
posted by the primroses were over at 5:15 PM on October 30, 2022 [7 favorites]

I prefer his cover of "Raspberry Beret" (live on Late Show with David Letterman [with the house band]; album version) to Prince's original.

There. I said it.

It's from the nutty Hindu Love Gods album he made with R.E.M. minus Michael Stipe. They made this album when they were recording his album Sentimental Hygiene. I assume they were drunk.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:29 PM on October 30, 2022 [3 favorites]

I wasn't ever a Zevon fan, musically speaking; but in this episode back in the day he appeared impressively reconciled to his impending death and seemed like someone deserving of respect. And yes, "enjoy every sandwich" was and is a wonderful, almost Taoist aphorism.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:27 PM on October 30, 2022 [1 favorite]

Also, the story about him giving Dave his guitar made me cry.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:28 PM on October 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

Oof, I knew Warren Zevon died prematurely but I did not remember that he was just 56. It hits different when it’s 20 years later and you’re now in your 50s.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:00 AM on October 31, 2022 [9 favorites]

I saw most (perhaps all) of Zevon's many appearances on the show when he filled in for Paul. He was freakin' hilarious.
posted by neuron at 10:27 AM on October 31, 2022

Great read. Love these two men.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 12:55 PM on October 31, 2022

Thanks for posting this, was just thinking of this amazing hour of tv the other day
posted by rswst8 at 6:43 PM on October 31, 2022

And his walk-on music is Shaffer and Co. playing "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."

Letterman: "I didn't know he could play that."

Zevon: "Oh yeah. I know he could play it."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:01 PM on October 31, 2022

I just wish he wouldn't have blamed his smoking/drinking/hard-living for his diagnosis, because it wasn't the cause.

Yeah. I grew up in a town that has a very large mesothelioma cluster. It's a very fucked thing.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:02 PM on October 31, 2022

Warren Zevon would only have been 75 this year, and Joe Strummer would have just turned 70. What a world.
posted by hangashore at 1:03 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Raspberry bidet
posted by kirkaracha at 1:09 PM on November 3, 2022