Dwight Yoakum was a good friend of WZ. He played on "The Wind". Warren Zevon's last album. Warren joked with Dwight about the Southern version of "Carmelita". But he loved it just the same. And Dwight was there with Billy Bob Thornton, and Bruce Springsteen, a week before he died.
Your post prompted me to review Warren's version. I noticed it changed from I pawned my Smith Corona to Smith & Wesson. So a typewriter morphed into a gun over time. Rightly so I guess. Either way excellent cover to an excellent song.
Dwight knows a thing or two because he's seen a thing or two. Before he hit it big, he would open up for hard punk bands back in the day. Dwight, imo is THE best underrated country singer we have.
Dwight should have gotten a grammy for this one!!! Beautiful, what a voice he has! Or should I say what a gift he has! I Miss Buck and him together they were superb, the best!!! Love them both!!!!
Warren used to joke about Dwight's version of "Carmelita". But he actually liked it. Warren wanted to be a "Folk Singer" originally. He dabbled in some country tunes later in his career, like Neil Young did. "Country music" has always grabbed the heart, and sometimes makes one sad. Dwight Yoakam has a great voice, and his rendition of "Carmelita" is on par with Warren's. That's why he and Zevon became friends. In fact Dwight gave Zevon a hug before he died, and played on Warren's last CD.
Almost every version of this song by almost every artist is great. My favorite is also by Dwight. But it is the version from the album "Partners" by six time Grammy Award winner, Grammy Hall of Fame Member, Flaco Jimenez.
He had guys like Hank jr, Waylon and David Allen coe already paving the way though… Hank senior was on high amounts of morphine administered by his doctor when he died. I mean, idk
Didn’t hank Williams die from a morphine and alcohol overdose though? Or was he just on those when he died? I know he had a opiate addiction cause he had scoliosis
The fathers didn’t care. It was the owners of the Grand Ol’ Oprey that wouldn’t let them sing about booze and fighting and fucking. They were all degenerates lmao.
It makes me crave also (this is my relationship with heroin since I was a youngster: people telling me, “you love drugs, so you will adore heroin. Here, try it.” And me saying, “no way! I’ll stick to the non addictive drugs, thank you. I grew up in a hovel, I have no desire to return to such a place!” But always craving, y’know, knowing I was missing out on the best highs, if only they didn’t come at such a cost. And then years later finding out that there’s no such thing as non addictive drugs, and having to give them all up, glad I didn’t have to break up with heroin, but still wistful, like, me and you, H, we coulda had some good times...)
@@johnwilliams7600 Hey Anomynous 😀 Was it hard to quit? How are you doing now? No pressure to respond to those questions, ok? Since I wrote that, I have tried to reconnect with my first love, alcohol, thinking that I’m not doing well, things couldn’t get any worse. But now I see that although I still love alcohol, it doesn’t love me. Makes my skin hurt, yuk.
This is an old Zevon song, but love Dwights version! I occasionally play here where I live, where this songs rings true for so many. Its usually a compliment for a musician to provoke emotion, but it bothered me to see how many were crying when I played this.
@@micsayre Warren might not have had the twang, but he wrote plenty of songs that were just waiting to be done country. He had the gift of writing lyrics that create a character or capture a story in a few words, just like a lot of great country songs do.
Damn, those fine fine lyrics: Well, I pawned my Smith and Wesson/And I went to meet my man/He hangs out down on Alvarado Street/at the Pioneer Chicken stand. Great poetry from Warren Zevon, a slice of L.A., a struggling addict. What a masterpiece.
except Warren wrote "I pawned my Smith Corona" not "my Smith and Wesson". A Smith Corona is a typewriter. His original lyric was inferring the pen is mightier than the sword. Changing that particular line butchered one of the most brilliant lines Zevon ever wrote. It sucked every ounce of clever out of it.
Who cares who you think did it better? Just enjoy the song. Every version of this song is enjoyable because it's well written and beautifully composed whether coming from a junkie or a grandma. People want to say something negative about everything just don't even waste your time.
fuck off, people are entitled to their opinions, and they're allowed to wind 'em. It's actually a rather interesting debate, as so many good covers were made. If you can't deal with a debate or confrontation, piss off the internet ya hag and take your kindergarten moral preaching with you.
I hear mariachi static on my radio The tubes they glow in the dark There with you in Ensenada And I'm here in Echo Park. Carmelita, hold me tighter Yeah, I think I'm sinking down And I'm all strung out on heroin On the outskirts of town. Well I pawned my Smith & Wesson And I went down to meet my man He hangs out down on Alvarado Street At the Pioneer Chicken Stand. Carmelita, hold me tighter Yeah, I think I'm sinking down And I'm all strung out on heroin On the outskirts of town. Carmelita, hold me tighter Yeah, I think I'm sinking down And I'm all strung out on heroin On the outskirts of town. Well I'm sittin' here playing solitaire With my pearl handled deck The county won't give me no more methadone And they cut off your welfare check. Carmelita, hold me tighter Yeah, I think I'm sinking down And I'm all strung out on heroin On the outskirts of town. Carmelita, hold me tighter Yeah, I think I'm sinking down And I'm all strung out on heroin On the outskirts of town. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah Oh Yeah...
Mr. Scott Joss. You are absolutely amazing in this video with Dwight. Your harmony is heavenly. I have never heard you do that in with the Strangers but i guess you never got the chance, with all the female harmony in Merle's band. Boy, between your fiddle, guitar, and harmony, you are a one man band.. Just love your singing playing and personality. Keep it up. There are ones that love and follow you. Thank you Scott and Blessings to you.
OMG I LOVE DWIGHT'S VERSION OF THIS SONG!! I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE ALL THESE OTHER VERSIONS OUT & ABOUT, TIL JUST NOW. GOLDMINE! BINGO! I'M HAPPY-ASSED NOW! :-)
I was scheduled to play the cow bell at this gig but my pre employment interview lasted 10 days and 16 states I had the job until I got to sound check. Way to be DY we love you brother
Warren could unexpectedly crack you up laughing. I remember the first time I heard the "Pioneer Chicken Stand" line. It's so sad, hilarious, and specific at the same time.
It’s interesting how he and Linda Ronstadt switch the second and third verses. The simple switch really changes the song. In their version they sell their gun and go score more drugs. Then they’re contemplating suicide in the last verse. It ends hopeless. In Warren’s, he contemplates suicide. Then he sells his typewriter and goes downtown to score more drugs. He’s living another day. It ends with hope.
Please...it's a Warren Zevon song, performed by many, done well by a few (Dwight Yoakam, for one), but none better than the man who wrote it. Give the man his due.
I honestly have never heard a bad version of this song. That’s the thing about great songs they almost play themselves. This spin with Dwight and his accomplice is soothing and uplifting. Considering the story of the song that’s saying a lot.
Since Dwight Yoakum and Warren Zevon were good friends, Warren often made obtuse comments about Dwight's country version of Zevon's ballad. Actually Yoakum has a great voice. Love this version. Warren liked it too. Yoakum was invited to play on Zevon's last CD,"The Wind". They were indeed buddies.
Warren sang "Smith Corona" on the record but he almost always said "Smith and Wesson" when he played it live. I wonder if the record company didn't insist on the sanitized version in hopes of getting more airplay.
