Roland would be smiling, if he ever found his head
I would be remiss to observe that, among this year’s inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is Warren Zevon.
While not a household name, Zevon had a crazy life and, while hanging out with an Irish bar owner in Spain in 1973– one who had worked in the Congo as a mercenary in the 60s– teamed up to write possibly the best merc song ever penned.
Yup, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner.
It became one of his most enduring songs, and he often performed it on Letterman, where he was a fixture. In fact, his 2002 Letterman appearance, which he closed with Roland, was his last public performance before he passed far too young of mesothelioma.
While the song has been covered dozens of times in the past 50 years, and tons of art abounds, Lorin Michki’s depiction, which hangs in my office, is perhaps the best.
Pour one out for Warren this weekend, my friends, and keep your DPM smock clean.