The Wind (Warren Zevon album)

The Wind is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. The album was released on August 26, 2003, by Artemis Records. Zevon began recording the album shortly after he was diagnosed with inoperable pleural mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung), and it was released just two weeks before his death on September 7, 2003. The album was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, and "Disorder in the House", performed by Zevon with Bruce Springsteen, won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance (Group or Duo). Songs from the album were nominated for an additional three Grammys.

Recording and release

Upon learning of his cancer diagnosis, Zevon became determined to record a final studio album. His record label gave him a large budget to record, and he got assistance from several high-profile musicians and friends. Zevon was inspired to include a Bob Dylan cover after Dylan performed several of his songs in concert in 2002.

Critical reception

The record was regarded by Robert Christgau as "one of those nearness-of-death albums", along with Mississippi John Hurt's Last Sessions (1972), Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind (1997), Neil Young's Prairie Wind (2005), and Johnny Cash's American VI: Ain't No Grave (2010).

Track listing

All tracks written by Jorge Calderón and Warren Zevon, except where indicated.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dirty Life and Times"	Zevon	3:15
2.	"Disorder in the House"		4:36
3.	"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"	Bob Dylan	4:05
4.	"Numb as a Statue"		4:08
5.	"She's Too Good for Me"	Zevon	3:12
6.	"Prison Grove"		4:51
7.	"El Amor de Mi Vida"		3:34
8.	"The Rest of the Night"		4:41
9.	"Please Stay"	Zevon	3:34
10.	"Rub Me Raw"		5:44
11.	"Keep Me in Your Heart"		3:28

Personnel

Adapted credits from the liner notes of The Wind.

"Dirty Life and Times"

Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
Ry Cooder – guitar
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
Don Henley – drums
Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
Dwight Yoakam – backing vocals

"Disorder in the House"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, acoustic guitar and percussion
Jim Keltner – drums
Bruce Springsteen – electric guitar and backing vocals

"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Jorge Calderón – backing vocals, bass
Brad Davis – electric guitar and backing vocals
Steve Gorman – drums
Randy Mitchell – slide guitar and backing vocals
Tommy Shaw – 12-string acoustic guitar and backing vocals
Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
John Waite – backing vocals

"Numb as a Statue"

Warren Zevon – vocals and piano
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, maracas and backing vocals
Jim Keltner – drums
David Lindley – lap steel guitar

"She's Too Good for Me"

Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
Jorge Calderon – bass guitar
Luis Conte – drums and percussion
Don Henley – backing vocals
Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals

"Prison Grove"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Ry Cooder – slide guitar
David Lindley – electric saz and backing vocals
Jorge Calderon – electric guitar and backing vocals
Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
Jim Keltner – drums
Jordan Zevon – backing vocals
Bruce Springsteen – backing vocals
Jackson Browne – backing vocals
Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
T Bone Burnett – backing vocals

"El Amor de Mi Vida"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Jorge Calderón – Spanish-language vocals
Luis Conte – bongos
Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
Jim Keltner – drums
James Raymond – piano

"The Rest of the Night"

Warren Zevon – vocals and electric guitar
Mike Campbell – electric guitar
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar and electric guitar
Luis Conte – drums and percussion
Tom Petty – backing vocals

"Please Stay"

Warren Zevon – vocals and keyboard
Gil Bernal – saxophone
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
Luis Conte – drums and percussion
Emmylou Harris – backing vocals

"Rub Me Raw"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Jorge Calderón – electric guitar and bass guitar
Jim Keltner – drums
Joe Walsh – slide guitar

"Keep Me in Your Heart"

Warren Zevon – vocals
Jorge Calderón – acoustic guitar, bass guitar and tres
Jim Keltner – drums

Technical personnel

Bridgette Barr – executive Record producer
Hugh Brown – art direction
Jorge Calderón – production
Steve Churchyard – engineering
Greg Hayes – engineering
Stephen Marcussen – mastering
James Mitchell – engineering
Matthew Rolston – cover photo
Noah Scot Snyder – engineering, mixing, production
Joe West – engineering
Jordan Zevon – executive production
Warren Zevon – production

Chart performance

Year	Chart	Position
2003	US Top Internet Albums	12
2004	US Billboard 200	12
2004	US Top Independent Albums	1

Awards

Grammy Awards

Year	Winner	Category
2004	"Disorder in the House"	Best Rock Vocal Performance – Duo or Group
2004	The Wind	Best Contemporary Folk Album

Grammy Award Nominations

Year	Nominee	Category
2004	"Keep Me in Your Heart"	Song of the Year
2004	"Keep Me in Your Heart"	Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male
2004	"Disorder in the House"	Best Rock Song

References

Harris, Will (October 19, 2016). "Billy Bob Thornton on Goliath, Fargo, and Working with Warren Zevon". The A.V. Club.
Mark Deming (August 26, 2003). "The Wind – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
"CG: warren zevon". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
"Warren Zevon: The Wind : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. August 27, 2003. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
"How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut. October 2023. p. 71.
Hyden, Steven (September 7, 2018). "His Sh*t's F***ed Up: The Complicated Legacy of Warren Zevon". The Ringer. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
Christgau, Robert (May 2010). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
The Wind (booklet). Warren Zevon. Artemis. 2003. pp. 9–11. REDK 751156.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
"Top 200 Albums". Billboard. September 27, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
"Independent Albums". Billboard. September 13, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ "All GRAMMY Awards and Nominations for Warren Zevon". Grammy.com. Retrieved January 17, 2023.

v t e Warren Zevon
Studio albums	Wanted Dead or Alive Warren Zevon Excitable Boy Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School The Envoy Sentimental Hygiene Transverse City Hindu Love Gods Mr. Bad Example Mutineer Life'll Kill Ya My Ride's Here The Wind
Live albums	Stand in the Fire Learning to Flinch
Compilations	A Quiet Normal Life: The Best of Warren Zevon I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology) Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon The First Sessions Reconsider Me: The Love Songs Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
Tribute albums	Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon
Songs	"Carmelita" "Desperados Under the Eaves" "Hasten Down the Wind" "Lawyers, Guns and Money" "Mohammed's Radio" "Mr. Bad Example" "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" "Werewolves of London" "A Certain Girl" "Reconsider Me"
Related articles	Discography I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon Jordan Zevon (son) Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead Hindu Love Gods Hindu Love Gods Action Appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2002
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