Warren Zevon – Lawyers, Guns and Money

This song is on the great album Excitable Boy released in 1978. The album peaked at #8 in the Billboard 100. it was Zevon’s highest-ranking album.

Zevon once stated in an interview that this was based on a true story. Zevon and his manager were partying in Mexico when the “party” decided to take to the road and it looked liked it was “about to hit the fan.” Zevon’s manager feigned a phone call: “Send lawyers.” Zevon jumped in: “And guns… and money.”

I’ve always liked Zevon’s dark songs with a sense of humor. Warren Zevon’s universe contains a lot of colorful characters.

From Songfacts

This is about a troubled youth visiting Cuba who writes home to his father for help.

The reference to “I’m hiding in Honduras” may refer to the short exile of famous American short story writer O. Henry (Will Porter). In 1894, while working as a bank teller in Austin, Texas, Porter embezzled $5,000. He fled to New Orleansand then Honduras to avoid prosecution. At that time, US companies began their major export of Bananas from Honduras to the US, so the New Orleans-Honduras route was a well traveled one. Porter stayed in Honduras 11 months but returned to Austin to be near his terminally ill wife. He was arrested an served time in jail. 

 This was used as the theme song for producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s short-lived TV series Justice.

Lawyers, Guns and Money

I went home with a waitress the way I always do
How was I to know she was with the Russians, too?

I was gambling in Havana, I took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns, and money
Dad, get me out of this, hiya!

An innocent bystander
Somehow I got stuck between a rock and a hard place
And I’m down on my luck
Yes, I’m down on my luck
Well, I’m down on my luck

I’m hiding in Honduras, I’m a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns, and money
The shit has hit the fan

Send lawyers, guns, and money
Send lawyers, guns, and money

Send lawyers, guns, and money, hiya!
Send lawyers, guns, and money, ow!

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

24 thoughts on “Warren Zevon – Lawyers, Guns and Money”

  1. Pingback: Warren Zevon – Lawyers, Guns and Money — PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture – Musical Musings of a Mangled Mind

      1. Too much sunshine burns the retinas out. Dark gives balance to light. I haven’t gotten into his music at all but only because no time. Maybe one day there will be time.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Yes the hurt went away yesterday…don’t know if it rolled and I didn’t know or what. It could just be sitting and waiting. They won’t give you medicine to disolve it unless it is obstructing…mine is not.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Good, enjoy while it lasts. I wonder if there is any kind of food you could eat that would help break it up? Something acidic maybe? I know cranberry juice works for some things but not sure about kidney stones.

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Definitely one of rock’s cool characters and great story-tellers. It’s kind of amazing he didn’t do far better with the connections he had back then.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Nah. Missed it. I don’t watch much late night TV. Ken commands the remote. I have to sneak in the bedroom if I want to watch something…usually re-runs off of Comet TV.

        I stopped watching stuff after Leno left. Hellyweird really gets on my nerves these days.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Look it up on youtube…Warren’s last Letteman appearance. It’s sad as hell but he keeps it light hearted…basically he said he had a Doctor phobia and didn’t visit one in 20 years…it didn’t work out for him…

        What he said stuck with me…”Enjoy every sandwich”

        Like

  8. Pingback: Sloan – Money City Maniacs—- Songs That Reference Money – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Leave a comment