I’ve always liked Linda Rondstadt and the songs she covers. I know I’m in the minority with this song but I prefer the original version. Not because Linda did a bad job…on the contrary…she did great and made it popular. I’m just a huge Warren Zevon fan and she left out a verse that I fell in love with because it was so out there.
The lyrics would not really fit her so I understand but Zevon’s version is my go-to version. Ronstadt’s cover is a cleaned-up version with the gender-reversed. Her character still fails at suicide, but the S&M references (“I met her at the Rainbow Bar, she asked me if I’d beat her…”) are gone.
Zevon’s version came out in 1976 and Rondstadt’s was released in 1977. This song helped Zevon to get noticed. His Excitable Boy album came out a few months later and Werewolves of London was his first hit.
Linda Ronstadt was in the middle of a run of hits when she released this song on her eighth album, Simple Dreams. Her producer was Peter Asher, who also worked with James Taylor. Asher figured out that Ronstadt was more than just a singer, and he valued her input. When he started working with her a few years earlier, that’s when the hits started coming.
Peter Asher was one part of the Peter and Gordon pop duo that was part of the British invasion. Paul McCartney was going out with his sister Jane Asher and would give Peter songs to record with Gordon. After that was over he became part of Apple Records and then left to manage and produce James Taylor.
Ronstadt’s version peaked at #31 on the Billboard 100, #26 in Canada, and #46 on the Billboard Country charts in 1977. I was surprised actually…I thought it would have been higher in the charts.
Linda Rondstadt: “To me that song seemed like the purest expression of male vanity. Step on you, be insensitive, be unkind and give you a hard time, saying can’t ya take it, can’t ya take it. Then if you tease men in the slightest bit, they’ll just walk off with their feelings hurt, stomp off in a corner and pout. I mean that’s the way men are, I swear. I thought the verse turned around to a female point of view was just perfect. The gender change works perfectly.”
Poor Poor Pitiful Me
Well, I lay my head on the railroad track
Waiting on the double E
But the train don’t run by here no more
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Oh, these boys won’t let me be
Lord, have mercy on me
Woe, woe is me
Well, I met a man out in Hollywood
Now I ain’t naming names
Well he really worked me over good
Just like Jesse James
Yes, he really worked me over good
He was a credit to his gender
Put me through some changes, Lord
Sort of like a waring blender
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Oh, these boys won’t let me be
Lord, have mercy on me
Woe woe is me
Well, I met a boy in the Vieux Carres
Down in Yokohama
He picked me up and he threw me down
He said, “Please don’t hurt me, mama”
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Oh, these boys won’t let me be
Lord, have mercy on me
Woe woe is me
Poor, poor, poor me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor, poor me
Poor, poor pitiful me
Poor, poor, poor me
Poor, poor pitiful me
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I think that Zevon’s version rocks a bit more, but since Linda has such a lovely voice, I am going with her cover on this song.
Oh yea most people will…and I like it…dont’ get me wrong…I just love Zevon’s line that she left out.
I see great merit in both versions, but I will side with Linda’s only because I had a poster of her back in the day. 😀
Oh yea…can’t go wrong with Linda Rondstadt…
What a crazy bunch of connections between Macca, Asher, Taylor …basically social networking before there was social networking lol
The Beatles signed James Taylor for Apple…yea if they would have stayed a company…he would have stayed on their label.
I’ll go with the flock here, and go for Linda’s version probably because I am predisposed to like her and I knew her version long before I heard Warren’s original. But both have merit and either is a good listen. He was probably happy she made it a hit – not only for the royalties but they were all a part of that Laurel Canyon clan, weren’t they – Eagles, Taylor, JD souther, Asher and on and on. Amazing collection of talent there
Oh yes…he was really happy she made it a hit. I believe if he would have wrote it after Werewolves of London it would have been a hit for him…except that one line…which I love because it’s comes out of left field.
I do like Lidna’s version….I just Warren’s because it’s a little more rock based. I thought Linda’s would have peaked more than that though…I thought top 10 anyway.
The original is great and enough so to catch the attention of Linda and Peter. As you pointed out to the benefit of all parties. I like it when the gender change happens, it makes for some memorable music! Where would we be without RESPECT…ok now you’ve given me ideas for a post or maybe two!
LOL… I love Linda’s version but I love the rock based way Zevon did it and his lyrics.
Glad I gave you some ideas!
Show me a teenage boy in the ’70s who said they didn’t just love Linda Ronstadt … and I’ll show you a liar. 😉 🙂
LOL…oh yea I loved her!
Which is better? I don’t want to talk about it. But I remember the first time I heard Linda Ronstadt on the radio (with the Stone Poneys) and knew she would be a voice to be reckoned with. And I when I heard Warren Zevon I remember thinking he had a sardonic sense of humor that might have been appreciated by Mose Allison.
lol….His sense of humor…more like black humor I loved. Excitable Boy and even Werewolves of London and Play It All Night Long..
I did like Linda…no doubt. She was the complete package.
I don’t think I knew of this song, but I liked how it came from Zevon. Another one for the collection. I like the exuberance of Zevon in this track.
Just Yesterday, I downloaded Excitable Boy which you put me onto. Cheers Max.
Well you and I are on the same page…probably the only ones so far.
I love Excitable Boy…”And he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones”
You don’t hear that in songs too much.
Yeh, that lines a keeper.
Ah, who said sweet schmalz and tear-jerking romance is dead?
Isn’t it beautiful?
When Linda was hot she was hot and she was hot for a long time. Her version is the one I know and my preferred. When I read Peter Asher it reminded me of 10,000 Maniacs and their breakout album and I was right, Peter Asher produced. Would you ever consider writing a piece on Asher as a producer?? It’s ok if you don’t want to.
Sure that would be completely different…I would love to do that.
!YAY! You’re so easy 😉
LOL…he is interesting and I just read about him in Chris O’Dell’s book…he was her boss two different times…very tolerant man and nice.
I do want to read that book when I get time.
You would get to know George much better…and it’s a good better. He was even nicer than I originally thought.
This is her song that won me over:
https://youtu.be/PrH3OQRgfVc
Oh thanks…I haven’t heard that in forever! I love Rondstadt don’t get me wrong…most of the time I like her covers better than the originals.
I love Warren’s original also, it’s just not as familiar.
Yea I gotcha…I love that line he says but…it would NOT have fit her.
Lisa…could you check my test post out about my songs? Sorry for the last minute but I hope it plays for everyone.
Just listened to part of it but going back for the rest in a minute. That is REALLY GOOD! It started playing immediately when I hit the play button.
Thank you so much for clicking on it…at least now i know Soundcloud will work with WP with no trouble
You’re very welcome. Such a musical adventure about to begin for you and the band. I have a good feeling about this.
I hope people are receptive good or bad. Thank you for the encouragement.
You are welcome, Max. Have Jen and Bailey heard it???
Oh yea…Jen really likes it. Bailey is making a video of that song called She Says It’s Me this summer.
OH MY GOSH. You and Chris make the music and Bailey makes the music videos. A match made in heaven.
That reminds me…I have to tell Chris he is being broadcast lol.
Warren’s is rawer, Linda’s is produced to perfection- depends on your mood. I’m happy to listen to both.
Oh I like both obbverse…that one line I really miss.
Ever since I watched the 2019 documentary “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice”, I’ve come to dig her. While she “only did covers”, she was such an amazing and versatile vocalist. And, yes, her looks admittedly didn’t hurt either. When it comes to this particular tune, I don’t have a strong preference and like both versions.
This was a cool comparison. I think I prefer Zevon’s, even though I heard Linda’s version first. I love Linda’s voice in Different Drum and Long Long Time, but not her rock and roll voice so much. She did have a special voice though.
Thank you! I think you are the only 2nd one who did. I do like Linda’s voice…a lot but this one I liked Warren’s.
Could you do me a favor and check the post out I just posted…and tell me if you can hear the music at all? It’s a post about asking people if they would mind me posting my songs….I just posted a test track with no vocals to see if people could hear it…I’ve never done this before.
Sorry, I was off the computer for the rest of the night and just now saw this. Yes, I can hear it and it sounds great. But you already know, because of all the great comments on it. 🙂
Thank you for listening!
She did do a great job with this song. Made me think about staying away from those boys. It took a while to make better choices.
She did do a great job. Same with me…just replace “boys” with “girls” before I got married.
I dig both versions. Linda has a start that grabs you fast, drums and guitar, then she breaks in with that voice, oh man, that voice. Good rocking tune. I saw her do it live in the 70s when she had that kick-ass touring band featuring Waddie Wachtel on guitar, Andrew Gold, Dan Dugmore, and Kenny Edwards; now, that was a backing band to reckon with. I was playing that album last week, so how funny you wrote a piece on it.
I was listening to Zevon last week and I thought this would be good to do. Thanks for reading Phil…I do like both versions…it’s hard not to like her voice.