Zevon, Warren - Genius Lyrics

“If I could only get my record clean, I’d be a genius” A genius indeed !

An underappreciated...... GENIUS. Warren we miss you dearly. RIP Genius.

Absolutely one of the best songs I've ever heard. Zevon was a true genius when it came to songwriting

Such an excellent song. Greetings from Vietnam.

No doubt about who the genius is here!!

“When you’re doing well, I mean good.” Genius bit of writing there. Using the proper word and then correcting to the wrong word for the rhyme.

Maybe, but possibly he was intentionally saying he was "doing good", meaning he was referring to his goodness. I don't do well things, I do good things....but, maybe Warren actually meant both...being a clever lyricist....

When your doing well..I mean good..

Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Warren zevon: master tunesmiths

You need to add Marty Robbins to your above list.

still listening

Just brilliant - great lyrics, great tune, unsettling arrangement. I think this is his best work.

The arrangement fits well with the lyrical content

A wonderful piece of music with a very unorthodox chord progression and an intriguing story in the lyrics ...Written by a genius

Damn, it works.

"If I could only get my record clean..."

It's not yours, it is what they try to to put on you that makes you there puppit. Loose them.

A genius indeed WZ.

A masterpiece. The mood and the flow. Zevon was a badass. New to his work but loving each discovery.

Warren the best!! I've been singer songwriter with Warner bros we still talk about him I've been there 36 years people weren't ready for him then still not but one day we"ll look back and say we didnt know what we had until it was too late.It's always been that way with artist and poets thru the centuries. Its always been that way with the Genuis.See you again in the other dimension old friend.

Well.. said..

Music is a gift to mankind. I love it so much. I have listened to Warren Zevon since birth, and I will never stop. Got a lot of people into his music, too, which makes me smile. I wish I had the talent to give back to humankind through art. I want to unite people, the way that people come together like this. Not many comments, but not a one that's negative and all of us here for the same reason; we're here to appreciate genius. I suppose I am alright with words, I could try to do something with that.

Everybody's your best friend when you're doin' well... I mean "good"

This is "Really weird conversation(s): The song."

You broke my heart into smithereens
that took genius

i'VE BEEN LISTENING TO WZ for two days, and it is beyond belief how good this guy is.
Where the fck was I during the 70's 80's.
His music singing , writing is better than anything I have ever heard before.

My parents were both lucky enough to have seen him in concert.

Welcome to the inner sanctum.

I've got a bitter pot of je ne sais quoi
Guess what-I'm stirring it with a monkey's paw
Since I saw you coming out of my barber's shop
In that skimpy little halter top

Did you light the candles? Did you put on "Kind of Blue?"
Did you use that Ivy League voodoo on him, too?
He thinks he'll be alright but he doesn't know for sure
Like every other unindicted coconspirator

Mata Hari had a house in France
Where she worked on all her secret plans
Men were falling for her sight unseen
She was a genius

There's a a face in every window of the Songwriters' Neighborhood
Everybody's your best friend when you're doing well-I mean good
The poet who lived next door when you were young and poor
Grew up to be a backstabbing entrepreneur

Albert Einstein was a ladies' man
While he was working on his universal plan
He was making out like Charlie Sheen
He was a genius

When you dropped me and you staked your claim
On a V.I.P. who could make your name
You latched on to him and I became
A minor inconvenience
Your protege don't care about art
I'm the one who always told you you were smart
You broke my heart into smithereens
And that took genius

You and the barber make a handsome pair
Guess what-I never liked the way he cut your hair
I didn't like the way he turned your head
But there's nothing I can do or say I haven't done or said

Everybody needs a place to stand
And a method for their schemes and scams
If I could only get my record clean
I'd be a genius

is he autotuned in this?

Yes, Warren had advanced lung cancer & couldn't hit all the notes properly at that stage. He didn't want to let us down so he finished the record. I just can't imagine the pain he must have been in.

When he recorded this song he likely already had the cancer, but did not know. Genius was on "My Ride's Here," released in 2002. "The Wind" was his final album, in 2003.

My old theme song

weird, but diggable

There's nothing I can do or say I haven't already done or said

An apology, not an apology.

The only place you can go friends

he is genius

Miss ing you, bit you made your imprint. Hall e juliah

I copied and pasted so people on their phones like me dont have to close the song:

I've got a bitter pot of je ne sais quoi
Guess what-I'm stirring it with a monkey's paw
Since I saw you coming out of my barber's shop
In that skimpy little halter top

Did you light the candles? Did you put on "Kind of Blue?"
Did you use that Ivy League voodoo on him, too?
He thinks he'll be alright but he doesn't know for sure
Like every other unindicted coconspirator

Mata Hari had a house in France
Where she worked on all her secret plans
Men were falling for her sight unseen
She was a genius

There's a a face in every window of the Songwriters' Neighborhood
Everybody's your best friend when you're doing well-I mean good
The poet who lived next door when you were young and poor
Grew up to be a backstabbing entrepreneur

Albert Einstein was a ladies' man
While he was working on his universal plan
He was making out like Charlie Sheen
He was a genius

When you dropped me and you staked your claim
On a V.I.P. who could make your name
You latched on to him and I became
A minor inconvenience
Your protege don't care about art
I'm the one who always told you you were smart
You broke my heart into smithereens
And that took genius

You and the barber make a handsome pair
Guess what-I never liked the way he cut your hair
I didn't like the way he turned your head
But there's nothing I can do or say I haven't done or said

Everybody needs a place to stand
And a method for their schemes and scams
If I could only get my record clean
I'd be a genius

A fine artist, RIP Warren, thanks for the music.

Was the autotune on this track meant to be ironic?

+josephgioielli I'm calling bs on that

Jeff Jacobs - Look into it. He had advanced lung cancer. He passed away shortly after the release of this album.

I don't think the timing works out. This was recorded in 2001, but he wasn't diagnosed until he started showing symptoms in mid 2002. The album that just preceded his death was "The Wind" (August 2003), and as far as I know he didn't use autotune on that one at all. So I'm guessing it's an artistic choice here.

There is a bit of autotune on many songs from this album, but in this song it's too obvious. It could be a deliberate effect here.

I presume it's for the effect. It's another toy to play with. Either you like his voice or you don't. Autotune isn't going to change that.

wz. was a genius. documented IW at near or over 180.

And most of us have trouble hitting the right computer key. :) IQ?

After reading the few (sadly not millions) comments about this song, ALL written with care and appreciation for the genius, I am still much encouraged about our human niche in this world.

Where else do you hear of a monkey's paw, un-indicted co-conspirators, ,Mata Hari, a back-stabbing entrepreneur, and Albert Einstein in one rock song? Genius.

Damn man, you took the words right outta my mouth. If I'd been here earlier, I'd have been a genius.

My parents brought me up on this music. I will be eternally grateful they did.

+Chris Schultz i like that.

Oscar Olson You have cool parents ... Check out The Flying Lizards. They have some fun music also.

Patrick Murphy and and and a genius

"If I could only get my record clean, I'd be a genius."
Warren, the genius himself.

"...Your protege don't care about art. I'm the one who always told you you were smart..."

Human being. right up there.

"Did you use that Ivy League Voodoo on him, too?"

...Indeed...He was a Genius...

Miss you Warren

Warren is Da Vinci in writing lyrics. So much things said in so much great words...

I know, I uploaded The Envoy myself, hahahaha!

Damn, I never heard that line before WD.

The whole song is good except the line about hideous Charlie Sheen....he's a pinhead.

Doesn't change the fact that he is a good comparison for someone who pulls.