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07 Aug 07 - 01:20 PM (#2120907) Subject: Lyr Add: MOHAMMED'S RADIO (Warren Zevon) From: NormanD Warren Zevon wrote and recorded this song over thirty years ago. He obviously wouldn't have had Al Jazeera in mind when he penned it. If it was a contemporary comment on Islamic relations then his lyrics were vague and enigmatic, to say the least. Any views on what the song is about? (Please don't say "it's about three and a half minutes", we know that joke already). Here are the lyrics: "Mohammed's Radio" Everybody's restless and they've got no place to go Someone's always trying to tell them Something they already know So their anger and resentment flow Chorus: But don't it make you want to rock and roll All night long Mohammed's Radio I heard somebody singing sweet and soulful On the radio, Mohammed's Radio You know, the Sheriff's got his problems too He will surely take them out on you In walked the village idiot and his face was all aglow He's been up all night listening to Mohammed's Radio Chorus Everybody's desperate trying to make ends meet Work all day, still can't pay the price of gasoline and meat Alas, their lives are incomplete Chorus You've been up all night listening for his drum Hoping that the righteous might just might just might just come I heard the General whisper to his aide-de-camp "Be watchful for Mohammed's lamp" Chorus |
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07 Aug 07 - 01:40 PM (#2120931) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? From: Rasener Linda Ronstadt does a great version of that. Used tyo play that time and time again. Never really thought to much about the meaning though. |
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07 Aug 07 - 02:55 PM (#2120979) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: alanabit I used to like hearing The Arizona Smoke Revue's version of it and I asked the same question. My guess is that it is essentially a sketch of a small town, in which the only interesting thing going on is a local radio station. The idea that it could be a metaphor for something much bigger has occurred to me, but I can't see anything to back it up. I think Little Hawk knows about this sort of stuff, so I could well turn out to be way off the mark! |
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07 Aug 07 - 03:07 PM (#2120989) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: McGrath of Harlow I've never heard the song, but from reading it I'd be inclined to think think it's a tribute to the old Moroccan hash. |
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07 Aug 07 - 03:47 PM (#2121036) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: robomatic That was a wonderful album, self titled and the second one released I believe. I didn't take much of a religious reference out of it, because not all our Islamic friends are 'righteous' with R&R. The album concerns itself more with down-and-outers from a number of viewpoints, I couple it emotionally with Richard Thompson's brilliant Rumour and Sigh. Zevon doesn't always make a point of being lyrically clear, although his lyrics can be subtly hilarious*; he is excellent for building up impressions, and the music is always powerful. For another impression of Mohammed's Radio I await other comments with great interest. *The song Jungle Work from the album "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School" appears to praise the work of mercenaries, but in reality it is a kind of juvenile mind-set that he is either depicting, satirizing, or both: We parachute in We parachute out "Death From Above" We're screaming now |
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07 Aug 07 - 04:39 PM (#2121090) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Bonzo3legs I like the reference to bush in the song! |
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07 Aug 07 - 04:40 PM (#2121093) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Bonzo3legs It's just a song, it doesn't have to mean anything, but it has a great tune. |
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07 Aug 07 - 07:41 PM (#2121234) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: SouthernCelt I always took it to be a commentary on the beginnings of the Arab world's use of oil to control or severely impact the world economy primarily because it came out right after the beginnings of the first gasoline crisis and first occasion of severely rising prices due to OPEC's manipulation of oil prices. I took the reference to the radio and the implication that Mohammed's radio doesn't play R&R was a reference to the Arabic/Muslim radio entertainment which was directed toward making their citizens more Islamic and less worldly (influenced by Western culture). SC |
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07 Aug 07 - 07:56 PM (#2121244) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Amos Mohammed's Radio is the wavelength we all tune in to when we get as close as we are able to get to the Infinite Compassion. It's the wavelength Mohammed heard when he first dreamed up his version of Allah, before all the argybargy set in; the same station that Jesus and his fellow-messiahs were locked into at night while cruising for bagels. It's the wavelength of Buddha, Zoroaster, the Delphic oracle and the non-frequency of the Tao. There's no missing it when you hear it, and no finding it if you are missing it. It is Gawd's own frequency, coming to you through the night sky at thirty billion teravolts of AM transmission, this morning and every AM to come. DON'T touch that dial.... A |
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07 Aug 07 - 10:18 PM (#2121313) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Peace It is a great song with a wonderful feel to it. The link is to Zevon and Browne doing it. You'll likely want to bookmark it. I think the use of Mohammed in the song is not in reference to the Muslim prophet. It scans well for the song. |
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07 Aug 07 - 10:23 PM (#2121316) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Peace What Amos said. In touch with the universe, with the things that reach into our souls and keep us trying, doing, being. |
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07 Aug 07 - 11:38 PM (#2121360) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Amos See- that's why I love this guy. He unnerstans!! A |
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07 Aug 07 - 11:58 PM (#2121375) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Cluin Did Linda Ronstadt cover EVERY song WZ wrote? I do admire her taste. |
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08 Aug 07 - 12:04 AM (#2121377) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Lonesome EJ Amos, I see you have the clip of your crystal set affixed to creation's timeless radiator. That static you hear is not sunspot activity but energy generated from the downflow of the holy. The earpiece dangles before us. Let us plug it into the canal and know truth. |
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08 Aug 07 - 05:36 PM (#2122033) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Bonzo3legs Bloody hell, it's just a rock n roll song! |
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08 Aug 07 - 05:38 PM (#2122034) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Peace Yeah. Like "Maggie" is just a love song. |
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08 Aug 07 - 06:57 PM (#2122093) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Jeri I don't want to read too much into it. I think it's a pretty abstract song. I think a lot of the images/metaphors are just to make people think and evoke their own feelings. I think the song is about how, no matter how much life sucks, you can still find some bliss in music. The song just sounds too good, and makes you want to sing along, and that's NOT because it's about drugs or is a commentary on politics. That's my interpretation anyway. And yep, I have the original album. It's got John David Souther, Jackson Browne, Phil Everly, Lindsey Buckingham, 'Stephanie' Nicks (Lindsey and Stevie sing harmonies on 'Mohammed's Radio'), Glen Frey, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, and Rosemary Butler. Not bad. |
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08 Aug 07 - 11:31 PM (#2122201) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Peace And Jeri nailed it in one, IMO, with "I think the song is about how, no matter how much life sucks, you can still find some bliss in music. The song just sounds too good, and makes you want to sing along, and that's NOT because it's about drugs or is a commentary on politics." |
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08 Aug 07 - 11:32 PM (#2122202) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Jeri Robomatic, I've listened to Jungle Work a load of times and I never caught the joke. The guy was quirky, to say the least. Same brain that came up with Roland the (Headless) Thompson Gunner. |
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09 Aug 07 - 12:57 AM (#2122250) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Lonesome EJ "and if California falls into the sea like the mystics and statistics say it will I predict this motel will be standing until I pay my bill" Desperadoes Under the Eaves- Zevon |
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09 Aug 07 - 04:17 AM (#2122307) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: KeithofChester I used to like hearing The Arizona Smoke Revue's version of it... That's where I first came across the song too. It's on the Arizonas' New Album, issued 1983 on vinyl. The title has dated just a bit! The song appears twice. It both opens the album and then there is a reprise version towards the end. It's also on the (quite hard to find) double CD where they combined A Thundering On The Horizon with The New Album. |
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09 Aug 07 - 06:08 AM (#2122339) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Bonzo3legs I have it on an EP too. Last saw the Arizonas in a village hall in the south of England a few years ago, just Bill Zorn/Paul Downes and Steve Knightly, and a great evening it was too! |
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09 Aug 07 - 07:31 AM (#2122377) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: KeithofChester Last saw the Arizonas in a village hall in the south of England a few years ago, just Bill Zorn/Paul Downes and Steve Knightly, and a great evening it was too! Last time I saw the Arizona Smoke Revue was at Biddulph Town Hall in December 2004, with Bill Zorn, Pete Zorn, Paul Downes & Gaylan Taylor. Phil Beer also joined them at one date on that tour (Dartford Folk Club). There was rumour something might happen with the ASR this year, but I think Bill Zorn is currently too busy with his comitments to The Kingston Trio. |
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09 Aug 07 - 09:34 AM (#2122443) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Jeri Robert Ford the gunman, in exchange for his parole Took the life of James the outlaw which he snuck up on and stole Frank and Jesse James- Zevon The song has other moments... Loneliness and frustration We both came down with an acute case And when the lights came up at two I caught a glimpse of you And your face looked like something Death brought in in a suitcase The French Inhaler- Zevon Don't even get me started on Play it All Night Long... Regarding Linda Ronstadt covering Zevon's songs, I think she was why I first bought one of his albums. |
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10 Aug 07 - 12:02 AM (#2122949) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: robomatic I saw him do a solo performance at The Paradise in Boston, some of it unplugged, if my memory is right. His sound did not originate in a studio, he was the real McCoy. And he sang "Roland". |
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15 Feb 11 - 10:10 AM (#3095686) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: GUEST,AAA According to Zevon's biography, he saw a man at a bus stop wearing traditional arab clothing and holding a boombox by his head, and the image stuck in his mind. The song was the result. |
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17 Aug 11 - 07:09 PM (#3208598) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: Jeri According to Zevon's bio, AAA is correct. It was a mentally challenged man dressed in Arab clothing (on Halloween) with a radio. |
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18 Aug 11 - 12:16 PM (#3208895) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: GUEST,Phil B Warren Zevon. Absolutely one of my all time heroes. Roland. (Brilliant) Bad Karma. (Hilarious) Lawyers Guns and Money. (Even more hilarious) I could go on forever. Werewolves AAAAAAAOOOOOOOOH! |
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18 Aug 11 - 04:19 PM (#3208474) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: GUEST,Doublejay I was there, It's about the night clerk at a C store guy Warren became fond of, The store was by the Poineer Chicken Stand, He always had his radio going, it's about what came out of his radio, thats it, nothing mystical at all. Just an Arab with a crappy transister radio. |
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02 Dec 17 - 08:51 AM (#3891833) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: GUEST,smartalek "According to Zevon's bio, AAA is correct. It was a mentally challenged man dressed in Arab clothing (on Halloween) with a radio." So that would be the "village idiot" whose "face was all aglow." Got it. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Thanks for that clarity, AAA. |
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02 Dec 17 - 09:08 AM (#3891840) Subject: RE: 'Mohammed's Radio': Meaning? (Warren Zevon) From: GUEST,Warwick Slade Ah. Warren Zevon. A sadly missed artist. His work with Jackson Browne et al was a period of great music.i did not try to analyse his songs. Just enjoyed the music at face value. Call me old fashioned. |