Excitable Boy

Excitable Boy
Studio album by Warren Zevon
Released	January 18, 1978 (1978-01-18)
Recorded	1977 (1977), The Sound Factory, Los Angeles
Genre	Rock
Length	31:29
Label	Asylum
Producer	Jackson Browne Waddy Wachtel
Warren Zevon chronology
Warren Zevon (1976) Excitable Boy (1978) Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Music Box
Robert Christgau	(A-)
Rolling Stone	(favorable)

Excitable Boy is the third album by Warren Zevon, released in 1978. It includes the top 40 success "Werewolves of London". The album brought Warren to commercial attention and remains the best-selling album of his career. A remastered and expanded edition was released during 2007.

The tracks "Excitable Boy" and "Werewolves of London" are macabrely humorous. The historical "Veracruz" dramatizes the United States occupation of Veracruz, and likewise "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" is a fictionalization of a mercenary in Africa. "Lawyers, Guns and Money" is a tongue-in-cheek take on Cold War paranoia. In addition, there are two straightforward ballads about life and relationships ("Accidentally Like a Martyr" and "Tenderness on the Block").

Track listing

All songs written by Warren Zevon except as noted.

1. "Johnny Strikes Up the Band" – 2:49
2. "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" (David Lindell, Zevon) – 3:47
3. "Excitable Boy" (LeRoy Marinell, Zevon) – 2:40
4. "Werewolves of London" (Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Zevon) – 3:27
5. "Accidentally Like a Martyr" – 3:37
6. "Nighttime in the Switching Yard" (Jorge Calderón, Lindell) – 4:15
7. "Veracruz" (Calderón, Zevon) – 3:30
8. "Tenderness on the Block" (Jackson Browne, Zevon) – 3:55
9. "Lawyers, Guns and Money" – 3:29

Bonus Tracks (2007 reissue)

1. "I Need a Truck" (Outtake) – 0:50
2. "Werewolves of London" (Alternate version) (Marinell, Wachtel, Zevon) – 3:41
3. "Tule's Blues" (Solo Piano Version) – 3:13
4. "Frozen Notes" (Strings Version) – 1:59

Personnel

• Warren Zevon – organ, synthesizer, bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, Vocals
• Jorge Calderón – vocals, harmony vocals, Spanish vocals on "Veracruz"
• Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar - guitar, percussion
• Russ Kunkel – drums

Additional personnel

• Karla Bonoff – vocals, harmony vocals on "Accidentally Like a Martyr"
• Jackson Browne – guitar, vocals, harmony vocals
• Luis Damian – jarana on "Veracruz"
• Kenny Edwards – bass, harmony vocals
• Mick Fleetwood – drums on "Werewolves of London"
• The Gentlemen Boys – vocals
• Arthur Gerst – harp, Mexican harp
• Bob Glaub – bass
• Jim Horn – recorder, saxophone
• Greg Ladanyi – bells
• Rick Marotta – drums
• John McVie – bass on "Werewolves of London"
• Jeff Porcaro – percussion, drums on "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
• Linda Ronstadt – vocals, harmony on "Excitable Boy"
• Leland Sklar – bass
• J.D. Souther – vocals, harmony
• Manuel Vasquez – requinto on "Veracruz"
• Waddy Wachtel – synthesizer, guitar, harmony vocals
• Jennifer Warnes – harmony vocals on "Excitable Boy"
• Linda Warnes – vocals

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1978	Billboard Pop Albums	8

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	"Werewolves of London"	Billboard Pop Singles	21

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
RIAA – U.S.	Gold	April 17, 1978
CRIA – Canada	Gold	June 1, 1978
RIAA – U.S.	Platinum	November 7, 1997