Life'll Kill Ya

Life'll Kill Ya
Life'll Kill Ya
Studio album by Warren Zevon
Released	January 25, 2000
Recorded	1999
Studio	Anatomy of a Headache, Los Angeles; Fort Apache Studios, Cambridge; Magic Shop, New York City;
Genre	Rock
Length	40:23
Label	Artemis
Producer	Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade
Warren Zevon chronology
Singles from Life'll Kill Ya
	"I Was in the House When the House Burned Down"; Released: 2000; "Porcelain Monkey"; Released: 2000; "Back in the High Life Again"; Released: 2000;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]
Rolling Stone	^[3]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[4]
Uncut	8/10^[5]

Life'll Kill Ya is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. The album was released on January 25, 2000, by Artemis Records. It was later hailed in Rolling Stone as his best work since Excitable Boy.^[4]

Themes

Several of the album's songs deal with the topic of death; for instance, "My Shit's Fucked Up" is a mournful lament on the aging process and the inevitable decay that accompanies it. "Life'll Kill Ya" and "Don't Let Us Get Sick" also have prominent death themes. Additionally, Zevon had a phobia of doctors leading him to avoid them for several years; that theme is included in the album as well.^[6] In 2002, just two years after the album's release, Zevon was diagnosed with mesothelioma and died a year later.^[7]^[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Warren Zevon unless noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Was in the House When the House Burned Down"		3:04
2.	"Life'll Kill Ya"		2:47
3.	"Porcelain Monkey"	Jorge Calderón, Zevon	3:32
4.	"For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer"		3:13
5.	"I'll Slow You Down"		3:13
6.	"Hostage-O"		4:05
7.	"Dirty Little Religion"		3:11
8.	"Back in the High Life Again"	Will Jennings, Steve Winwood	3:13
9.	"My Shit's Fucked Up"		2:45
10.	"Fistful of Rain"	Jorge Calderón, Zevon	5:19
11.	"Ourselves to Know"		3:18
12.	"Don't Let Us Get Sick"		3:05

Note

On some releases, track 9 is omitted from the rear U-card but appears on the song list in the case booklet.

Personnel

Warren Zevon – percussion, keyboards, guitar, piccolo, vocals, penny whistle, harmonica; theremin on "Porcelain Monkey"
Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, percussion, vocals
Dennis Collins – vocals on "Fistful of Rain"
Babi Floyd – vocals on "Fistful of Rain"
Curtis King – vocals on "Fistful of Rain"
Chuck Prophet – guitar on "For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer"
Jim Ryan – mandolin on "Ourselves to Know"
Winston Watson – percussion, snare drums

Production

Paul Q. Kolderie – producer, engineer
Sean Slade – producer, engineer
Greg Calbi – mastering
Michael Krumper – A&R
Warren Zevon – art direction
Jonathan Exley – photography, design

Charts

Chart (2000)	Peak position
US Billboard 200^[9]	173
US Independent Albums (Billboard)^[10]	8

References

^ Mark Deming (January 25, 2000). "Life'll Kill Ya – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
^ Warren Zevon (February 17, 2000). "Rolling Stone : Warren Zevon: Life'll Kill Ya : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ ^a ^b Rolling Stone album guide
^ "How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut. October 2023. p. 71.
^ The Late Show with David Letterman, October 30, 2002
^ "Salon.com People | Warren Zevon". Archived from the original on August 21, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ "PopMatters | Columns | Michael Stephens | BodyMatters | Warren Zevon & The Art of Dying". Archived from the original on October 30, 2002. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
^ "Warren Zevon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
^ "Warren Zevon Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.

[1] Mark Deming (January 25, 2000). "Life'll Kill Ya – Warren Zevon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2015.

[2] Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.

[3] Warren Zevon (February 17, 2000). "Rolling Stone : Warren Zevon: Life'll Kill Ya : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2015.

[Album_guide-4] Rolling Stone album guide

[5] "How to buy Warren Zevon". Uncut. October 2023. p. 71.

[6] The Late Show with David Letterman, October 30, 2002

[7] "Salon.com People | Warren Zevon". Archived from the original on August 21, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2015.

[8] "PopMatters | Columns | Michael Stephens | BodyMatters | Warren Zevon & The Art of Dying". Archived from the original on October 30, 2002. Retrieved October 23, 2015.

[ac_Billboard200_Warren_Zevon-9] "Warren Zevon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.

[ac_BillboardIndependent_Warren_Zevon-10] "Warren Zevon Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.

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v t e Warren Zevon
Studio albums	Wanted Dead or Alive Warren Zevon Excitable Boy Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School The Envoy Sentimental Hygiene Transverse City Hindu Love Gods Mr. Bad Example Mutineer Life'll Kill Ya My Ride's Here The Wind
Live albums	Stand in the Fire Learning to Flinch
Compilations	A Quiet Normal Life: The Best of Warren Zevon I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology) Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon The First Sessions Reconsider Me: The Love Songs Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
Tribute albums	Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon
Songs	"Follow Me" "Carmelita" "Desperados Under the Eaves" "Hasten Down the Wind" "Lawyers, Guns and Money" "Mohammed's Radio" "Mr. Bad Example" "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" "Werewolves of London" "A Certain Girl" "Reconsider Me"
Related articles	Discography I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon Jordan Zevon (son) Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead Hindu Love Gods Hindu Love Gods Action Appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2002
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