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"Play It All Night Long" is a song by American singer/songwriter Warren Zevon from the album Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School, released in 1980.

Background[]

Warren Zevon explained that the song was written "really fast" while on marijuana on the synthesizer ostinato. The song is also considered a satire/homage to the dead band's song (Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"). Warren had read a novel around the time the song was written by Newton Thornburg titled Black Angus and got the idea for the line "the cattle all have brucellosis" from it. The song was a common live favorite of Warren's and made it many set lists subsequent to its release. It is probably the only popular song ever written which contains a reference to brucellosis.

Music[]

"Play It All Night Long" is in the key of A minor. Throughout the whole song the chord progression: | Am | F | C | G | remains constant to the end. The song features short four-bar guitar solos between choruses and verses and a longer guitar solo at the end played until the song completely fades out.

Lyrics[]

Note: the text of this song's lyrics is not under the same copyright license as the wiki's encyclopedic text, it is used under fair use/dealing.

Grandpa pissed his pants again

He don't give a damn

Brother Billy has both guns drawn

He ain't been right since Vietnam


"Sweet home Alabama"

Play that dead band's song

Turn those speakers up full blast

Play it all night long


Daddy's doing Sister Sally

Grandma's dying of cancer now

The cattle all have brucellosis

We'll get through somehow


"Sweet home Alabama"

Play that dead band's song

Turn those speakers up full blast

Play it all night long


I'm going down to the Dew Drop Inn

See if I can drink enough

There ain't much to country living

Sweat, piss, jizz and blood


"Sweet home Alabama"

Play that dead band's song

Turn those speakers up full blast

Play it all night long

Personnel[]

Warren Zevon - Lead vocals, String Synthesizer

David Lindley - Guitar, Lap steel guitar

Leland Sklar - Bass

Rick Marotta - Drums

Jackson Browne - Harmony Vocals

Sid Sharp Strings

Produced by: Warren Zevon and Greg Ladanyi

See Also[]

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