"The French Inhaler" is a Warren Zevon song, written by Warren Zevon, off his 1976 self-titled album.
About[]
"The French Inhaler" is mainly intended as a kiss-off to "Tule" Livingston. The over-all bitter tone of the song was lyrically modeled after when Zevon found out about Livingston's post-breakup meeting with another musician. Jordan Zevon has described the lyrics of the song as "French Inhaler is [Warren Zevon's] way of saying 'fuck you' to my mom after she slept with another guy ... as much as it pains me that it's about my mother, it is the greatest ex-girlfriend 'fuck you' song of all time." He also commented that "despite the subject matter, my mom would play that song to me after a couple of glasses of wine and laugh and say: 'Isn't that brilliant?' She knew he was a genius".
She said, "So long, Norman."
At the conclusion of the song, Zevon's lyrics also incorporate the furor surrounding Norman Mailer's exploitive 1973 Marilyn Monroe biography.
Music[]
The song is in the key of D major. There are also short points where the song is more prominently heard in D major's relative key of B minor (specifically at "we both came down with an acute case"). The song's most prominent instrument is the piano, yet also features short, mildly distorted guitar fills throughout parts of the song. This album version's run time is 3 minutes and 49 seconds long.
Lyrics[]
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman
When you weren't cut out for working
When your fingers are slender and frail
How're you going to get around
In this sleazy bedroom town
If you don't put yourself up for sale
Where will you go with your scarves and your miracles
Who's gonna know who you are
Drugs and wine and flattering light
You must try it again till you get it right
Maybe you'll end up with someone different every night
All these people with no home to go home to
They'd all like to spend the night with you
Maybe I would, too
But tell me
How're you going to make your way in the world, woman
When you weren't cut out for working
And you just can't concentrate
And you always show up late
You said you were an actress
Yes, I believe you are
I thought you'd be a star
So I drank up all the money,
Yes, I drank up all the money,
With these phonies in this Hollywood bar,
These friends of mine in this Hollywood bar
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 with him in his suitcase
Your pretty face
It looked so wasted
Another pretty face
Devastated
The French Inhaler
He stamped and mailed her
"So long, Norman"
She said, "So long, Norman"
Personnel[]
Warren Zevon - Piano, Vocals
Waddy Wachtel - Guitar
Bob Glaub - Bass
Larry Zack - Drums
The Sid Sharp Strings
Glen Frey & Don Henley - Harmonies