I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology) by Warren Zevon (CD, Sep-1996, 2 Discs, Rhino Records USA)

Warren Zevon I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology) - A Definitve Collection of the Excitable Boy! A 2 Cd collection I'll Sleep When I'm Dead provides a comprehensive overview featuring killer cuts by one of the most distinctive and distinguished rockers of the last 20 years. The 44 tracks include the best selections from the “Warren’s albums for Elektra, Asylum, Virgin, and Giant, as well as the wealth of odds and ends one would expect from one of rock’s most unique writers. The first disc of the 44-song, two-CD set nearly duplicates the earlier retrospective, dropping only one song "Ain't That Pretty at All" and tossing in the likes of "Hasten Down the Wind", "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School", and live versions of "Mohammed's Radio" and "Jeannie Needs a Shooter" from Zevon's early, most popular period. Disc two cherry-picks highlights from the artist's more problematic but periodically inspired late 1980s and '90s recordings, tossing in such oddities as the Hindu Love Gods' spirited remake of Prince's "Raspberry Beret" (HLG is Zevon backed by the instrumentalists from R.E.M.) and live takes of "The French Inhaler" and "The Indifference of Heaven" a track cut with David Lindley for the Grateful Dead tribute album, and three previously unreleased soundtrack recordings not to mention a booklet containing track-by-track commentary penned by Zevon himself! Thorough and smartly sequenced, “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” provides the uninitiated an intro into the work of a true original and adds enough mislaid gems to please steadfast followers.

TRACK LIST:
DISC 1: THE ASYLUM ERA:
1. Frank And Jesse James
2. Hasten Down The Wind
3. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
4. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
5. Carmelita
6. Desperados Under The Eaves
7. Johnny Strikes Up The Band
8. Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
9. Excitable Boy
10. Werewolves Of London
11. Accidentally Like A Martyr
12. Lawyers, Guns And Money
13. Frozen Notes
14. Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School
15. Gorilla, You're A Desperado
16. Play It All Night Long
17. Mohammed's Radio - (live)
18. Jeannie Needs A Shooter - (live)
19. Envoy, The
20. Hula Hula Boys, The
21. Let Nothing Come Between You
22. Looking For The Next Best Thing

DISC 2: THE VIRGIN/GIANT ERA:
1. Sentimental Hygiene
2. Boom Boom Mancini
3. Detox Mansion
4. Bad Karma
5. Reconsider Me - (single version)
6. Run Straight Down
7. Long Arm Of The Law, The
8. Splendid Isolation
9. You Don't Know What Love Is - (with Mark Isham)
10. Raspberry Beret - (with Hindu Love Gods)
11. Suzie Lightning
12. Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead
13. Searching For A Heart
14. Mr. Bad Example
15. Roll With The Punches
16. French Inhaler, The - (live)
17. Indifference Of Heaven, The - (live)
18. If You Won't Leave Me I'll Find Somebody Who Will
19. Real Or Not
20. Seminole Bingo
21. Monkey Wash Donkey Rinse
22. Mutineer