Linda Ronstadt’s Hit Cover of “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”

If you are feeling sad and alone, then this cover of Linda Ronstadt may be the perfect song for you. Little did we know that she was not the first to record the song but from a musician named Warren Zevon. It appeared on his self-titled debut album back in 1976 and it was recorded by Linda a year after.

Linda’s cover was not successful and it only peaked at No. 31 on the charts, but her version gave a different take on the classic hit.

Linda Ronstadt Sings “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”

The song may be sad and depressing but Linda performed it in an upbeat way. Just like the original performance of Warren Zevon, the song intends to make a hilarious statement about being pitiful even if that is not really the case. One person reported that the song was performed by Warren after the Bill Clinton scandal. He asked his audience if what they think about the scandal and then he sang the song purposefully.

Linda Ronstadt’s version also changed the gender of the narrator but removed the S & M lifestyle that was mentioned.

Lyrics Breakdown

Oh, these boys won’t let me be
Lord, have mercy on me

The song is said to be hilarious because of the innuendos and the double meaning it has in the lyrics. A man tries to kill himself a couple of times but he fails because of pure luck. The track was a little bit risque and pretty crude but it wants to make light of a dark situation. Suicide is no joke and should be treated seriously.

Although it was not clear in the song, but the solution to the problem was when he met a woman. Love has been the answer for him and it may be the answer to anyone who is thinking of ending their life.

Listen to Linda Ronstadt’s version here: