Mr. Bad Example (song)
Encyclopedia
"Mr. Bad Example" is a song composed by Warren Zevon
and Jorge Calderón
. It was used as the title track for the album, Mr. Bad Example
. It tells the story of a nameless con-man and thief, sung to a polka
. During the events of the song, he successfully steals from a church, his father's carpet store, and even a prostitute he hired. He also has a brief stint as a lawyer
, works in hair replacement, and successfully tricks aboriginals
he had hired to mine for opal
. The song ends with the man retiring from his dirty deals, and asking that when you meet him in the next life you wake him up for meals.
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
and Jorge Calderón
Jorge Calderón
Jorge Calderón, originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer best known for his collaborations with Warren Zevon. He holds the unique distinction of having been credited on all of Zevon's post-1976 albums with the exception of My Ride's Here...
. It was used as the title track for the album, Mr. Bad Example
Mr. Bad Example
Mr. Bad Example is an album by American singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, released in 1991. .-Track listing:All tracks composed by Warren Zevon, except where indicated.#"Finishing Touches" – 4:05#"Suzie Lightning" – 4:04...
. It tells the story of a nameless con-man and thief, sung to a polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
. During the events of the song, he successfully steals from a church, his father's carpet store, and even a prostitute he hired. He also has a brief stint as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, works in hair replacement, and successfully tricks aboriginals
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
he had hired to mine for opal
Opal
Opal is an amorphous form of silica related to quartz, a mineraloid form, not a mineral. 3% to 21% of the total weight is water, but the content is usually between 6% to 10%. It is deposited at a relatively low temperature and may occur in the fissures of almost any kind of rock, being most...
. The song ends with the man retiring from his dirty deals, and asking that when you meet him in the next life you wake him up for meals.