Zevon wrote this song for his final album, "The Wind". He had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer a few months earlier, and was determined to record one final album before he passed away. Knowing what he was going through at the time, it's not hard to see that "The House" is Zevon's own body, once a comfortable and familiar place, now alien and frightening because of the disease rampaging through it.
Bruce Springsteen played electric guitar and provided backing vocals for the song. "Disorder" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy for "Best Rock Song", and was nominated and won the 2004 Grammy for "Best Rock Vocal Performance - Duo or Group". The Grammy was awarded posthumously, and is the only Grammy Zevon won in his 38 year musical career.