(Last song cuts off in iTunes – sorry for the repost) I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to do a Leonard Cohen Cover Story. But hopefully, it will be worth the wait. Here’s what’s on the show tonight:
Title (with link to iTunes, if available) | Artist | Album (with link to Amazon.com, if available) | Original Artist |
Suzanne | Peter Gabriel | Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen | Leonard Cohen |
Dance Me To The End Of Love | Madeleine Peyroux | Careless Love | Leonard Cohen |
Chelsea Hotel No. 2 | Laura Burhenn | Wanderlust | Leonard Cohen |
Hallelujah | Allison Crowe | Tidings | Leonard Cohen |
I Can’t Forget | The Pixies | I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen | Leonard Cohen |
First We Take Manhattan | Maxx Klaxon | Paranoid Style | Leonard Cohen |
Bird on a Wire | k.d. lang | Hymns of the 49th Parallel | Leonard Cohen |
Coming Back To You | Jennifer Warnes | Famous Blue Raincoat | Leonard Cohen |
Wonderful stuff, but the coolest cover of “Suzanne” may be Geoffrey Oryema’s (Ugandan singer) on the I’m Your Fan album.
Area, a 4ADish band from Champaign-Urbana in the 1980s, did a very cool, ethereal, “Sisters of Mercy”. And a masterful cover of “So Long, Marianne” is done by the New Zealand band the Straitjacket Fits, on a very obscure album called Hail that any fans of noisy Kiwipop will love.
But I admit, I’m an obscurantist.
Great Show Brian!
Being Canadian (Halifax), Lenny is part of my heritage, both musically and as a poet (not to mention a master with the ladies). He has a reputation of connecting with his fans via the internet. Brian you should let him know you did this show. I bet you’d hear back.
I don;t know if this news made it south of the border but recently Leonard was clean out by his former manager. He lost millions of dollars and it appears he also owes a pile in back taxes his manager was supposed to be paying.
If any of these covers peak your interest go pick up some music by the man or buy his new book and help Lenny get back on his feet!
Thanks again Brian! Can’t wait for Part 2 and 3
Tim
Thanks Brian, and to all in the Coverville community ( :
I love being manager to Allison Crowe because it means the experience of her music is shared.
And, Allison loves performing the songs of Leonard Cohen – she’s recorded his Hallelujah (several audio and video versions are to be found) and Joan of Arc.
On those songs – and others – LC creates miracles of words, images, sounds. We’re with you all in acknowledging his songwriting genius ( :
And, Brian, fyi, Alley has just covered 6000 km crossing Canada from east to west (and will soon tour west to east), and, she’ll be so delighted to hear your podcast! Thanks so much for your words of appreciation.
Sláinte, Adrian
Cool concept! Thanks for the tunes.
-DJ Sloofus of the World Famous Comic Book Haters
The Concrete Blonde version of “Everybody Knows” has always been one of my favorite Cohen covers. And Buckley’s Hallelujah – but you’ve played that one plenty.
Good show!
You can also get the Allison Crowe song at http://allisoncrowe.com along with lots more of her amazing music.