First three albums re-released today

DBCohen · Post by **DBCohen** » Sun May 13, 2007 4:38 pm

Concerning the above discussion of “Dress Rehearsal Rag”, I now have the Judy Collins albums and was able to check for myself. The version of the song she sings is quite similar to the earlier version LC himself sang (and which is now on the re-released Songs of Love and Hate), including the use of “tattooed”, which LC changed to “written” in his final version of the song.

blonde madonna · Post by **blonde madonna** » Mon May 14, 2007 3:15 am

Tom Sakic wrote:Few days ago I listened to Various Positions, and somebody said "Who's that woman singing with him?" Everybody seems to forget that VP's liner notes says "Vocals: Leonard Cohen and Jennifer Warnes" - although the album was released under Leonard's name, inside it's actually credited to both of them! ... Then also, her voice's all over Recent Songs, and her vocal harmonies on later tracks like Take This Waltz, Democracy, Light as the Breeze, which she actually helped to finish (like, taking Take This Waltz, adding harmonies and Raffi's violin; she's credited for harmonies' arrangements).

PS. "a" and "the" - I think it's about copyrights. I checked US Cop. Office; Leonard protected both versions of the title, but it seems that US artists get the name from BMI or somewhere else where it's listed as Bird On A Wire.
Anyhow, In Jennifer's case, I think Leonard was the one who changed it. He was involved completely in making of Famous Blue Raincoat, giving new song (First We Take Manhattan, early version without final verses; and Leonard kept Warnes' "Eurodisco" arrangement for his own album version, changing it in live version, on Perla's idea), writing Ain't No Cure For Love (obviously new verses were added later) on Jennifer's idea (song emerged from their talk about AIDS in 1986, when LC said to her "well, darling, there ain't no cure for love"). He also changed pronouns in Famous Blue Raincoat, and re-wrote Ballad of the Absent Mare into Ballad of the Runaway Horse (which wasn't on the record, but song was released later on Robert Wasserman's album). He actually was modifying the lines so the woman can sing it from her point of view. He was also trying to achieve more general level, particularly in Famous Blue Raincoat changes. So I guess he decided that Bird on a Wire is in this case (more general level of song contents) more appropriate, as earlier he insisted it's on the (particular) wire.

Maybe all this is irrevelant, but I cheat myself that I will someday make annottated lyrics. I started the job for reissue (first three albums), planning to add them to site, but didn't have time to finish it until the albums' re-release.

Anyhow, I miss Jennifer.

I am so sorry I misunderstood your previous post and thank you so much for the above. It made my day to have my thoughts shared and confirmed.

Reading your posts is always an education Tom.

I also got myself Judy Collin's 'Democracy' which I wasn't aware of until you brought it up (I had some LPs years ago and a few of her earlier songs). The joy of hearing 'Priests' and her other takes on Cohen's songs has made up for my disappointment in the bonus tracks on the re-releases. I am enjoying the improved quality but 'Blessed is the memory' is the only new track I would consider playing more than once.

Hey Greg, DBC, koke, and hydroit thank you for the esoteric, winding back and forths about the re-releases - love it!

kokenpere · Post by **kokenpere** » Mon May 14, 2007 4:09 am

Blonde M.

Please forgive my poor memory. I think that if I remember what I have forgotten; then I haven't forgotten it at all.

I thought I made a mistake; but, I was wrong. (Just joking - he he)

Anyway, as Leonard says - "I got this rig that runs on memories."

Thank you for your kind comments.

kokenpere

linda_lakeside · Post by **linda_lakeside** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:41 am

Anyhow, I miss Jennifer.

Oh, so do I. Frankly, I think she was a better vocalist for Leonard then even Anjani, although Anjani has often said that her and Leonard's voice are exactly one octave apart. Her voice having lowered with age, and Leonard's with smoking, they have a 'harmony' that works very well. But Jennifer had 'something very special', I thought. In Smokey Life, Light as a Breeze, oh, any song on FCC really, and her addition on so many others. She had/has a beautiful voice. I haven't heard a word of her since the special honouring of, I think it was Roy Orbison??? Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer, and ... Emmylou Harris??? - another singer anyway, did the backup harmonies. Dylan was there. In any event, I keep my ears open but don't hear her anywhere. She did only get partial credit on The Future, as 'ad libs', but her vocal on Light as a Breeze was inspired. Actually, I just got her album (FBR), and I love it. She had a very distinctive style. Lovely. If Tom or anyone knows what she's up to now, I'd dearly love to know.

Linda.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:54 am

There is more information about her on allmusic.com. Here is the link:
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sq ... qr5ldde~T1
The article gives the name of her most recent album as The Well and says it came out in 2001.

linda_lakeside · Post by **linda_lakeside** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:15 am

Well, there you go! Great, thanks. I didn't realize she'd had an album out in, uh, this century.

I know I can always Google this info, but I usually like to get people's input, if I can. As sometimes one can glean from the post whether it's worth it or not. And the 'official' sites are, naturally, just out to sell records.

Thanks muchly for the link. I shall indeed give it a look-see. Her and many other 'lesser known' artists (lesser known, than say Jennifer Lopez), don't get the fair shake they should. I have Perla's album, and it's always amazing to me, how these women, the 'background singers', can cut straight thru any mumbo jumbo of a background and come out with the true melody. In both Perla's and Jennifer (Warnes') cases, they certainly had a lot of practice on Leonard's material. Not that his material was a 'mumbo jumbo', but whomever did the arrangements for Perla, made it hard for the singer to find the melody. I guess it helps if one can read music.

Again, thanks for the link, I'll likely find the album in some 'sale bin'. Unless it was a chart topper, and not a listener of commercial radio, I couldn't say if it was or wasn't, but I'm guessing it wasn't. Unfortunately.

Linda.

blonde madonna · Post by **blonde madonna** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:44 am

Tom Sakic wrote:Maybe all this is irrevelant, but I cheat myself that I will someday make annottated lyrics. I started the job for reissue (first three albums), planning to add them to site, but didn't have time to finish it until the albums' re-release.

Oh and another thing, please finish the job. I am sure I'm not the only one who would want to read this.

And that's goodnight from him.

kokenpere · Post by **kokenpere** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:47 am

Jennifer does have a website at jenniferwarnes.com
A new remastered FBR with bonus material and dvd on the making of FBR is due for release in June.

kokenpere

PS The 'new' release date is in August (See Shout Factory web site) and bonus material is print media - no dvd.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Mon May 14, 2007 11:37 am

Thank you, blonde_madonna:-)

Re: The Well, Linda, it was released the same week as Ten New songs and I got it immediately. It's one of my favourite's albums, very medidative and peaceful. I always thought of it like "Jennifer's Ten New Songs". That was in weeks after 9-11 events. I do recall I praised that record here on board, even too much maybe

I was thinking she's finally getting it now (it's much better record than FBR, imho), but she simply dissapeared after that (I guess because it's self-released record).

linda_lakeside · Post by **linda_lakeside** » Mon May 14, 2007 12:38 pm

Well, thanks all for the info on Jennifer. I guess in all the hoo-hah, surrounding Ten New Songs, it got lost in the shuffle, as I was 'def. around for 10 New...I was probably more focused on Leonard's new release than any of Jennifer's. So thanks for the info. (I wanted to say 'dance', but it wouldn't apply).

And yes, Tom, please finish what you started out to do. If you don't, you'll always regret it. It's what we 'don't do' that we regret, seldom do we regret what we 'do try'. Believe me.

Again on Jennifer, it's the nature of the business, that one can win an Oscar, then just 'faaaaaaaaaaaade away'. I always loved her contributions to Leonard's material, so I'll def. be on the lookout. If it was a custom release, the odds of finding it are close to nil, so I'll be looking for the re-master of FBR, in any event, I really do miss that lovely voice.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Tue May 15, 2007 11:03 am

Leonard about "Priests":

>>
there were no versions of that song in Sony's archives
i may have one somewhere
bottom line: it was overlooked
<<

Tom

Kjelling · Post by **Kjelling** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:12 pm

Thank you, Tom!

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:06 pm

http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2007/05/1501.cfm

Chartattack posted this review yesterday. I thought it was pretty interesting. At least I agree with their assessment of "Suzanne" on the album.

LEONARD COHEN Songs Of Leonard Cohen (Columbia Legacy/Sony BMG)
The reissue of Songs Of Leonard Cohen represents a fascinating case study in how an artist evolves. Cohen's first album is a sparse folk affair, only barely making nods to "songs" and "music," focusing primarily on delivering his trademark spoke-sung narrative poetry. There's a distinctly Montreal vibe throughout the album. Much like Mordecai Richler or Hugh MacLennan novels, you can sense the same lonely protagonist trudging through the snow of the old city. Cohen's slightly nasal voice is vastly different than the grumbling, wizened rumble of his later years. Likewise, the album predates Cohen's fascination with keys and synth-heavy waltzing. The CBC's endorsement of it would have you believe that "Suzanne" is the gem here, but that's not so. Far and away the best and most fully realized song — complete with strings, choral backing and percussion — is "So Long, Marianne." Followed up by "Stories Of The Street" and "Teachers," these three make up the excellently pensive side two of vinyl nostalgists' lore. The bonus tracks both manage quality slow burns. Aaron Brophy

blonde madonna · Post by **blonde madonna** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:12 am

This is an interesting review (missing many of the usual cliches) about Songs from the Room that covers (briefly) its production and musical context/influences.

Songs from a Room is a very strong collection of material, and it typically has been underappreciated by many of Cohen’s fans. Hopefully, the reissued rendition of this disc will go a long way toward remedying this situation. 4 stars

For the full review:
http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews- ... 02007.html

osmachar · Post by **osmachar** » Thu May 31, 2007 5:59 pm

IN GERMAN from Spiegel Online http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/0,15 ... 78,00.html

Leonard Cohen - Re-Issues
(Columbia/SonyBMG, bereits erschienen)

Es gibt die bleichgesichtigen, lächerlichen, oft deutschstämmigen Dark-Wave-Musikanten, fast immer der übliche Mummenschanz. Es gibt ulkige Musiker, die in Erdlöchern wohnen, ständig auf der Flucht vor todbringendem Tageslicht. Und es gibt "Songs Of Love And Hate", seit 1971 eines der finstersten Alben aller Zeiten. Ein Manifest der Selbstverachtung mit geheimnisvoll funkelnden Liedern ohne Gnade, die gestern wie heute schwarze Löcher ins Sein reißen. Berühmter Signalsatz: "That's not electric light, my friend/ That is your vision growing dim." aus "Dress Rehearsal Rag". Über das Poem "Famous Blue Raincoat" rätseln Cohen-Exegeten bis heute, der Kanadier Leonard Cohen selbst mag den Text nicht und ließ bei Gelegenheit ausrichten, er wisse selbst nicht mehr, worum es geht. Ist die ominöse "Jane" Janis Joplin, von der drei Jahre später auch "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" handelte? Schon "Songs Of Leonard Cohen", das späte Debüt aus dem Jahr 1968 war eine Sensation: "Sisters Of Mercy", "Master Song", "Suzanne" und "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye", dazu das desperate Lallen am Schluss von "One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong", das sich fast vier Jahrzehnte später im Tocotronic-Song "Pure Vernunft darf niemals siegen" wiederfand. "Songs From A Room" von 1969 bereitete dann wirklich nur in Ansätzen auf den Schrecken von "Songs Of Love And Hate" vor: Mit der alttestamentarischen Vehemenz von "Story Of Isaac", dem Kriegsbericht "Partisan Song" oder dem Suizid-Stück "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy". Immer wieder prächtig: "You Know Who I Am": "I cannot follow you, my love / You cannot follow me / I am the distance you put between / All the moments that will be." Jetzt erscheinen die drei ersten Platten von Leonard Cohen digital überarbeitet aufs Neue, im bruchfesten Buchformat, angereichert mit einigen wenigen zusätzlichen Tracks, allen Texten, Liner Notes von Anthony DeCurtis und allem, was sonst noch fehlte. Wir zitieren den "Rolling Stone"-Autoren Wolfgang Doebeling: "Kuschelfolk it ain't." Songs Of Leonard Cohen (9) ; Songs From A Room (8) ; Songs Of Love And Hate (10). Jan Wigger

First three albums re-released today

Jennifer Warnes

Songs from the Room review

Re: First three albums re-released today