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I RECENTLY REVISITED MY LEAST FAVORITE LC ALBUM: "DEATH OF A LADIES MAN." LIKE THE BEATLES "LET IT BE" EFFORT, THIS PROJECT WAS MARRED BY PHIL SPECTOR'S OVERPRODUCTION. THE BEATLES RECTIFIED THE SPECTOR PROBLEM A FEW YEARS AGO BY RELEASING "LET IT BE--NAKED," WITHOUT THE STRINGS, CHOIRS OR OTHER SPECTOR "WALL OF SOUND" FEATURES. I WISH SONY/COLUMBIA WOULD FOLLOW SUIT AND GIVE US "DEATH OF LADIES MAN--NAKED." THE REAL LC!

Like you, DOALM is the least favorite for a number of people. The wonderful melodies and lyrics are so overshadowed by 'the wall of sound'. I try to hear beyond that cacophony, so I really like this album.
To have a remaster of this album, stipped of Spector's vision, would change people's opinion of this grossly underrated album. Even with producion costs, I think Sony would benefit financially. I for one, and I'm positive many, many others would definitely purchased a remastered edition.

This would be great(not to mention long overdue),with a reasonably big push,a few features in magazines im sure it would sell,i mean Leonard is so hot right now



Only problem is(and its a pretty big one)is Leonard probably doesnt want to waste another second discussing or having anything to do with this album,would he be willing to let someone "strip" the album for him? i just cant see him touching this himself with a barge pole....



i also thought he'd never tour again in a million years though so what the fuck do i know?

kundera707 wrote:I RECENTLY REVISITED MY LEAST FAVORITE LC ALBUM: "DEATH OF A LADIES MAN." LIKE THE BEATLES "LET IT BE" EFFORT, THIS PROJECT WAS MARRED BY PHIL SPECTOR'S OVERPRODUCTION. THE BEATLES RECTIFIED THE SPECTOR PROBLEM A FEW YEARS AGO BY RELEASING "LET IT BE--NAKED," WITHOUT THE STRINGS, CHOIRS OR OTHER SPECTOR "WALL OF SOUND" FEATURES. I WISH SONY/COLUMBIA WOULD FOLLOW SUIT AND GIVE US "DEATH OF LADIES MAN--NAKED." THE REAL LC!

As was the horrendous job Spector did on 'The Long And Winding Road', all of this aided and abetted by John Lennon. It is said when Paul heard it he immediately put in motion the legalities for the final split up of the Beatles he was so upset by what had been done to his songs without him being consulted when he lived only a short distance from Abbey Road studios. As I have commented elsewhere, Spector probably didn't know any better, Lennon should have.

Leonard's line about the garbage and the flowers pretty much sums up the task of rescuing his music from Spector's soiled hands. Murder is not the only crime he has
committed.

I support a remastering of Dear Heather far more than of DOALM.

AvidCohenFan wrote:I support a remastering of Dear Heather far more than of DOALM.

Now that is a bold statement. Do you care to elaborate?

Hi kundera707,

The idea of a naked/de-Spectored "Ladies' Man" has cropped-up more than once here, and I suggested it to Leonard in a letter that I wrote to him some years ago. It would be interesting to hear the album stripped down, but I can think of several reasons why it is unlikely that this will happen. The main one is that unlike "Let It Be" (where the songs are credited to Lennon and McCartney) all of the songs on "Death of a Ladies' Man" are credited to Phil Spector & Leonard Cohen", in that order. I suspect that there may be complications due to this, and it would probably mean that Leonard would have to negotiate with Spector and draw attention to him, which he may not want to do, in the present circumstances. To the best of my knowledge, Leonard has never played anything from the album live, since the Seventies. Neither are any one the songs featured on compilations. In more recent times, Leonard has acknowledged that Anjani's different version of "As the Mist Leaves No Scar" ("True Loves Leaves No Traces") is the definitive one.

Despite my initial reservations, I fully embraced "Death of a Ladies' Man" at the time of its release, and played it a lot. By 1977, I had come to expect a new Leonard album every 2/3 years, and accepted what I was given. I had got used to Dylan making unexpected albums (i.e. "Self Portrait") and it didn't seem odd that Leonard might do the same. Already, he had surprised us with some of the songs on "New Skin" ("Is This What You Wanted", "Love, Lover Lover" etc) and he had also played songs such as "Do i Have to Dance All Night" and "Storeroom" live. Thus, when "Ladies Man" appeared I took it for what it was - an interesting collaboration. It was also something of a welcome suprise to have Spector back on the scene.

I think some of the songs on "Ladies' Man" work very well, such as "Paper Thin Hotel", "Memories" and "I left a Woman Waiting". Some of the arrangements are over the top, but so are some of the lyrics. I can't remember whether they ever got played on the radio, but the wall of sound production may have helped lyrics such as "don't go home with your hard-on", "you are the woman with her legs apart" and won't you let me see your naked body" get past the censor.

In conclusion, I would eventually like to see “Ladies Man” re-issued as a double album, with both a pared-down and a re-mastered version of the original. I think that the four tracks that would benefit most from re-mastering would be “True Love Leaves No Traces”, “Iodine”, “Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-On” and “Death of a Ladies Man”. However, as far as re-masters go, I suspect that this may be the last album on the agenda!

All good things, John E

I'm not sure even a grit-blaster could separate the layers on most of Dear Heather.

Evie B

John Etherington wrote: In conclusion, I would eventually like to see “Ladies Man” re-issued as a double album, with both a pared-down and a re-mastered version of the original. I think that the four tracks that would benefit most from re-mastering would be “True Love Leaves No Traces”, “Iodine”, “Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-On” and “Death of a Ladies Man”. However, as far as re-masters go, I suspect that this may be the last album on the agenda!

That's an excellent idea, John. Like you, though, I can't see it happening any time soon, or, in fact, ever. There's the additional issue of the fact that the vocals on DOALM are no more than 'guides', so Leonard would need to redo his vocals in his 70+, as opposed to his, 40+ voice. And I doubt if his current voice would match with the backing tracks, anyway.

A better, but just as imporbably idea, would be for him to re-record the whole album in stripped-down form: something I doubt he'd ever feel inclined to do.

Parsifal wrote: A better, but just as imporbably idea, would be for him to re-record the whole album in stripped-down form:.

Oh yes! With his current band. Maybe after the tour is over?

MaryB wrote:

Parsifal wrote: A better, but just as imporbably idea, would be for him to re-record the whole album in stripped-down form:.

Oh yes! With his current band. Maybe after the tour is over?

Yesss! That`d be wonderful!

When I saw the title I was astounded. I wondered if a crazed fan had broken into Leonard's hotel room and taken a photo of him in the bath, maybe somebody from the "women only" thread. Or perhaps when he was young and in need of some money, as so many do in the entertainment industry, somebody had taken advantage of him!

But no, it's only about re-recording albums. I guess by the time Leonard's finished his tour he'll be exhausted or perhaps record a new album.

The topic's title has been changed;)