Hello a Lonard Birthday Present from Israel For All of You

David Peretz · Post by **David Peretz** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:25 pm

Hello.

Being a Lenny Cohen fan since teenage i finally got the chance to pay my tribute to him and his fans everywhere.
The "blind janitor" website (israely music reviews, like pitchfork but in hebrew) and myself have produced an album of Leonard cover versions all in hebrew (beside one in arabek).
we gathered a whole lot of israely singers and bands who have nothing in common beside a deep affection and admiration for the music of leonard.
since it was all an act of love we offered the whole album for free downloading at the blind janitor website. with a special cd cover featuring a drawing of leonard using hebrew letters.
the album is titled "a stranger song - the songs of leonard cohen in hebrew"
the link : http://hasharat.co.il/html/mag7sec277.php
all of you are more than welcomed to come and listen to the music, and hopefully enjoy it.
from the first album to dear heather, no album was left uncovered. i know it's all hebrew to you and you may not understand the words. but we feel the versions are uniqe and very intresting so enjoy yourself.
thanks and Happy Birthday Leonard

nenad · Post by **nenad** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:10 pm

Thanks dear David. I've only had time to listen to Stranger's Song and Nancy, but I should like to admit that I'm impressed. It's so different from all other covers - perhaps that strong personal stamp you and your friends bring is what makes it so beautiful... Again, thanks for being so kind to share your music with us.

Nenad

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:02 pm

Very interesting David but I can't listen to anything.
I get a 404 error message

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:22 pm

In fact, it is so Greek, David, that I can't tell what I need to click on, to listen or to get a 404 error message

It sounds exciting, so I'm very anxious to hear it.

Post by **jarkko** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:35 pm

The songs were available until this morning but then they had to close down (copyright issues). Let's hope they get permission soon - I had time to listen to just two and liked them very much. Here is a list of songs that were available:

1. First we take Manhattan
2. Chelsea hotel #2
3. Hallelujah
4. Joan of Arc
5. Stranger Song
6. Tower of song
7. Waiting for the miracle
8. The old revolution
9. Tonigh will be fine
10. Hey, that's no way to say goodbye
11. One of us cannot be wrong
12. Who by fire
13. Dance me to the end of love
14. So long, Marianne
15. Suzanne
16. Seems so long ang, Nancy
17. A singer must die
18. If it be your will

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:36 pm

Wow ~ very thorough. What a bummer that they were made unavailable. I sure don't understand the legalities of the copyright issue, when it comes to covers. Oh well.

Mirek · Post by **Mirek** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:46 pm

Dem wrote:Very interesting David but I can't listen to anything.
I get a 404 error message

The same is here

I was able to listen this very morning, but only to one song - Hallelujah. I was very impressed - in a positive way.

Hope they will resolve the copyright problem pretty soon.

Mirek

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:37 am

Or at least David could tell as where we can buy the CD!

Dem

David Peretz · Post by **David Peretz** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:39 pm

Shut down.
it seems that even if you make a gesture of love with no comercial intrest whatsoever, you are bound to get slap on the head for that.
all we ever wanted was to make leonard's music less stranger in hebrew, no money was charged and taken from any of the project participant's. all was a mutual effort of artist and studios to make a beutyfull present for leonad and his fans.
but big brother is always on your case thy will not allow any love to go untaxed. they shut us down and are threating to sue us for viollation of the publishing right's. right now we are looking for an agreement to put the thing out anyway we can. but it seem that woud not be posiable unless we pay money or make a comercial cd out of it.
shame because all we ever wanted was to pay a tribute not make money.

ll keep you inforomed as to what happens next.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 3:38 pm

I'm lost

~ I just don't get it. People cover Leonard's songs all the time. As I said, it's a legal issue I can't grasp ~ without a detailed, legal explanation, apparently.

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:21 pm

I second Elizabeth on that.

I also don't understand who and how someone can prevent some artists from distributing for free their work on the Net.

Please explain.

Demetris

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:28 pm

Right, Demetris. It reminds me of cornering Joni Mitchell on the street, and corraling her into a door stoop, requiring that she sign some 'rights' papers, before she can return to singing for free. I just read from one of Leonard's old songbooks last night a great quote about the law. I'll find it tonite and quote it here.

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:32 pm

"There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand ?"

Dem

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:41 pm

No, it was in sentence form ~ however, that certainly sums it up well

!

Post by **jarkko** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 7:42 pm

Sony Music Entertainment Inc. owns all the rights to these songs,
so nobody is allowed to release a cover version without first
signing a contract with Sony. Let's hope our friends in Israel
will solve the problem very soon.

Hello a Lonard Birthday Present from Israel For All of You

Hello a Lonard Birthday Present from Israel For All of You

SORRY FRIENDS - few hours after i post the message we were