Ray’s chat 29
Hi Folks
It’s RAYS CHAT again TWENTY NINE
Those of you who were lucky enough to be at the Club on November 3rd; Had a WONDERFUL Evening with SAID THE MAIDEN. What a Truly Superb Trio they are. GREAT NIGHT.
November Is a sort of Sad month.. Summers Gone; Nothing but Winter ahead of us; and the expense of Christmas on it’s way.
And last year was made sadder as we heard that Leonard Cohen had died at the age of 82.
Leonard was Canadian and he was born in Montreal Quebec; which is French spoken. So he was bi-lingual.
Later in his life, in 1939, He went into a Buddhist Zen Monastery; and became a Zen Monk named Jikan, meaning Silent one.
But He certainly was NOT Silent.
Leonard Cohen was first a Poet, and then moved into writing songs. And in fact HE was a Great song writer.
And a wonderful performer. He really Spoke his songs; He never was a fantastic singer; But he knew how to make words count.
So his songs were always very powerful and real singers loved his songs.
Listen to Leonard perform his own song Suzanne:
This was a live recording in a Spanish Club
Put in:
LEONARD COHEN (live 1979) 4.43
Yes he performed well and the audience loved him.
But it is only when you hear a GREAT Singer sing a Leonard Cohen song’ do you realise just what a truly Great Song it is:
Yes: Listen to what A Young NEIL DIAMOND does with it.
Put in: SUZANNE – NEIL DIAMOND 4.49
Wow!! It suddenly becomes a REALLY GREAT SONG.
And you just want to hear it again.
You might be saying: Neil Diamond is not a Folk Singer???
BUT: Oh Yes.. He wrote and sang RED RED WINE.. Which was sung in the Folk Clubs; and he sang Joni Mitchells “Both Sides Now” AND He sang The Boxer. AND Hallelujah All Folk Songs!!
Leonard Cohen was a Singers writer.. The WORDS matter.
That’s WHY so many Folk Singers loved to sing His songs.
He had this sort of Personal touch; So it was like he was singing just for you: Listen to this: Put in:
LEONARD COHEN BIRD ON THE WIRE – 1979. 5.2
Nobody else could think of just talking it. And make you want to listen for more.
But see what Leonards friend JUDY COLLINS does with it:
Put in: JUDY COLLINS – “Bird on a Wire” 7.14
OHHH It becomes a different song when Judy sings it.
AND: What a performer Judy is.?
And again; it becomes another different song when the Magic of Rita Coolidge Sings it: Yes . Put in:
AGUSLATU Rita Coolidge BIRD ON THE WIRE 5.44
Maybe that was the Magic Of Leonard??; Everyone could see
Different things in his writing. And maybe everyone has their Own favourite Song and Singer.
But for me One of Leonards songs stands way high on my list of Favourites. And So many Singers have sung it. You know what I’m talking about.. It HAS TO BE HALELUJAH
AND there are so many Wonderful versions out there.
So many people loved it. And they saw how they could use Leonards Music, as a way To make it Their song:
Well first Let us listen to how Leonard himself: saw it:
Put in:
LEONARD COHEN – HALLELUJAH 4.11
And I said Neil Diamond sang it well, and there are lots of versions available: But I chose this one: Put in:
HALLUJAH – NEIL DIAMOND 4.13
Well Yes I like it.. But there are so MANY Other versions to choose from: So try this one!. Keeping it simple:
Put in: LeAnn Rimes “Hallelujah” Leonard Cohen cover 5.21
I like this. Yes Just beautifully sung.. No fancy add ons..
Sung with just simple guitar accompaniment;
and its lovely.
But there are SO many versions of Hallelujah to choose from and maybe you might like BIG Versions.
Well you will have a job to beat this one:
Hallelujah – Pentatonix 5.05
Yes a lovely version
and so So different to Leonard Cohen talking it!!
Which do you like??
AND how about this VERY Different version?
Over 2 million people had viewed this when I looked.
Put in GREGORIAN HALLELUJA 5.34
Now you got to agree THAT is Different!!
Well there you have Five different versions to choose from:
But to end;
I will say let’s choose a really fine version by a Group I have only very recently found; and I like them Very Much
Put in:
CELTIC THUNDER VOYAGE 11 –HALLELUJAH 5.05
YES!! So different to Leonard just talking it!!
How wonderful that Leonards song can be so different.
Yet each has it’s appeal.
Well KEEP Listening: There are loads more versions out there;
and maybe you will find YOUR own favourite.
Maybe even better than I have found??
Let me know if you do!!
Nice chatting to You
RAY.