Monday, November 16, 2009

Monday Videos - Leonard Cohen

This past Saturday Leonard Cohen was here, taking over the Caesar’s Palace main stage. This was the home of Celine Dionne but since she’s left it is alternately occupied by Cher or Bette Midler. Their two year contracts are up, and Cher is staying on but Bette’s last performance will be the end of January, so come on to Vegas soon if you want to see her. Elton John used to be in the rotation, but he left several months ago and declined to renew his contract.

Anyway, back to Leonard; he is a Canadian songwriter, I had not heard of him, but evidently he is a prolific songwriter who’s been around for quite a while. The song of his that I probably have heard the most is Dance Me to the End of Love which unfortunately I can’t embed. But the video presents a quiet version of the song. Also done by the Dresden Dolls


The version of this I have heard the most is Madeline Peyroux, also the first song I heard her sing on the radio. As a result I now have about a half dozen of her CDs, I just like her voice


Leonard’s version seems much sadder, especially watching the video, but at times happier. He looks a lot younger in that video than he does now. In his song Closing Time his voice is a lot older, but made in 1992 he has aged much since. One of his done by an earlier artist is Suzanne,


The version of this I heard a great many years ago done by Judy Collins back in 1967. Here she is back in 1976 with a younger Leonard


Judy’s version of Both Sides Now was her first big hit, off the same album



Oh – can’t miss Judy on Sesame Street singing the alphabet with Snuffy



Anyway, you missed Leonard, Elton is gone, and Bette soon will be. But Santana is at the Hard Rock with a multiyear rotation, and I am sure that someone else will be in the Caesar’s showroom.

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