3 replies to this topic

[*Anastasia]

Couldn't decide which of two songs to use today, but then I remembered I didn't do one yesterday, so guess what‽ You're getting both! Two for the price of one! The price of one is nothing, but still, can't turn down a bargain, can you‽ So, first up we have Leonard Cohen's First We Take Manhattan, originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes.

[Haflinger]

It was not originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes.
 
Jennifer Warnes was a backup singer for Leonard Cohen who released a solo album. On that album she did a cover version of that Cohen song. However his version is the first one, appearing on I'm Your Man which I still think is the best Cohen album.
 
Speaking of covers from I'm Your Man...
 

[*Anastasia]

See, this intrigues me, because I've always considered it such a quintessential Cohen song that when I was told recently he did not originally record it, I did a sort of double take. However, I'm Your Man was released in 1988. Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat, which primarily contained songs written by Cohen, was released 13 months earlier in 1987. I can't find any indication of a First We Take Manhattan single released before either of these albums.

[Haflinger]

For some reason I thought I'm Your Man was 1985. You are apparently correct though. The Lenny version was released as the first single from I'm Your Man, in February 1988 (at the same time as the LP).