Had to go Crazy to Love You

Leonard Cohen's previous album (January 2012)
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linmag
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Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by linmag »

This is an object lesson to Anjani on exactly what Leonard meant when he said to her not to perform the song, but to be that person.

When I first heard this song on Blue Alert I didn't think it was particularly strong. To be honest, I didn't think any of them were, though the album was much better than nothing at all or Philip Glass's offering which were the only alternatives at the time.

Now I just want to hear Leonard's version of all those songs.
Linda

1972: Leeds, 2008: Manchester, Lyon, London O2, 2009: Wet Weybridge, 2012: Hop Farm/Wembley Arena
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by LisaLCFan »

I would also love to hear Leonard sing the other songs from Anjani's album. They are his words, after all, and nobody can sing them like Leonard!

Crazy to Love You is sublime (Leonard's version). The emotion in Leonard's voice is absolutely breath-taking (and I adore his guitar playing!).
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linmag
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by linmag »

I quite agree, Lisa, Leonard's version is sublime. I couldn't work out what the songs on Blue Alert were missing. Now I know. It was Leonard :)
Linda

1972: Leeds, 2008: Manchester, Lyon, London O2, 2009: Wet Weybridge, 2012: Hop Farm/Wembley Arena
holydove
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by holydove »

I cannot get enough of this song (Leonard's version), it's so very beautiful & mystifying, & yes, Leonard's voice is absolutely heart-stopping, & his totally unique guitar-playing is mesmerizing! I haven't heard Anjani's version, but I'm not at all surprised that those (or at least some of those) who have heard both, would prefer Leonard's version - I can't imagine that anyone would be able to reach the intensity of passion & emotion that Leonard pours into it with his incomparable voice & guitar. And what a wonderful to treat, to have a solo from Leonard Cohen on a studio album.

Plus, one of my favorite lyrics from this song is, ". . .begging my crazy to quit" (I LOVE that line), & I do know that Anjani sang, "now I'm too tired too quit", in that place. I don't know if that was an alternate lyric written by Leonard, or if Anjani had changed it, but - pretty big difference there, IMO!
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by LisaLCFan »

holydove wrote:... one of my favorite lyrics from this song is, ". . .begging my crazy to quit" (I LOVE that line), & I do know that Anjani sang, "now I'm too tired too quit", in that place.
That is interesting, and, indeed, it is a very significant difference. Leonard's version conveys a much deeper emotion (desperation, perhaps?), whereas Anjani's lyric seems to express something like resignation. And, Leonard's version is such a unique turn-of-phrase, I love it, too! Leonard also sings "been saved by a blessed fatigue" which differs from the lyrics printed in Old Ideas ("sweet fatigue", which is actually a syllable too short!). I do not know what Anjani sang in that verse (I have not heard her version, to be honest!).
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Cheshire gal
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by Cheshire gal »

I wonder what Leonard would do with the song 'Blue Alert'. That I would love to hear. 8)
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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TineDoes
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by TineDoes »

Hi,
On Blue Alert the lyrics say: "I've been saved by a blessed fatigue".
Another understandable difference is that Anjani sings "My braids and my blouse all undone".
I love Anjani's version of Crazy to Love You; find her singing it heartbeakingly beautiful. But it is now also wonderful to hear Leonard sing this song with just his guitar.
"There’s no forsaking what you love ...."

Rotterdam 2008; Antwerpen, Dublin 2009; Gent 2x, Lille , Las Vegas 2x 2010, Gent, Amsterdam, Dublin 2x 2012, Antwerp, Berlin, Rotterdam 2013
JudasPriest
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Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by JudasPriest »

Does Leonard not talk of braids and blouses all undone too?
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TineDoes
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by TineDoes »

JudasPriest wrote:Does Leonard not talk of braids and blouses all undone too?
Yes. But it's 'her' braids and blouse, not 'my'. Just a tiny difference :)
"There’s no forsaking what you love ...."

Rotterdam 2008; Antwerpen, Dublin 2009; Gent 2x, Lille , Las Vegas 2x 2010, Gent, Amsterdam, Dublin 2x 2012, Antwerp, Berlin, Rotterdam 2013
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TipperaryAnn
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by TipperaryAnn »

TineDoes wrote:
I love Anjani's version of Crazy to Love You; find her singing it heartbeakingly beautiful. But it is now also wonderful to hear Leonard sing this song with just his guitar.
Well said, TineDoes , I too am delighted to have both. I love Anjani's version of this and "Thanks for the Dance" - my two favourites on "Blue Alert".
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by lizzytysh »

I love the whole of Blue Alert. Leonard is everywhere in it and Anjani's voice is immediate, intimate, and sublime. As Leonard described, it takes up the whole of the bandwidth and now, so does his. For me, the two come together as the call and the answer, the yin and the yang... and I am supremely happy and content to listen to either one. Just so any reader know, not a word of hyperbole in this. I was amazed by Anjani's and am again amazed by Leonard's. I love how these two people have worked together over the years.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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TineDoes
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Re: Had to go Crazy to Love You

Post by TineDoes »

TipperaryAnn wrote: I love Anjani's version of this and "Thanks for the Dance" - my two favourites on "Blue Alert".
Like Lizzy tysh I love all of BLue Alert, but -Thanks for the Dance, -The Nightingale, -Crazy to Love you and -Never Got to Love you touched me the most.
"There’s no forsaking what you love ...."

Rotterdam 2008; Antwerpen, Dublin 2009; Gent 2x, Lille , Las Vegas 2x 2010, Gent, Amsterdam, Dublin 2x 2012, Antwerp, Berlin, Rotterdam 2013
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