Crazy To Love You

[Stamatina]

Does the guitar in the last few seconds of the song remind anyone else of you the intro to The Gypsy's Wife? I think it sounds like the Gypsy's Wife so much that each time I listen to Crazy To Love You I almost sing out "..her braids and her blouse all undone....and where, where, where is my gypsy wife tonight?"

Anyway, what I wanted to ask is: being used to Anjani's version of the song, when I first heard Leonard singing it, I didn't like it at all, but within a day it has grown on me. Still, though, I think I like Anjani's version better. Which version do you prefer?

[LisaLCFan]

I have never heard Anjani's version. Hearing Leonard sing, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, is the most beautiful sound in the universe! I love it! This song is as great as anything Leonard has ever done!!

[JudasPriest]

Not familiar with the Anjani version either but Leonard's is one of the album's highlights for me.

[Mabeanie1]

Hearing Leonard sing, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, is the most beautiful sound in the universe! I love it! This song is as great as anything Leonard has ever done!!

I agree Lisa. To me Leonard's version of this song is very reminiscent of the version of A Singer Must Die which he sang at most of the later shows on the 2010 tour. I am probably wrong but it made me think that his version of Crazy to Love You might have been inspired by the success of A Singer Must Die on the tour.

Wendy

[dreamermusic]

Does the guitar in the last few seconds of the song remind anyone else of you the intro to The Gypsy's Wife?

You're completelyright! That's what I thougt the very first time I listened to it. Those last chords are just the same ones as in the intro of ?Gypsy's Wife'.

[LisaLCFan]

To me Leonard's version of this song is very reminiscent of the version of A Singer Must Die which he sang at most of the later shows on the 2010 tour

I was reminded of that, too. Indeed, the "feel" of the songs is very similar. I actually had a dream, many months ago, that I was at a souncheck before a concert, and Leonard came out and played a brand new song, solo, just he and his guitar. I had hoped that it was a premonition for the new album--and my dream came true!

(Now, if only some of my other dreams would come true... )

[metrichansen]

I was really pleased to find this song on the new album. I have known it for many years - Anjani's 'Blue Alert' has been a major favorite of my 19 year old daughter, since I introduced her to it 5 years ago and we have enjoyed it together often, especially when we're driving in our car. Rumour had it back in 06, that all the songs on that album were more or less built on scraps of lyrics, that Anjani had picked out of Cohen's waste paper basket and I regeret to say, that I subscribed to the idea, that these were somewhat inferior Cohen songs, albeit beautifully executed by Anjani.
However, when the new album came out last week, this song in particular completely devastated me. Not only is it delivered in a Johnny Cash " gotta-say-it-before-I-fucking-croak" kind of desperate hoarseness, stripped of anything but the bare neccesities, it is also Cohen's idea of that perfect Hank Williams simplicity (ref: Tower of Song) about some idiot in Copenhagen, Denmark who has been married to a woman hé doesn't love for 20 years, who is certainly not the one he chases in his memories, but is still unable to part from.
Need I say I've been getting drunk a couple of times this week listening to this song again and again. Thanks again Leonard - you've been with me for the past 40 years and you still make me see more clearly....

[metrichansen]

And yes - that little lick at the end is from Gipsy's Wife - guess he just couldn't help himself - it is such a Nice little thing, going from major to minor and back again - let a man have his fun....

[MaryB]

I have never heard Anjani's version, so since I couldn't find it on youtube, I went to Amazon and listened to a sample of it.Even though it was only snippet, her's comes across as lovely and infused with melody, his, full of raw emotion. Two completely different, but still beautiful versions.

When I first heard this, I couldn't get over the fact that I kept hearing undertones of the melody from 'Red River Valley' and even started singing RRV in certain places to see if that was the case. I know - blasphemy

Stamatina - yes, I hear the opening chords of TGW at the end of the song It does seem appropiate in light of those words.

Kindest regards,
Mary

[lizzytysh]

I absolutely love both renderings... for me [as said elsewhere], it's like a Call & Answer... a yin & yang ~ and Leonard is everywhere in Anjani's version. You're right on the raw emotion of Leonard's Mary. I ~ of course ~ would love to hear him do Blue Alert in its entirety. Who wouldn't, right? Are you out there??

[janet65]

my daughter took me to a show to watch this band vovete and they covered crazy to love you. it was beautiful... i really love that song, it takes me back in time...

[janet65]

it is very reminiscent of his early recordings. like stuff from "songs of leonard cohen" or "songs from a room". i love all that stuff, and crazy to love you takes me back to that time in his career. this was a definite surprise...