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I feel the need to put in my two cents.

I am an amateur musician here as are many others. When I listen to cover songs, I appreciate most the creativity of the performing artist who differentiates themselves from the original artist. After all, we've had that artist's "take" on the song, the interest to me is to frame it in a fresh perspective.

Tom Sakic, as you know, I was at the New York Wilner tribute and all of us remarked first upon how respectful each artist was of Leonard's original version. The fun was not just in hearing Rufus do his "Doris Day" version of "Everybody Knows," but in the entire construction of horns, rhythm, keyboards, and combination of artists. It was like a painter mixing colors on a palate. Perhaps it doesn't translate well to video, but every moment was an absolute delight to those of us present. I think you need to experience a Wilner tribute live or, even better, Julie and Perla et al, singing to the choir at an LC event! (I know you will be doing this soon!).

There are a few bad covers out there certainly-Bono's "Hallelujah" comes immediately to mind-but I've never heard him do it live either, so I'll give him that benefit of the doubt.

Music is much too rich to be restricted to a single presentation.

Joe

I must took one step back and say that I really do appreciate Willner's work and I actually like the recording (particularly the complete, audio CDs) and I think that's the direction suited for Leonard's music. Not the mainstream, like Tower Of Songs CD, but more alternative - did you see that I attack anyone from I'm Your Fan (Although, there are some poor covers, but some are really great, like John Cale, REM, Pixies, That Petrol Emotions, House Of Love, and some Peter Astor - last three names I never heard before and they're doing great and respectful job here).
Also I really like Perla's singing, and Anthem moved me with all of her zeal (I partucularly liked her moving while she sang on video shot) - but I was talking more theoretically, or conceptually. Namely, there is something in Leonard's way of giving the song over to the listener, which is in some way betrayed, even in Perla's passion. Leonard of course has his own passion (which is even more passionate) but something, generally talking, has been lost or betrayed, and that's something from those descriptions like "sing it but don't sing it", "sing it like departing from your soul". Well, exactly that: LC does sing all his songs like he's departing from his soul.
Consider only Anjani's Story of C and her first interview from her site few years ago, how all Leonard's musicians non-stop were adding extra notes and ornamentations to his songs during the tours, and how he hated that [because all thought 1) he doesn't know much about music 2) he cannot sing]. That's exactly the same thing. He knows enough about his music and about his singing.
The best way is to find your own way through the song, of course. But in that succeed only those who understand that they must catch LC's feeling and that their soul must depart from their body.

Hi Tom,

I think I understand your point of view, but remember that there is a big difference between Leonard directing how he wants the accompaniment to his versions of his songs, and the creative control of another artist interpreting those songs for herself/himself.

There is an interview that I remember reading where Leonard was first introduced to the "I'm Your Fan" album and literally could not continue the interview because he became so absorbed in the interpretations. At one point, he exclaimed to the interviewer, "Do you hear the passion in that version?" (I'm paraphrasing). Perhaps Marie can help us find that interview.

Regarding the "Tower of Song" tribute album, I'll agree that there is some unevenness to the quality of the versions, but I believe that Leonard is quoted somewhere that Billy Joel, "nailed" "Light as the Breeze."

As far as Leonard's own versions go, they have also evolved over the years. I'm sure you can trace the history of Leonard's audience recordings and the many more instruments and interpretations that Leonard has added himself to "Bird On The Wire." One of our friends remarked on that recently in listening to the many versions as a hallmark of the audience recordings as "Bird" seems to be on every one.

Song stylings are a very subjective thing as Leonard has declared to his own band often times. We are all free to judge the relative quality of a cover, but I don't feel that it is even necessary to include the composer's original intention in evaluating the result. As the composer, he gets first dibs on the material, but from then on, everyone is free to add their own interpretation.

Finally, let me add one interesting story from the New York event. After the concert at the Knitting Factory, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Metzgar. We both remarked on the freshness and quality of "Suzanne" as done by the musicians. He said that they had often worked with Leonard on a version, but that Leonard had insisted that it wasn't right. Leonard's quote to him was, "Look here, there are almost three generations of people who have lost their virginity to this song and it has to be done right!" Leonard's accoustic guitar version is beautiful, but some of us have heard it for three generations and most of us only lost our virginity once! Now you may add this story to your own argument, but I'll still keep it on my side-and we can agree to disagree! (Like you and Kush).

Joe

Joe, this is our new discussion which finished in the place where we theoretically are thinking the same, or have similar point of view, so it's not clear about what we're discussing at all I'd say that your post confirms my statements (I will not comment Leonard's statement about Billy Joel; he likes to do that often: discard the work he just did). On the other side, it confirms your statement; so after all I don't know about what we're not thinking the same after all. But my words were more, as I said, conceptual.

Btw, I understanded later, when I was talking about the people who says Leonard's can't sing and the difference with so called "good singers" I didn't think of Kush at all, but of all those reviews and articles, incl. recent ones for DH. Although Kush said something similar (actually that Cash cannot sing ), I understanded later that everybody thinks we're arguing right now

Just a few thoughts; if one is going to cover the song of another writer, what are the merits of each approach? (1) To try and reproduce it as closely as possible to the way it was originally written and performed. (2) To try and create a new interpretation that is an expression of the performer covering the song.
Personally I see little point in reproducing it as it was originally done for that has already been done, and probably best by the writer. When James Taylor covers a song he really does make it his own and with many of his covers it's hard to believe that he did not write it. I wonder how many people actually think that James wrote "You've Got a Friend"?

On "Dear Heather" Leonard made "Tennessee Waltz" his own even to the extent that he wrote additional lyrics. He made Byron's poem his own by writing the music to carry that poem into a new realm.

I have been singing/performing/interpreting "Suzanne" different ways for over 30 years now. One version I have been trying to realize is with a reggae beat. This song is such a brilliant piece of writing that it can be interpreted in many different ways and the song will still hold its power. Time demonstrates whether or not a song can become a classic. Suzanne is one such song and Leonard's original nylon string acoustic version is the launch pad for the journey of that song. A few months ago at the Toowoomba festival that celebrated Leonard's birthday, I heard versions of Leonard's songs including Suzanne by a performer who faithfully reproduced Leonard's guitar style but the singing was completely different. Not simply vocal tone but a style of singing that was meditative, mesmerising, almost dream-like. This singer, Michael Rhoddy transported the listener to a different place other than where Leonard takes us. And that I think is a good thing.

Cheers, Witty.