leonardcohenforum.com

From "Book of Longing":

http://www.tea-and-oranges.de/mp3/mybabywasnotthere.mp3

.. but she'll be there today, I pray to God above, pray to to God above

Hi Henning ~

It seems I feel similarly with this one. When your voice breaks away from your music, such as in the lines:

"But she'll be there today / I pray to God above"
"I'll know it was true / the feeling that I felt"
"My heart is tired now"
"I know it's not right / but nothing really is"
"And if it's meant to be / She'd greet me with a smile"
"I thank her charity"

Not all the words here are exactly right, as I can't fully understand them... and don't have the book with me...

However, what you do with your voice on these phrases is very VERY appealing. The instrumentation tends toward being a little too repetitive and too loud in its chording, for me as a listener. I don't think it would lose anything and would gain much with more focus on the seriousness and depth in your voice, and a little less on the musical accompaniment. The melody on this one is appropriately more reflective with elements of melancholy, sadness, and concern.

Geez... I hope I'm not offending you, Henning, with my feedback ~ but this is how I truly feel .

You're doing wonderful things for us and any listener when you put Leonard's words to music. Thanks for caring and taking the time to do it .


Hugs [truly ],
Lizzy

No, Liz, you are definitely not offending me. I need to hear these critics, I am not advice resistent. These are just first takes of a spontaneous mood and the need of exhibition. By far better than to open the trenchcoat and reveal the missing underwear to women in the city park at dawn. I have got a dozen of songs from the new book now and I would love to gather some people around me who know how to make a song sound better, because I know they're not right, though nothing really is. But one step after the next - first we take Berlin. My deep gratitude to Anne Mitchell, who sent me the book and who made me tune my guitar again after a long time of no inspiration.

Ah, it is Henning F**ck, I must bring my laptop to the office next week, and download all these nice stuff.