Details
Track Listing
1. First We Take Manhattan
2. Bird on a Wire
3. Famous Blue Raincoat
4. Joan of Arc
5. Ain't No Cure For Love
6. Coming Back to You
7. Song of Bernadette
8. Singer Must Die, A
9. Came So Far For Beauty
Album Notes
Personnel: Jennifer Warnes (vocals), Fred Tackett, Michael Landau, Robben Ford (guitar), David Lindley (lap steel guitar), Sid Page, Barbara Porter (violins), Novi Novog (viola), Larry Corbett, Suzie Katayama (cellos), Paul Ostermayer (tenor saxophone), "Reverend" Dave Boruff (saxophone), Bill Ginn (piano, synthesizer), Gary Chang (synthesizers, programming), William "Smitty" Smith (synthesizer, Hammond B-3), Russell Ferrante (synthesizer), Richard Feves, Jorge Calderon (bass), Roscoe Beck (bass, guitar, acoustic bass, synthesizer), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Larry Brown, Steve Forman, Lenny Castro (percussion), Bobby King, Terry Evans, Kal David, Willie Greene Jr. (background vocals).
Like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen has the distinction of being a superior songwriter whose often-covered songs seldom rival the original (due in part to Cohen's inimitable voice). That changed with the appearance of Jennifer Warnes' FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT. Best known for her soft rock-oriented pop material, Warnes took a surprising (and critically acclaimed) turn on a this collection of first-rate interpretations. Cohen and Warnes worked together on the album (he duets with her on "Joan of Arc"), so these versions carry the poetic depth and breadth of Cohen's original vision. The arrangements might be glossy compared to Cohen's stark originals, but they also suit Warnes' smooth, accomplished approach. "First We Take Manhattan," "Ain't No Cure for Love," and the title track are standouts.
Industry Reviews
5 stars out of 5 -- A career launching pad, FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT revealed her maturing interpretive skills for the first time.
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