''Recent Songs'' is the sixth studio album by
Leonard Cohen, released in 1979. Produced by Cohen alongside
Henry Lewy, it was a return to his normal acoustic
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
sound after the
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
-driven experimentation of ''
Death of a Ladies' Man'', but now with many
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and
Oriental
The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...
influences.
Recording and composition
After recording ''
Death of a Ladies' Man'' with
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
, a chaotically recorded album that would garner Cohen the worst reviews of his career, the singer decided to produce his next album himself with assistance from Henry Lewy, a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
who had previously worked regularly with
Joni Mitchell
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...
. The album included
Gypsy
The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
violin player Raffi Hakopian, English string arranger Jeremy Lubbock, Armenian
oud player (located in Los Angeles)
John Bilezikjian and even a Mexican
Mariachi
Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...
band. Long-time Cohen collaborator
Jennifer Warnes appeared prominently in vocal tracks. Members of the band Passenger, whom Cohen also met through Mitchell, played on four of the songs.
Garth Hudson of
the Band also appeared on the album.
Unlike the psychodrama evident on the Spector-dominated ''Death of a Ladies' Man'', ''Recent Songs'', which was recorded at
A&M Studios
The Jim Henson Company Lot, formerly A&M Studios, is a studio property located just south of the southeast corner of North La Brea Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Originally established by film star Charlie Chaplin, the property serve ...
in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
in the spring of 1979, sounds lucid by comparison. In the book ''Leonard Cohen: A Remarkable Life'', oud player John Bilezikjian recalls to author Anthony Reynolds, "Sessions started in the afternoon and we'd go into the evenings. No drinking, that I saw, no visitors. Finished at a reasonable time, no early hours stuff...He let me do whatever it was I wanted to do. He trusted my sense of musicality. He would be with a microphone and headphones and we'd all be wired up in our separate booths and we'd listen and add our part." The album had a largely acoustic, Eastern-tinged flavor and was augmented by the singing of Jennifer Warnes and newcomer
Sharon Robinson, who would go on to become one of Cohen's favorite musical collaborators.
"Came So Far For Beauty" originated from Cohen's collaboration with ''
New Skin for the Old Ceremony
''New Skin for the Old Ceremony'' is the fourth studio album by Leonard Cohen, released in 1974. On this album, he begins to evolve away from the rawer sound of his earlier albums, with violas, mandolins, banjos, guitars, percussion and other ...
'' producer
John Lissauer
John Lissauer is an American composer, producer, and performer. At the age of 19, he arranged the first recordings of Al Jarreau. Lissauer went on to produce and arrange a pair of Leonard Cohen albums. Lissauer produced and arranged the first r ...
for a project called ''Songs For Rebecca'', which was scrapped (Lissauer received co-writing credit). In the liner notes to the album, Cohen thanks his
Zen Master
Zen master is a somewhat vague English term that arose in the first half of the 20th century, sometimes used to refer to an individual who teaches Zen Buddhist meditation and practices, usually implying longtime study and subsequent authorizat ...
Roshi for inspiring one of the songs: "I owe my thanks to Joshu Sasaki upon whose exposition of an early
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
text I based 'Ballad of the Absent Mare.'" The metaphoric lyrics are based on the twelfth-century ''
Ten Bulls
Ten Bulls or Ten Ox Herding Pictures (Chinese: ''shíniú'' 十牛 , Japanese: ''jūgyūzu'' 十牛図 , korean: ''sipwoo'' 십우) is a series of short poems and accompanying drawings used in the Zen tradition to describe the stages of a prac ...
'' (or ''Ten Ox-herding Pictures''). According to Anthony Reynolds 2010 Cohen memoir, "The Guests" was based on a 13th-century
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
poem and was chosen to open the album because of the enthusiastic response it had evoked when Cohen played it to friends. The album also features Cohen's interpretation of "Un Canadien errant", a song written in 1842 by
Antoine Gérin-Lajoie
Antoine Gérin-Lajoie (; August 4, 1824 – August 7, 1882) was a Québécois Canadian attorney, poet and novelist.
He was the author of the famous poem "Un Canadien errant" ('A Wandering Canadian'), as well as the novels roman du terroir ''Jea ...
after the
Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–38. Curiously, Cohen and Levy opted to use a Mexican
Mariachi
Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...
band on the song, which is arguably the only cheerful sonic outburst on what is otherwise a languid album (the Mariachi band is also employed more subtly on "The Guests" and "The Ballad of the Absent Mare"). Cohen's 2004 song "The Faith" is based on the same folk tune a "Un Canadien errant," with Cohen's collaborator
Anjani Thomas
Anjani Thomas (born July 10, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist, best known for her work with singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, as well as Carl Anderson, Frank Gambale, and Stanley Clarke. She became a solo artist in 2000.
Life
...
acknowledging in a 2005 interview
Old Ideas: Notes on ''Dear Heather'' that he used an alternate 1979 track for "Un Canadien errant", adding a new vocal line with completely new lyrics, for his 2004 album ''
Dear Heather
''Dear Heather'' is the 11th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released by Columbia Records in 2004. It was dedicated "in memory of Jack McClelland 1922-2004."
Background
The album features Cohen experimenting with diffe ...
''. Cohen also recorded a studio version of the disco-infused "Do I Have to Dance All Night," which had been previously released as a live single in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in 1976, but it was not included on the album.
The musicians who recorded ''Recent Songs'' with Cohen served as his tour band later that year, highlights of which can be heard on the 2001 release ''
Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979''. Cohen performed several songs from the
LP in concert, such as "The Guests," "The Window," and the
Sinatraesque "The Smokey Life." Speaking with ''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
*Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* '' ...
s Sylvie Simmons in 2001, Cohen was effusive in his praise for the album:
:I think I like ''Recent Songs'' the best. The producer was Henry Levy - I was studying with Roshi at the time in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and it was appropriate that I worked with a Los Angeles producer. Joni Mitchell introduced me to him. He had produced several of her early records. He had that great quality that
Bob Johnston had: he had a lot of faith in the singer and he just let it happen. He introduced me to the group Passenger...Things had changed - these were my own songs and the musical ideas were specifically mine. I'd always wanted to combine those
Middle Eastern
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (European ...
or Eastern European sounds with the rhythmic possibilities of a
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
or
rock 'n' roll rhythm section
A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band.
The rhythm sec ...
.
The painting of Cohen on the album cover is by the artist Dianne Lawrence.
Artist Website with Quote from L. Cohen
/ref> It is inspired by the album cover portrait taken by photographer, Hazel Field for Leonard Cohen's 2001 release, '' Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979''. "The Guests" would be the opening song of Cohen's 1983 made-for-TV short musical ''I Am a Hotel
''I Am a Hotel'' is a 1983 Canadian made for TV short musical film, written by Leonard Cohen and Mark Shekter and directed by Allan F. Nicholls.
The storyline is based on imaginary events in the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, and the guests' (u ...
'', which would also feature "The Gypsy's Wife" as part of the narration.
Reception
''Recent Songs'' received warm reviews and was viewed as a return to form by many critics after the shocking ''Death of a Ladies' Man''. At the time of the album's release, ''the New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' said it provided "an ideal musical idiom for his idiosyncrasies" and listed it among its top ten records of 1979. In the original 1980 ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' review, Debra Rae Cohen enthused, "There's not a cut on ''Recent Songs'' without something to offer...and at least four or five tunes are full-fledged masterpieces. I wish I had a tape loop of "The Guests," which features a hold-your-breath, haunting melody." William Ruhlmann of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
observes, "His writing had become increasingly bitter and angry during the 1970s in the books ''The Energy of Slaves'' and ''Death of a Lady's Man'' as well as in his lyrics, but there was a new equanimity in these ''Recent Songs'' that began with the welcoming introduction of 'The Guests'...The album was full of references to absence and dislocation, but Cohen deliberately countered them with humor." Cohen biographer Anthony Reynolds takes a dim view of the collection, writing in 2010, "For all its artistry, ''Recent Songs'' sounded bland and MOR...the album as a whole ploughed a self-indulgent, middling trough." The LP peaked at # 24 in Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
(where it went gold) and hit #56 in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
Cover versions
"Ballad of the Absent Mare" has been covered by several artists, notably Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...
on the album ''Cowgirl's Prayer
''Cowgirl's Prayer'' is the seventeenth studio album by American country artist Emmylou Harris, released on September 28, 1993 by Warner Bros. Records. Coming immediately after 1992's live acoustic ''At the Ryman'' album, ''Cowgirl's Prayer'' is ...
'' (as "Ballad of a Runaway Horse") and Perla Batalla
Perla Batalla (born 1964) is an American vocalist, composer and arranger who first gained international attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen before embarking on a solo career at his encouragement. Her debut album, ''Perla Batalla'', ...
feat. David Hidalgo
David Kent Hidalgo (born October 6, 1954, in Los Angeles.) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Los Lobos. Hidalgo frequently plays musical instruments such as accordion, violin, 6-string banjo, cello, requin ...
on the album ''Bird on the Wire: the Songs of Leonard Cohen''. Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright (born May 8, 1976) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She has released seven critically-acclaimed studio albums.
Wainwright is the daughter of musicians Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III a ...
performs a cover version of the song "The Traitor" in the tribute film '' Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man''. Nana Mouskouri has covered the song on several albums (''Song for Liberty'', ''Vivre Avec Toi'', ''I'll Remember You'', ''The Rose'') and also sung the song in translation, for instance as "Das Fest" on her German language album ''Ich hab gelacht, ich hab geweint''. The Canadian singer Patricia O'Callaghan performs covers of "The Window", " The Gypsy's Wife" and "The Smokey Life" on her fifth solo album ''Matador: The Songs of Leonard Cohen'' released in 2012.
Track listing
All songs written by Leonard Cohen, except where noted.
Side one
#"The Guests" – 6:40
#"Humbled in Love" – 5:15
#"The Window" – 5:56
#"Came So Far for Beauty" (Cohen, John Lissauer
John Lissauer is an American composer, producer, and performer. At the age of 19, he arranged the first recordings of Al Jarreau. Lissauer went on to produce and arrange a pair of Leonard Cohen albums. Lissauer produced and arranged the first r ...
) – 4:04
#"The Lost Canadian ( Un Canadien errant)" (Traditional, Antoine Gérin-Lajoie
Antoine Gérin-Lajoie (; August 4, 1824 – August 7, 1882) was a Québécois Canadian attorney, poet and novelist.
He was the author of the famous poem "Un Canadien errant" ('A Wandering Canadian'), as well as the novels roman du terroir ''Jea ...
) – 4:42
Side two
#"The Traitor" – 6:16
#"Our Lady of Solitude" – 3:13
#" The Gypsy's Wife" – 5:13
#"The Smokey Life" – 5:19
#"Ballad of the Absent Mare" – 6:26
Personnel
*Leonard Cohen – vocals, acoustic guitar
*Mitch Watkins, Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Perez – guitar
*Everado Sandoval – guitarrón
* Abraham Laboriel, Roscoe Beck
Charles Roscoe Beck is an American bassist with a reputation as "a solid bottom-liner". Beck has played with artists like Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, Leonard Cohen, and The Dixie Chicks. He is also a successful record producer with two Grammy ...
, John Miller – bass guitar
*John Lissauer
John Lissauer is an American composer, producer, and performer. At the age of 19, he arranged the first recordings of Al Jarreau. Lissauer went on to produce and arrange a pair of Leonard Cohen albums. Lissauer produced and arranged the first r ...
– piano, arrangements
* Garth Hudson – Yamaha piano, accordion
*Bill Ginn – electric piano
*Randy Waldman
Randy Waldman (born September 8, 1955, Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor. In 2019, Waldman's arrangement of the " Spider-Man Theme" on his ''Superheroes'' album garnered the Grammy Award f ...
– organ
*Steve Meador – drums
* John Bilezikjian – oud
*Raffi Hakopian, Agostin Cervantes, Armando Quintero, Luiz Briseño, Miguel Sandoval – violin
*Paul Ostermayer – saxophone
*Edgar Lustgarten – cello
*Jose Perez, Pablo Sandoval – trumpet
*Earl Dumler – oboe
* Jennifer Warnes, Jim Gilstrap
James Earl Gilstrap (born November 10, 1946)''U.S. Public Records Index'' Vol 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010. is an American singer, considered one of the most prolific session musicians in the industry. He is best known for ...
, Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Roger St. Kenerly, Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals
*Jeremy Lubbock – string and horns arrangements and conductor
*Luiz Briseño – Mariachi band conductor
Charts
References
External links
Album lyrics
from The Leonard Cohen Files
{{Authority control
1979 albums
Leonard Cohen albums
Columbia Records albums
Albums recorded at A&M Studios
Albums produced by Henry Lewy