Stop Dreaming, Start Playing!

by Steve Wacker March 2010

There was a time when I was not much of a Leonard Cohen fan. Despite the classics, such as “So Long Marianne” and “Suzanne,” one of the great poetic songs of the 1960s, I found Cohen’s dark persona in the 1970s and 80s to be somewhat depressing. Perhaps my, ahem, relative youth had something to do with my rejection of Cohen’s contemplative poetry.

It wasn’t until after I was married that I became intrigued by Cohen’s work, primarily because my wife was a long-time fan, and the album I’m Your Man from the late 1980s was a revelation to me. I’m not certain whether it was because I had mellowed or Cohen had lightened up – both were probably factors. There are some great songs on that album, and Cohen’s deadpan sense of humor shines through as well. Ever since then I have always tried to pay attention to what he’s up to.

There are some great covers of Cohen songs – it seems to me that more women cover him than men, but I’m not sure. In 1986 the singer Jennifer Warnes recorded an entire album of Cohen songs that includes “Song of Bernadette,” which I think is the definitive version of the song. “Bird On a Wire” is also especially good. And then a few years ago I came across a really great cover that I never tire of hearing.

The singer Madeleine Peyroux is known for her impeccable taste in covering songs of other artists. Most people became aware of her in 2004, when she released Careless Love, although her first release was actually in 1996. For those who haven’t heard her, she has a quiet, jazzy voice with a timbre and sense of phrasing that’s reminiscent of Billie Holiday. Half the Perfect World from 2006, her third release, is a collection of superbly executed songs, including a few she co-wrote with others.

I had never heard “Blue Alert” before, but the lyrics were so compelling that it only took a single listen for me to check out the liner notes to determine who wrote it. When I saw Cohen’s name, I smiled and thought “Well, of course.” The song was actually written by Cohen and Anjani Thomas, who has also recorded it (although I’m not familiar with her version), but to my ear it’s a classic Cohen lyric. Perhaps Thomas was more involved with writing the music, which is a bit more nuanced than many of Cohen’s previous songs.

The idea of the song is relatively straightforward, but I think it’s especially well-executed; it applies the language and metaphors of combat to a physical encounter between a man and a woman. The song starts with an acoustic guitar playing a simple minor-key chord progression in a driving, consistent rhythm. The first verse sets up an expectation of where the song is headed:

There’s perfume burning in the air Bits of beauty everywhere Shrapnel flying; soldier hit the dirt She comes so close. You feel her then She tells you No and No again Your lip is cut on the edge of her pleated skirt Blue Alert

This verse uses some interesting imagery – burning perfume, bits of beauty, flying shrapnel, and a pleated skirt so sharp that it draws blood – to convey a sense of foreboding and mystery. In other words, it’s classic Cohen. The song doesn’t tell a story, but instead examines a specific circumstance from a number of different angles, almost like an aural equivalent of a Cubist painting. You don’t find out what happened, but you certainly get a sense of what the male character felt.

One thing I find intriguing is how the song, written as a third-person narrative, is oriented to the male perspective but sung by a woman. Was this perhaps a deliberate touch by Cohen? I’m not aware of him recording this song. And is the narrator a disinterested observer? A jealous lover? Hmmm.

It’s just another night I guess All tangled up in nakedness You even touch yourself You’re such a flirt Blue Alert

I think “tangled up in nakedness” is another classic line – I love the erotic intimation of an unmade bed and a state of undress. I also really admire Peyroux’s interpretation of this song – her voice is a perfect cross between plaintive wail and cool dispassionate analysis. I especially like her sense of phrasing – she sounds like she’s totally in command of the material, especially as the chorus-like modulation comes around:

You know how nights like this begin The kind of knot your heart gets in Any way you turn is going to hurt … Blue Alert. Blue Alert

In the last verse the lyric deftly relates the male character’s frustrated desire, including a wonderfully surreal image that conveys the realization of being dwarfed by his partner’s essence but not being able to call off the chase:

She breaks the rules so you can see She’s wilder than you’ll ever be You talk religion but she won’t convert Her body’s twenty stories high You try to look away, you try But all you want to do is get there first Blue Alert

Another aspect of the “success” of this recording is the superb musicianship of the players. Producer Larry Klein put together an excellent ensemble that complements Peyroux’s vocal style, especially Sam Yahel on Wurlitzer piano and Hammond organ. This song also features Larry Goldings on celeste, and he and Yahel provide some especially effective sonic punctuation around Peyroux’s phrasing. Although the guitar and percussion playing on this song are somewhat subdued, Dean Parks on guitar and Jay Bellerose on drums really shine on some of the album’s other tracks.

I love to hear masterful song interpretations, and I think Peyroux nailed this one. I also appreciate the work of masterful songwriters; I’m curious to see what Cohen comes up with next. I don’t know how much longer he’ll be around, but I hope he’s got another album or two in him. Thanks for all the great songs, Leonard.

Blue Alert by Leonard Cohen / Anjani Thomas – Old Ideas LLC, SOCAN – Little Fountain Music, BMI