How can I find an obscure cover version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" by Nina Simone?

July 9, 2011 6:48 PM

I remember hearing a Nina Simone cover of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" several years ago. I can find two versions of Nina Simone covering the song on the Internet, but not the one I remember. Help me, please!

I'm almost certain that the cover was on a Best of Nina Simone cassette tape I had as a teenager. The version I remember was kind of orchestral, maybe, and broke into whirling strings during the last verse. It was really grand and maybe a little psychedelic. Nina did some beautiful, wordless wailing over the music after the verses ended. I think.

The two versions I can find now are the most popular one, which is kind of jaunty and has some plinkety piano, and an alternate slow, funereal one. How can I find the one I loved twenty years ago? Does anyone else know it?

posted by pineappleheart to media & arts (11 answers total)

perhaps this version? not exactly orchestral, but different from the other two you're describing.
posted by sarastro at 7:01 PM on July 9, 2011

This?
This?
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:02 PM on July 9, 2011

This?
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:07 PM on July 9, 2011

This is somewhat more psychedelic. A bit grand.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:16 PM on July 9, 2011

Is this some kind of Nina Simone related phenomenon? I ask because a few years ago, my girlfriend made me a mix CD with "Feelin' Good" on it. Said GF and I are since broken up, but the thing is ... I CANNOT find the version of "Feelin' Good" that she put on that CD. Wrong tempo, different instrumentation ... it made me kind of crazy for a while. And now I hear that there's more Simone confusion going 'round. WTH?
posted by ronofthedead at 7:24 PM on July 9, 2011

ronofthedead, try searching Amazon's mp3 selection.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:26 PM on July 9, 2011

Foci ... went to your link, added "+simone" to the search field at the top ... the very first song listed was the one I remember.

I've found at least three other versions of that song. Never the right one, until now. Thanks.
posted by ronofthedead at 7:34 PM on July 9, 2011

Well, none of those are the ones I've been looking for, but I'm so pleased that ronofthedead found his match. Thanks for checking, y'all.
posted by pineappleheart at 7:43 PM on July 9, 2011

Was it on one of these albums?

(Link to search that yielded those)
posted by chez shoes at 8:18 PM on July 9, 2011

That's great, ronofthedead!
posted by Foci for Analysis at 8:32 PM on July 9, 2011

Allmusic lists 5 versions - the jaunty one would be the 1970 Best of Nina Simone and the funeral one would be the 1958 Nina Simone.

I have a version of "Backlash Blues" that I like it better than any version I have found anywhere else, but I have absolutely no idea where it came from.
posted by milkrate at 11:33 PM on July 9, 2011