How can I find an obscure cover version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" by Nina Simone?
July 9, 2011 6:48 PM Subscribe
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?
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?
This is somewhat more psychedelic. A bit grand.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:16 PM on July 9, 2011
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
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
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
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
Response by poster: 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
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
(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
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
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
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sarastro at 7:01 PM on July 9, 2011