The Historama Forum

Well, I guess I like Leonard Cohen like anybody else but it seems his present tour is being touted in the media such that his mere presence is like the Coming itself... and he's due to perform here in Israel on 24 Sept. 2009 (location as yet unknown).

Anyway I have a nice pearl for Cohen fans: a juicy 17 minute soundboard recording of a rarely performed blues song called "Blues by the Jews (Billy Sunday)". Intriguing insight into Cohen's relationship with G-d (who is, apparently, "very angry" in general) Bootleg legend has it that Cohen performed this song only 8 times (and only between 1979-1980). Here are some things Cohen has said about the song during his perforances; and here's something about Billy Sunday.

This recording is the earliest known, improvised and spontaneous, from a session at the Odeon Theatre in Birmingham (UK) on 12/08/79. Enjoy the piece!



AND if already on the subject of Leonard Cohen, here is an excellent REM cover of "First We Take Manhattan":