- Better Than Ezra, “Under You”

“But I was caught, like a fleeting thought / Stuck inside Leonard Cohen’s mind”

- Mercury Rev, “A Drop In Time”

“Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld / So I can sigh eternally”

- Nirvana, “Pennyroyal Tea”

It’s almost unbelievable now to think that we almost never heard Leonard Cohen, the singer. A well-regarded poet from the late 1950s through the mid-’60s, it was Judy Collins who encouraged the middle-aged Canadian writer to try his hand at performing his own songs, and the rest is history. She also had a successful cover of Cohen’s “Suzanne”.

Nearing half a century and 12 albums later, Cohen is one of the most celebrated and critically-acclaimed artists of the era. He’s also one of the most covered songwriters alive, with songs like “Suzanne” and “Hallelujah” registering several hundred different recordings alone. To celebrate the arrival of Old Ideas, his first new studio album in eight years, we’ve collected 30 great covers of Cohen songs for your listening pleasure.

For sake of brevity, this list sticks to a one-song-per-artist rule, with other exceptional covers by a musician cited in several cases. The list also doesn’t include any covers of “Hallelujah”, because everyone and their father has covered that one, and only a few come close to the Jeff Buckley version. (A few of the best ones are mentioned in the entries below, if you’d like to look them up for yourself.)

“Avalanche”

Who: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Where: From Her to Eternity (1984)
What: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds recorded a grim cover of “Avalanche”, which became the very first track on their debut album. Not losing a beat after the collapse of Cave’s former band, The Birthday Party, From Her to Eternity was as powerful a release as anything he had put out. (Cave has a number of Cohen covers to his name, including an excellent “I’m Your Man” from the soundtrack album of the same name, and a raucous version of “Tower of Song” on the I’m Your Fan tribute record.)

“Bird on a Wire”

Who: Johnny Cash
Where: American Recordings (1994)
What: Producer Rick Rubin revitalized Johnny Cash’s career with his first American album. Despite his status as a country icon, Cash was unable to find an audience for his new recordings. Rubin set up a studio at Cash’s home and recorded an acoustic set with him, which showcased the emotional power of his famous baritone voice on a combination of Cash originals and cover songs, Cohen’s classic “Bird on a Wire” among them.

Who: Willie Nelson
Where: Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1995)
What: Tower of Song was a mid-’90s tribute album that featured contributions from an all-star cast including Elton John, Bono, Sting, Billy Joel, Don Henley, and Peter Gabriel. Nelson’s countrified cover of “Bird on a Wire” is a highlight among the bunch. (Nelson also covered “Hallelujah” on his Ryan Adams-produced album, Songbird.)

Who: Fairport Convention
Where: Heyday: The BBC Radio Sessions, 1968-1969 (recorded in 1969, released in 1987)
What: As its title spells out, Heyday was a collection of live radio recordings from early in Fairport Convention’s career. Early supporters of Cohen’s, the English folk rockers covered several of his songs in the late 1960s.

“Chelsea Hotel #2”

Who: Lloyd Cole
Where: I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1991)
What: The ex-Commotions singer was in the studio working on his second solo album, Don’t Get Weird on Me, Babe, when he recorded this cover, which sounds like it could have been a B-side from his group’s breakout debut, Rattlesnakes. (Cole also performed a nice cover of “Famous Blue Raincoat” on KCRW, which appears on their Rare on Air, Vol. 2 compilation.)

“Everybody Knows”

Who: Concrete Blonde
Where: Pump Up The Volume Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1990)
What: The soundtrack for the Christian Slater pirate radio film Pump Up The Volume acts as a great time capsule for the era of college rock that immediately preceded Nirvana’s Nevermind, featuring tracks from Sonic Youth, Henry Rollins, the Pixies, and Soundgarden. While Cohen’s version was featured in the film – as the theme song for Slater’s radio show, no les – Concrete Blonde’s cover was included on the soundtrack and released as a single.

Who: Rufus Wainwright
Where: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (2006)
What: Rufus Wainwright performed this excellent bossa nova-inflected rendition of “Everybody Knows” in the Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man documentary/concert film. There’s a long history of friendship between the Wainwright and Cohen families—Cohen’s daughter Lorca is the mother of Wainwright’s child, Cohen is name-dropped in the song “Want”, and Wainwright and sister Martha are all over the I’m Your Man concert film. Wainwright also counts a superb version of “Hallelujah” amongst his covers of the older poet’s work.

Who: Julee Cruise
Where: The Art of Being a Girl (2002)
What: The first album from David Lynch’s musical muse in nearly a decade, The Art of Being a Girl marked Cruise’s split from the director of the weird and his long-time musical collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti. The album was a far stylistic leap from the spooky, ethereal dreampop with which she’d made her name, and included this strange, trip-hop cover of “Everybody Knows”.

“Famous Blue Raincoat”

Who: Tori Amos
Where: Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1995)
What: In the year between the hit albums Under the Pink and Boys for Pele, Tori Amos contributed this beautiful piano cover of the popular Cohen song to the all-star tribute album Tower of Song. (Amos has also worked “Suzanne” into her live set at several points over the years.)

Who: Marissa Nadler
Where: Folk Off! (2006)
What: The Boston-based folkstress contributed this somewhat spooky cover of Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat”, a regular piece of her live setlist, to this two-disc compilation that pitted North American and British artists against each other in a good-natured competitive “folk off.”

“First We Take Manhattan”

Who: R.E.M.
Where: I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1991)
What: R.E.M. fans still in mourning can seek comfort in the large number of rare tracks and obscurities the band left behind. Among those is a cover of “First We Take Manhattan” from the I’m Your Fan Cohen tribute album, which was also included as a B-side on the U.K. single for “Drive”.

“Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye”

Who: The Lemonheads (featuring Liv Tyler)
Where: Varshons (2009)
What: The Butthole Surfers’ Gibby Haynes spent years passing mix tapes to The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando, who later paid tribute by recording an album of covers consisting of songs from those tapes. Varshons includes perhaps the most surprising appearance on this list, when Dando duets with actress Liv Tyler (!?) on “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”.

“I Can’t Forget”

Who: Jarvis Cocker
Where: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (2006)
What: Highly lauded for his own lyrical skills, the Pulp frontman and solo artist performed this sincere cover of “I Can’t Forget” in the tribute documentary I’m Your Man. (Cocker provides a spoken-word, slight re-interpretation of Cohen’s “Avalanche” lyrics for the Boys Noize and Erol Alkan dance track, “Avalanche (Terminal Velocity)”.)

Who: Pixies
Where: I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1991)
What: The Pixies were nearing the end of their recording career when they recorded this poppy cover of “I Can’t Forget” for a tribute album originally commissioned by French music mag Les Inrockuptibles. (Black Francis cited Cohen’s I’m You Man as one of his all-time favorite albums in the 33 1/3 volume on Doolittle.)

“If It Be Your Will”

Who: Antony
Where: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (2006)
What: Antony Hegarty’s one-off performance in the I’m Your Man tribute documentary manages to make Cohen’s lyrics sound even more heartbreaking than on his original version. (Antony & The Johnsons also performed a great cover of “The Guests” live on BBC4 during the same year.)

“Joan of Arc”

Who: Anna Calvi
Where: B-side to the “Desire” single (2011)
What: British singer/shredder Anna Calvi paid tribute to Leonard Cohen by subtracting the thing he’s most famous from the song: his lyrics. Calvi found the song’s lyrics so atmospheric that she was inspired to write her own instrumental piece that followed the story that unfolds in Cohen’s verses.

“Lover, Lover, Lover”

Who: Ian McCulloch
Where: Mysterio (1992)
What: Singer Ian McCulloch included this very new wave-y cover of “Lover, Lover, Lover” on his second post-Echo and the Bunnymen solo album. (McCulloch must be a big-time Cohen fan, judging by his additional covers of “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”, “Suzanne”, and “There Is A War” appearing on various compilations.)

“Master Song”

Who: Beck, Devendra Banhart, and MGMT
Where: Record Club: Songs of Leonard Cohen (2009)
What: Beck’s all-star covers/jam side project took on the entirety of Cohen’s debut album for their second outing. With the help of Devendra Banhart and MGMT, they transform “Master Song” from a tender, acoustic song-poem to a vulgar, old-school hip-hop joint.

“One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong”

Who: Harvey Milk
Where: Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men (1996)
What: The Athens, GA stoner rock group Harvey Milk unplugged for a quiet (uncommon, for them) rendition of “One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong” on their sophomore album. (Their cover of “Seems So Long Ago, Nancy” is included on the Japanese limited edition of Life… The Best Game in Town.)

“So Long, Marianne”

Who: James
Where: I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1991)
What: The British band covered “So Long, Marianne” for an early alternative-era Cohen tribute album. At the time primarily known only in the U.K., it would still be two years before they released their breakout hit single “Laid”.

[Note: YouTube has blocked this song in most countries, so here's the Spotify link.]

Who: John Cale and Suzanne Vega
Where: Bleecker Street: Greenwich Village in the 60′s (1999)
What: Cale’s much more famous, of course, in the Cohen covers world for his sublime recording of “Hallelujah”, but his take on this track from Cohen’s debut record came almost a decade later and also features vocals from Suzanne Vega (of “Tom’s Diner” fame).

“Suzanne”

Who: Pearls Before Swine
Where: Balaklava (1967)
What: The first side of Tom Rapp’s surreal, heady sophomore album with Pearls Before Swine served as the singer/songwriter’s unsettling but powerful rail against the Vietnam War. The second side was perhaps more bizarre (if a bit less effective), beginning with this cover of “Suzanne” and ending with the Lord of the Rings-inspired song “Ring Thing” (for which Tolkien was given a joint songwriting credit).

Who: The Flying Lizards
Where: Top Ten (1984)
What: Known best for their bizarre new wave cover of “Money (That’s What I Want)”, The Flying Lizards’ cover of “Suzanne” is even further removed from the source material, featuring icy-cold synths, robotic drumming, and spoken word vocals. This is perhaps the second strangest cover on this list, after Beck’s Record Club entry.

Who: Nina Simone
Where: To Love Somebody (1969)
What: Clumped onto a rushed-out album that also contained three Bob Dylan tunes and two Bee Gees covers, Nina Simone’s cover of “Suzanne” is as bright and cheery as they get.

Who: Roberta Flack
Where: Killing Me Softly (1973)
What: The closing track to Roberta Flack’s Grammy Award-nominated album Killing Me Softly was a cover of the Cohen staple. Flack added orchestral flourishes and lingered on every lyric to create an extensive, nearly-10-minute rendition of the famous song.

Who: Neil Diamond
Where: Stones (1971)
What: While Neil Diamond’s Stones did contain his popular songs “I Am… I Said” and “Crunchy Granola Suite”, many of the tracks on the record are actually covers. Paired up with songs originally performed by Randy Newman and Joni Mitchell, it’s Diamond’s lush, pastoral Leonard Cohen cover that’s a standout.

“Who By Fire”

Who: Coil
Where: Horse Rotorvator (1986)
What: The name of the British industrial/experimental group’s landmark second album comes from a dream in which the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse tear out their steeds’ jawbones and graft them together to build a plow that will tear up the world. The cover of “Who By Fire” included there isn’t as terrifying as one might expect from such an album, but the atmospheric backing vocals are pretty haunting.

Who: The House of Love
Where: I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (1991)
What: The House of Love may not be as beloved a band to come out of Creation Records as, say, The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, or Oasis, but their self-titled debut record really holds up as a great piece of pre-Britpop British indie rock. Their cover of “Who By Fire” was the lead track on the U.K. edition of I’m Your Fan.

“Winter Lady”

Who: Palace Songs
Where: Hope EP (1994)
What: Will Oldham, the man of many changing names, released this EP under the Palace Songs moniker. Chronologically part of a spurt of singles and EPs released between Days in the Wake and Viva Last Blues, it’s more in tune with the full band sound he’d use more in his Bonnie “Prince” Billy days than much of the Palace era. This startling cover is included among Oldham originals.

“You Know Who I Am”

Who: Mama Cass Elliot
Where: Dream A Little Dream (1968)
What: The final Mamas & the Papas single, “Dream a Little Dream of Me” became the first Mama Cass solo single after label execs wagered on Elliot being the group’s breakout member. Their bet was good, as the song became a smash hit for the singer. Most of the album’s material was written by Elliot’s friends and Laurel Canyon neighbors, but there’s a sweetly-sung version of Cohen’s “You Know Who I Am” that’s quite pretty, despite a few overbearing psychedelic effects.

Conclusion

And there are some of our favorites. Given how popular Cohen’s songs have been over the last four-and-a0half decades, there are quite literally thousands of covers we couldn’t even begin to include. Please feel free to share your favorites in our comments section.

Whenever I hear anybody do one of my songs, my critical judgments go into immediate, suspended animation. I’m just knocked out when anybody does a cover of mine … First of all, I’m happy that someone has heard the song and is moved to cover it. Second of all, it gives me a completely fresh take on the song, and I can then enter it into my own judgmental process … I think there are songs that are better done than I have done them.”

- Leonard Cohen to KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, February 18, 1997

Kind of like how we still care about the Grammys, we also put a lot of faith into the absurdity that is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. So much so in fact that we gave you a giant write-up on this year’s nominees a few months back. Now, the child-like eagerness and speculation ends as the the class of 2011 has been revealed. Still no Brian Eno, FYI.

The New York Times reports that Tom Waits, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, and Darlene Love will be announced as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s newest inductees during a ceremony Wednesday morning. Other honorees include Leon Russell, who is receiving an award for musical excellence, along with Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman and Specialty label head Art Rupe, both of whom will receiver non-performer honors.

Like previous years, even those not allowed in are worthy of mention. Because of their exclusion, the likes of Bon Jovi, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys will have to wait ’till next year before possibly gaining entry into rock’s most prestigious club.

The 26th annual ceremony goes down March 14th at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.

Diamond goes for the gusto in some of his song selections for the album—picking two Beatles tunes and songs from Leonard Cohen, Elton John, and even Gladys Knight and the Pips. To his credit, Diamond puts his own shine on the songs and attempts to stay away from straight covers. The versions are sparse and simple—using only guitar, strings, and piano most the time. But that is about where the credit stops. The sparseness creates a high level of schmaltz that is somewhat akin to Rod Stewart’s albums of standards, but unfortunately the schmaltz is not welcome here.

Diamond’s versions are often far more morose than the original songs. Even his version of a song he composed, “I’m a Believer”, has been taken far away from the upbeat love song that made it famous. Instead Diamond has recorded a song that, while at times hopeful, is heartbreakingly sad almost to an uncomfortable point.

Uncomfortable is a good word for the album as a whole. His reworkings of “Desperado” by The Eagles, “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen (with flairs of the Rufus Wainwright version), and “Yesterday” by the Beatles come across as what you’d expect Will Ferrell’s impression to sound like. Either Ferrell’s impression was that dead-on, or Diamond has just fallen into the joke without even knowing it. And the songs simply sound less compelling than the original versions. It is like a whole album of muzak that is only missing the Kenny G saxophone.

There are a couple of strong tracks on the album, including the opening cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Alone Again (Naturally)” by Gilbert O’Sullivan. “Ain’t No Sunshine” has a great beat and drive to it, and Diamond gives it great life. “Alone Again (Naturally)” is one of the few sad songs here made more jolly by Diamond, and it’s one of the happiest songs about suicide I have ever heard.

Overall, Dreams gives the impression that Diamond should just stick with “Cracklin’ Rosie” and “America”—his comfort zone. This foray into indulgence somewhat erases the step forward he took with the Rick Rubin-produced 12 Songs. Let’s hope that he realizes this and takes a few more leaps forward to put Dreams behind him. It’s an album that I’m sure your aunt will like, but it will likely be a mere curiosity to you.

Since 1986, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been inducting those who have made an impression on the evermore detailed map of pop and rock music. And yeah, the ceremony might be a little chintzy, and some may consider the whole think a giant joke, and the whole argument of contemporary relevance is all but hurled out the the window, and the fact that ABBA is in there and Brian Eno isn’t is enough to set yourself on fire — but it beats the living hell out of any other televised American music awards show, and usually the ceremony ekes some gnarly performances out of the inductees. This year, 15 nominees were selected, and on average, five to seven of those nominees will be selected. So, without further ado, here are your 2011 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Performer Nominees. Who do you think should make the cut?

Alice Cooper

The original rock nemesis Alice Cooper, along with lead guitarist Glen Buxton, rhythm guitarist Michael Bruce, bass player Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith, paved the way for future harbingers of shock heavy metal. In addition to his box-office record-breaking live show in the 70s, The Coop continued to rock well into the 90s and, sure, 2010. If ABBA’s already in the R&RHoF, it’d be a shame for Cooper not to make it this year. Take a chance on him.

Beastie Boys

Now here’s a little story I’ve got to tell about three bad brothers you know so well. Mike D, Ad-Rock, and MCA have kicked out the jams for years, pioneering hip-hop, sampling, production, and white-boy fashion since the 80s. If inducted, Beastie Boys would be the third hip-hop group in the hall of fame, alongside Grandmaster Flash and Run DMC. You got a long wait ahead of you, Weezy.

Bon Jovi

If The Bon misses out this year, I at least think it’s about time for his ripped, acid-washed jeans to garner a glass case in the Smithsonian. Not quite hair metal New Jersey blue-collar rockers are a household name for pretty much everyone in America who’s been to a bar at least once in their life. Jon can steal your heart with those steely blue eyes of his, and define a rock song. Does it get more real than “Bed Of Roses”? That’s a man who knows what rock & roll love is.

Chic

Chic are probably best known for “Le Freak”, but they assisted the hip-hop movement in a major way with their increasingly funkier disco sounds. More soul and less….ABBA…. meant Sugar Hill Gang could totally start copping their stuff. Band members also went on to produce albums for Madonna, Mick Jagger, and David Bowie.

Neil Diamond

If his half-decade of amazing songs doesn’t get him in, maybe they should just show the selection committee this clip. Diamond can do anything.

Donovan

World music connoisseur Donovan explored the globe to find his sounds. But before Donovan got trippy and jazzy, he wrote some beautiful folk songs that paved the way for Brit-folk in the 60s. We can also credit him for Nick Drake, Belle & Sebastian, and being at the center of The Beatles pilgrimage to the Maharishi’s ashram in 1968, thus teaching Paul and George how to finger pick the guitar, thus allowing “Dear Prudence” and “Blackbird” to exist. Shoe-in?

Dr. John

This New Orleans staple has been culling the feelings of the city for years and perpetuating Cajun stereotypes for years. Yeah, he’s mighty talented, but I prefer his alter-ego.

J. Giels Band

The only two things I’ve learned from these guys it that, truthfully, love stinks, and that he’s actually not Robert Palmer.

LL Cool J

Now we’re talking: Ladies Love Cool James himself up against the boys from Brooklyn. Obviously, only one hip-hop artists can make it in (blame whitey), but how awesome would it be if they did a performance together? “Going Back To Cali/No Sleep Til Brooklyn” would be the shit.

Darlene Love

Singer for 60s pop group The Blossoms, 72-year old Darelene Love has been singing professionally since being a sophomore in high school. Since then, she’s worked with Phil Spektor, U2, and Danny Glover. She played his wife in all four Lethal Weapon movies. Career versatility: 5 points.

Laura Nyro

Posthumous nominee and folk prodigy Laura Nyro recorded with David Geffen and Columbia Records for 25 years starting at the ripe age of 19.  Her songs were performed by Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night, and Barbra Streisand and, rather unfortunately, not all at the same time. Elton John said of her: “The soul, the passion, the out-and-out audacity of her rhythmic and melody changes was like nothing I’d ever heard before.”

Donna Summer

My mom played Donna Summer a lot when I was a kid, and I think I heard “Love To Love You Baby” a little too young. Things have been really messed up for me since then. But she’s stayed fresh and in the mainstream since as she starred as Steve Urkel’s Aunt Oona in 1994 and again in 1997 (I’m sensing a trend…)

Joe Tex

You know how Ronnie James Dio claimed he invented the devil horn hand gesture? Well, Joe Tex coined the term “rap”. At age 31, the southern-soul singer had two dozen consecutive R&B/pop crossover hits in rotation, including the song “I Ain’t Gonna Bump No More With No Big Fat Woman”. That title alone gets him a ticket in. And whoa! Label-mate James Brown shot at him in a night club!

Tom Waits

I’ll redirect you to our article on Mr. Tom Waits, which will expound on his defense on getting into the hall of fame. Suffice it to say, if I could use all my votes for one man, it would be him. The breadth of his career, his growth as a songwriter, his talent as a producer earns him a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Chuck Willis

’50s pop singer Chuck Willis, known as “The King of the Stroll”,  is a testament to roots of rock & roll. Unfortunately , he was recording 50 years before today, so I’m clearly not a big fan of his oeuvre, nor one who understands his importance. But because I’m a logical person, I logically see his reason for being on the list. Another case of “If it wasn’t for Chuck Willis…” Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, and Kanye West samples would never exist. May logic prevail!

Not only is the film itself immaculately made, but the soundtrack is also one of the greatest and most iconic of all time. From the great use of surf rock standards as background and mood to Al Green and Kool & the Gang as perfect commentary to one of the best Neil Diamond covers/dance sequences ever, the soundtrack supplements the film to a T and also stands alone as one of the greatest mix tapes I’ve ever heard.

The final track on the collector’s edition of the soundtrack is an interview with Tarantino about the music he chose, and why he chose those particular songs. If you can get passed the stammering and randomness glory that is a Tarantino interview, he says some great things about the soundtrack. Right from the start, he discusses how he picks songs for soundtracks. Tarantino states that picking songs is one of the first things he does when he is making a movie. During his writing process he goes to his record collection and starts finding songs that would be the “spirit of the movie” to help him further his writing. He tries to find the songs that will tell the story almost on their own. He views soundtracks as stand-alone pieces of work and “mini offshoots of the movie”, almost supplements to the film or DVD extras, as it were.

One of the greatest things Tarantino does with Pulp Fiction’s soundtrack is create a mix tape for the film. An actual mix tape. Like one he would give his friends for their own enjoyment. He says of the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, “This could very easily be a Quentin tape!” He wants to make it more than just a collection of songs. He wants it to be fun and have a personality. This explains his choice to include some memorable dialogue from the film on the album. The soundtrack includes tracks for John Travolta’s character Vincent Vega and Samuel L. Jackson’s character Jules Winnfield talking about the hash bars in Amsterdam and “royals with cheese”, their conversation about why Julius doesn’t eat pork, and also Jackson’s epic quotation of the Bible verse Ezekiel 25:17. He also includes short snippets of dialogue that come from scenes where the song is played. Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer’s dialogue about robbing the restaurant before the epic opening track “Misirlou” by Dick Dale and his Del-Tones, and the introduction for the twist competition before “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry are among others. The inclusion of the dialogue completes that mix tape feeling. Hell, I know I used to make mix tapes with lines from famous movies in them when I was in middle school and high school. It makes perfect sense to me.

The songs go hand in hand with the corresponding scenes. It’s seamless, really. The moods that Tarantino is able to create with music, and that includes silence too, are spot-on. The surf music sets the time and mood without being too overwhelming. Tarantino mentions in the interview that he picked surf music because to him it sounds “more like a spaghetti western than surf music,” and that he doesn’t understand what surf rock “has to do with surfing in the first place.” The surf rock combined with songs like “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green, “Jungle Boogie” by Kool & the Gang, and “Lonesome Town” by Ricky Nelson tell you that it’s the ’70s without cramming it down your throat. You know… like the Forrest Gump soundtrack. The songs also give you insight to the scenes and characters, as well: Bruce Willis’ character Butch Coolidge singing “Flowers on the Wall” by The Satler Brothers, or “Let’s Stay Together” playing while Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) and Coolidge are discussing fixing the fight, for example.

Most, if not all, all of the songs have been cemented into the social conscious and tied to this movie. “Misirlou” will always ring back to the opening sequence of this film. The excitement built from the discussion of the diner robbery explodes into the opening guitar riff of the song and the opening credits perfectly. Tarantino describes the feeling by saying, “You’re watching an epic. You’re watching this big old movie…just sit back.” Urge Overkill’s cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon” is tied in with Uma Thurman’s fantastic dance sequence/overdose scene. And no one can ever think of “Comanche” by The Revels without thinking of sodomy. It’s an unfortunate thing to be remembered for, but Tarantino places it in the movie beautifully. The song gives me chills every time. Not in a good way at all, either. Tarantino claims that if you put the right song in the right scene, it’s “about as cinematic a thing as you can do…you can’t hear the song again without thinking about that scene in the movie.” He is exactly right.

The soundtrack itself, separated from the film, is in fact a stand-alone piece. The songs flow into the other easily and comfortably. Even if you have never seen the movie (in that case…why?!), you can still feel its spirit throughout. The soundtrack has a vibe and movement all its own. When you take the film into account, it is the quintessential soundtrack. No song feels out of place, or even forced. What’s more, there isn’t a tune that takes away something from the scenes. It adds, supports, and enhances every detail. Like the movie, the soundtrack is a diamond. Now, to more important matters, who here hasn’t seen it?

The album will feature the prerequisite Christmas songs like “Jingle Bell Rock”, “White Christmas” and “Joy To The World”. The Man Forever In Blue Jeans will also take a crack at the choir favorite of “Amazing Grace” and has recorded a new song entitled “Christmas Dream”. And to rep his chosen people, Diamond recorded a “party-time version” of Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song”. And if that weren’t awesome enough, it’s produced by DJ Ashba of Guns N’ Roses.

A Cherry Cherry Christmas is out October 13th on Columbia Records.

A Cherry Cherry Christmas Tracklist:
01. Cherry Cherry Christmas
02. Sleigh Ride
03. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
04. White Christmas
05. Christmas Dream
06. The Christmas Song
07. Deck the Halls/We Wish You a Merry Christmas
08. Jingle Bell Rock
09. You Make it Feel Like Christmas
10. Winter Wonderland
11. Joy to the World
12. Amazing Grace
13. Meditations on a Winter Night
14. The Chanukah Song