Bird on a Wire - encore

Alighting in time for July 1 Canada Day and July 4 Independence Day celebrations is the newest recording from Allison Crowe - a cover of "Bird on the Wire".

This Leonard Cohen classic has been covered by Jennifer Warnes (on 1987’s “Famous Blue Raincoat” collection AKA “Jenny Sings Lenny”), as well as by Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Joe Cocker, Bob Benvenuti, Katey Sagal (for the US tv program “Sons of Anarchy”), Tim Hardin, The Neville Brothers… in total, more than 140 recording artists since its release on Cohen’s 1969 album “Songs from a Room”.

Nearly a decade ago, Crowe's singular cover of another Leonard Cohen masterwork, "Hallelujah", had the rare distinction of twice being featured by UK trade Journal "Record of the Day" - before becoming a world-wide favourite. Now, her version of "Bird on a Wire" receives encore coverage from DrHGuy, AKA Allan Showalter, the erudite and entertaining blogger behind the web's go-to sites for "a pastiche of posts with song, dance, snappy chatter, and notes on prose, poesy, love, lust, life, & Leonard Cohen".

Allison Crowe pre-concert at Evangelische Osterkirche, Berlin, Germany - Billie Woods foto


Says the good Doctor:

"Allison Crowe's cover of Leonard Cohen's classic 'Bird On The Wire' is mournful and, true to the lyrics of the song, conscientiously abjures cheap conventional sentiment or ginning up the type of pseudo-consolation that relies on false promises of living happily ever after, e.g., that irreparable conflicts will somehow be resolved, emotional damages repaired, or the pain of personal loss alleviated. Yet, Crowe's voice and phrasing convey such empathy and intimacy that solace and succor are nonetheless granted through grace."

It's a great cover of a great song."

This holiday week Allison Crowe is busy rehearsing the cast of "Newfoundland Vinyl". She's Music Director of this play - a rollicking ride through popular music's coming of age in Canada's most eastern province, the island of Newfoundland. Written and directed by Jeff Pitcher, the show debuts at the Gros Morne Theatre Festival this July 13.

Bird on a Wire

Allison Crowe sings to be free. Herewith, Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire".

Midnight Memories Ever-Fresh

When Allison Crowe and her then-trio, Dave Baird on bass and Kevin Clevette on drums, were starting to roll internationally – film director and Hollywood+ steadi-cam veteran Alex Postowoi offered to shoot a band video. The song chosen for Allison’s first, and only, “story” video was “Midnight”. Tami Mancey and Josh Dahling were the lead actors. Full credits and this charming video itself can be found @ Allison Crowe and the Midnight Video

   
To add to the aural fun, at White Rock, BC’s Turtle studios Allison’s trio was joined on mandolin by Robert Ford, of Canuck Celtic rock legends, The Stoaters, as well as Hammond wizard Darryl Havers (Ferron, Alan Doyle, Brickhouse, Raffi+). With some additional support from “One-take Eddie” Johnson, percussion, and Larry “Turtle” Anschell handling guitar and production – Midnight “The Single” was born. This (2002) was no longer the heyday of “music television”, but, it still was a place many bands and fans looked to connect. Canada’s counterpart to MTV passed on playing “Midnight” – deeming it “too country”.

With Allison about to join Karen Sparkes and Gerri Lynn Mackey, personable hosts of CFCB 570AM Radio, home to new and classic country music, for an on-air chat, the memory brings forth a chuckle :)

Grab a sarsaparilla and kick back - here’s “Midnight”, as performed by Allison Crowe and friends, sounding as fresh and invigorating as the day they all came together.

Seems some browsers and operating systems respond differently to things and, so, should you have any problem watching the "Midnight" video directly on the site of film-maker, Alex Postowoi, we've made this page on Allison Crowe's home-site which may provide additional viewing options.