"They will bind you with love"...

...or "Sarah's got you covered."

Sisters of Mercy" is such a great song, I was surprised how little it's been covered.
Leonard Cohen said:

" ...I was in Edmonton, which is one of our largest northern cities, and there was a snowstorm and I found myself in a vestibule with two young hitchhiking women who didn't have a place to stay. I invited them back to my little hotel room and there was a big double bed and they went to sleep in it immediately. They were exhausted by the storm and cold. And I sat in this stuffed chair inside the window beside the Saskatchewan River. And while they were sleeping I wrote the lyrics..."

Although I love most of Cohen's songs, unlike most people, I'm not a fan of his performances.

Here is Leonard Cohen singing "Sisters of Mercy":


To me the best by far version is that of Judy Collins.  This is where I first learned the song.  Her ethereal voice and the lyrics somehow just belong together:


The two amazing talents, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris recoded this song as a duet on the 1999 "Western Wall: The Tuscon Sessions" album.  They do a good job of course, but fall short of what I would have expected:


Beth Orton has a slightly different take:

while Serena Ryder does an edgy cover:


I never heard of him but I sorta like this guy, Stephen Mendel:

first

2nd

3rd

that's the spirit

ok,4th!

As long as you give Judy Collin's video a try, may the sisters have mercy on you.

xD

5th. Beautiful song!

One of my favorites of Cohen is Avalanche

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f0ADuVJhYQ 

and by Nick Cave too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX1vVP1Tb64 

Judy collins....what a voice!

I really feel that the heart of a nation can be found in its folk music......

That's an intense song... thanks.

Judy Collins was on her way to being a concert pianist when she caught the folk music bug.

Nope

Cohen was a true poet.

I prefer Sisters Of Avalon - Cyndi Lauper.

The first time I heard "Suzanne" (in the '60s) I thought it was a great poem, but it wasn't a song. I've listened to many covers over the years, but I haven't changed my opinion. Anyone who thinks he's heard "Hallelujah" sung hasn't until he's heard it sung by  k.d. lang.

Leonard Cohen was a great wordsmith, but he wasn't a singer. Like many others, he didn't let that stand in the way of recording his own songs. I greatly admire his body of work. R.I.P.

Nice post.  I'd lean towards the original simply due to the back story.  Songs bring different things to different people, especially if a song touches upon their own life experiences; even more so when it's an experience that shaped who they are fundamentally.  I knew many the song could have been written about, and many of their back stories are books even more compelling.  One of my very few soft spots I guess.  Irrespective, nice post.

2nd

I'm a huge fan of Leonard Cohen's songs, but not so much of how he sounds when he sings. 

leonard cohens is my fav tho