Songs of Leonard Cohen

The work of Leonard Cohen has always attracted more than its share of covers, and for good reason — the imagery, complexity, and emotional power of his compositions remains the envy of the creative community, and represents a swift passage out of the ordinary. Coupled with exceptional talent, Cohen's material can reach unimaginable highs: Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" and Neil Diamond's "Suzanne" take pride of place at the top of our extended salute. France's first lady tackles Cohen in Next Steps.

Before she married French President Nicolas Sarkozy, model Carla Bruni had dabbled with a bit of Cohen, recording a version of "In My Secret Life" with German jazzman Till Brönner. It's a measure of the great man's talent that his work allows such a variety of interpretations: contrast the Neville Brothers' ornate, soulful version of "Bird On a Wire" to that of Johnny Cash, stripped down and pared away to just the basics of bass vocal and simple strum. Some of Cohen's earliest admirers can be found among our Deep Cuts.

Singer and actor Noel Harrison, best known for his recurring role in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and for his father (Rex Harrison), was one of the first to take Cohen's work to a wider audience — here he delivers a tender version of "So Long, Marianne". Equally influential was Judy Collins, whose adoption of several Cohen tracks, including "Dress Rehearsal Rag," helped spread the word — indeed Collins persuaded Cohen to start performing, in 1967, for the first time since his teens.

Paying homage to Leonard Cohen is practically a rite of passage for any sharp-witted artist with a keen interest in the highest potential of pop, hence the 1,000-plus covers his songbook has spawned, every one an implicit admission that the man inhabits a loftier sphere of creative talent than most. It's no surprise to find some of rock's brightest sparks among these Cohen aficionados, including Jarvis Cocker (whose wit and charm proves equal to "I Can't Forget"), Wainwright siblings Rufus and Martha, Michael Stipe (leading R.E.M. through "First We Take Manhattan"), and Nick Cave (glowering through "Avalanche" with the Bad Seeds). One master, many disciples.