In My Life

Having just remembered that the first Leonard Cohen song I'd ever heard was as interpreted by Judy Collins, I decided I would have to download some Judy Collins. First, In My Life (1965). Along with a version of "Dress Rehearsal Rag" that is, in it's own way, as horrifying as Leonard's, there also a version of Bob Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" that is not better but much different and much sweeter than Bob's.

Three songs from In My Life made their way on to The Best of Judy Collins (1972). They are "Suzanne," which has been over-exposed and which I didn't bother to download, but also two beautiful renditions of the title track by Lennon and McCartney, and Donovan's "Sunny Goodge Street." Now, here are a couple interpretations that improve mightily on the originals, simply by virtue of the lyrics coming much more to the forefront. John Lennon wrote such a sweet and sentimental ode "In My Life," but I guess he just couldn't bring himself to deliver it as such. With the additional emphasis on the vocals, Judy's version does vastly more justice to John's song. And "Sunny Goodge Street" is more uptempo and, well, sunnier than Donovan's and, enuniciated more clearly, the lyrics are much more charming than I had ever thought them to be before. Think "Penny Lane," only better and deeper.

Having gotten into my Judy collection, I had to keep going and to download "Someday Soon" and "Both Sides Now" from the greatest hits collection. "Both Sides Now" is another one of those where Judy's version is different, not better, but different, and equally satisfying as Joni Mitchell's original. But if I could only have one Judy song on the proverbial desert island, it would be "Someday Soon." "He loves his damned old rodeo as much as he loves me." I only wish I had "Send in the Clowns" somewhere.

Judy Collins will be performing at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis on April 30. On top of everything else, she was the subject of "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes." Iconic.