Leonard Cohen – Various Positions

Various Positions is Leonard Cohen's eighth album, but the first after a five-year hiatus. The album was not popular upon release –Columbia declined even to release it in the United States, and it reached only #60 in Canada and #52 in the UK; however, two of its songs, "Dance Me to the End of Love" and "Hallelujah," have become fan favourites.

The critical reception for Various Positions was also mediocre, though generally better than its two immediate predecessors:

• AllMusic gives it only 3 stars, its lowest rating ever for a Cohen studio album, but incongruously calls it "a stunning return to form"
• Robert Christgau gave it a B+, higher than the previous two, and labelled it "a better advertisement for middle-aged sex than Dynasty"
• Rolling Stone Album Guide also gave it 3 stars out of 5

I suspect I bought this during my 1980s completist period, because I really haven't listened to it much. I also suspect its place on this list is mostly due to the presence of "Hallelujah," though, upon re-listening, "If It Be Your Will," "The Captain," even "Coming Back to You" and "Heart with No Companion" are worth hearing.

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Track Listing

1. "Dance Me to the End of Love" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:40
2. "Coming Back to You" (Leonard Cohen) – 3:30
3. "The Law" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:22
4. "Night Comes On" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:36
5. "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:34
6. "The Captain" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:05
7. "Hunter's Lullaby" (Leonard Cohen) – 2:23
8. "Heart with No Companion" (Leonard Cohen) – 3:01
9. "If It Be Your Will" (Leonard Cohen) – 3:40

Personnel

• Leonard Cohen – vocals, guitar
• Jennifer Warnes – vocals
• John Crwoder – bass
• Richard Crooks – drums
• Sid McGinnes – guitar
• Kenneth Kosek – fiddle
• Ron Getman – harmonica, backing vocals
• John Lissauer – piano, keyboard orchestrations, backing vocals
• Erin Dickens – backing vocals
• Merle Miller – backing vocals
• Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals
• John Crowder – backing vocals
• Anjani Thomas – backing vocals
• Crissie Faith – backing vocals
• Lani Groves – backing vocals

• Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard Cohen (album)
• Leonard Cohen – I'm Your Man (album)
• Leonard Cohen – The Future (album)
• Leonard Cohen – Suzanne (song)
• Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah (song)
• Leonard Cohen – Bird on the Wire (song)
• Leonard Cohen – Famous Blue Raincoat (song)