Jennifer Warnes, “Song of Bernadette”

Written by Leonard Cohen with his former backup singer Jennifer Warnes (yes, the one who had the time of her life with that guy from the Righteous Brothers; the one who was lifted up where she belonged by the love of Joe Cocker), “Song of Bernadette” originally appeared on Warnes’ criminally underavailable 1986 collection of Cohen songs, Famous Blue Raincoat. There have been a number of subsequent covers, but this remains the standard by which all others are judged. I’m not as technically adept as everyone else here so I haven’t the faintest clue as to how to put up an MP3, but here’s a link to the lyrics, and here’s an extract from an interview with Cohen where he discusses the song (search for “Bernadette of Lourdes”).

As the lyrics and the interview both show, this is a song about failure and forgiveness. (And also, of course, some crazy French chick who had visions of the Virgin Mary.) What makes Warnes’ version especially vital is the spare arrangement behind it, the piano in the empty hall accompanying the singer’s voice. Warnes takes the song and soars, letting loose a mouthful of grace notes in every chorus.

“Song of Bernadette” is, obviously, meant to be uplifting and comforting. I, for one, find it terribly sad, concentrating as I do more on the former part of the chorus than the latter, but this says more about my failures as a person than any possible failure of the song (in fact, my only quibble comes at the end of the track, when Warnes swoops far above register in the third repeat of the final line; it overeggs the pudding). Any song that can be equally appreciated for both its sorrow and its compassion is probably a work for the ages; however you choose to hear it, I’d be very surprised if you aren’t moved.

(I can usually be found here, by the way.)