131 Songs - Numbers 56, 57 and 58

Number 56 - First We Take Manhattan by Jennifer Warnes

The next three songs are definitely three of my favourite all time recordings. The first is the stand out track from "Famous Blue Raincoat", released in 1987 and one of my top ten albums of all time. It is tribute to Leonard Cohen, with whom Jennifer Warnes toured as a back-up singer in the 1970's, and includes a number of his compositions from 1969 to 1984. It also has some new songs, of which "First We Take Manhattan" is one. I do not own a Leonard Cohen album, his voice is just too much of a growl, but given a voice like Jennifer Warnes, the songs take on a different dimension. Leonard does sing on "Joan of Arc", but mercifully on no other.

Number 57 - Will You by Hazel O'Connor

Hazel O'Connor burst into fame with her starring role in the 1980 British move "Breaking Glass". The soundtrack includes the extraordinarily beautiful song "Will You" composed by Hazel O'Connor and Wesley Magoogan. Hazel not only took the lead role but as she says, "ended up writing all the songs for the movie". Although she did have big problems with her record company, resulting in damaging law suits, she now has the rights to the songs she wrote and is currently touring "Breaking Glass Live" in the UK. Wesley Magoogan gets co-writing credits for his awesome alto saxophone solo, my favourite sax solo ever. Unfortunately, Wesley lost fingers in a circular saw accident so that ruined his playing career. They were sewn back on, but only one hand works well. However, the combination of such a wonderful song and the fabulous melody of the saxophone solo makes this a classic.

Number 58 - The Weakness in Me by Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading is one of the great British female singer songwriters. I guess that most fans would have gone for "Love and Affection" or even "Rosie", "Me Myself I" or "Drop the Pilot". But I think that "The Weakness In Me", the stand out track on her 1981 album "Walk Under Ladders", is just a wonderful song. Alison and I went to see Joan at Wembley Arena in October 1986. Wow, that is twenty four years ago! She was suffering from a cold, but still gave a blistering performance. A true trooper.