First We Take Manhattan

"First We Take Manhattan"
Single by Jennifer Warnes
from the album Famous Blue Raincoat
B-side	"Famous Blue Raincoat"
Released	1987
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	Spring 1986
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:32
Label	Ariola, Attic
Writer(s)	Leonard Cohen
Producer	C. Roscoe Beck & Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Warnes singles chronology
"All the Right Moves" (1983) "First We Take Manhattan" (1987) "Bird on a Wire" (1987)

"First We Take Manhattan" is a song written by Leonard Cohen. It was originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes on her 1987 album Famous Blue Raincoat, which consisted entirely of songs written or co-written by Cohen.

Background and writing

Gwynne Dyer suspects the song refers to the "naivety and narcissism" of the West German Red Army Faction, "...designer terrorism by celebrity terrorists, as much about radical chic as about real politics." (The German-language speech at the beginning and end of Warnes' recording is from a news broadcast about an attack by the Red Army Faction on the German Arab society of West Berlin in 1986.)

Jennifer Warnes version

The original recording is notable for the distinctive driving lead guitar played by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Producer Roscoe Beck was from Austin, Texas and friends with Vaughan. In late February 1986, at the annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Beck asked Vaughan to record the guitar for the song. In a 2007 interview, Beck recalls that Vaughan did not have his guitar or amp with him, and used one of Beck's old Strats instead. After working on a few technical issues, the finished recording was achieved after 2 or 3 takes. According to Jennifer Warnes' official site, Vaughan finished recording his takes at 4 AM.

Music video

The music video for Warnes' version of "First We Take Manhattan" was directed by Paula Walker. Filmed in New York City, the video features Stevie Ray Vaughan playing his weathered "Number One" guitar (with its distinctive "SRV" logo) on the Brooklyn Bridge. Cohen also appears with Warnes in the video.

The album version of the song is 3:47 in length, whereas the single is 3:32 long. A promotional 12" single version entitled "Jennifer Warnes — First We Take Manhattan, Radio Remix — featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan", contained extended and edited versions.

Personnel

• Lead guitar – Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Guitar – Robben Ford
• Bass guitar – Roscoe Beck
• Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
• Percussion – Lenny Castro
• Synthesizer – Russell Ferrante
• Synthesizer programmed by – Gary Chang

Leonard Cohen version

"First We Take Manhattan"
Single by Leonard Cohen
from the album I'm Your Man
Released	February 1988
Recorded	1987
Genre	Synthpop
Length	5:56
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen singles chronology
"Take This Waltz" (1986) "First We Take Manhattan" (1988) "I'm Your Man" (1988)

Leonard Cohen's own quasi-synthpop version of "First We Take Manhattan" (with additional verses) was released in 1988 as the first track on his album I'm Your Man. Cohen's then girlfriend, Dominique Isserman, shot a black and white promotional video for Cohen's version of the track.

On his 1988 tour, instead of the original, Euro-disco-influenced arrangement of both his and Warnes' studio versions, Cohen introduced the new, funk-influenced arrangement, suggested by his backing singers Perla Batalla and Julie Christensen. He continued to perform the song this way in 1993, 2008 and 2009 tours.

Cohen's studio recording plays over the closing credits of the 2009 film Watchmen.

Personnel

• Jeff Fisher – arranger and performer
• Leonard Cohen – vocals and production
• Anjani – vocals

Other cover versions

R.E.M. contributed a cover for the Cohen tribute album I'm Your Fan. Their presence on the compilation led to a re-arranging of the I'm Your Fan tracklist. In the US release of the tribute, R.E.M.'s cover appeared as the first track, rather than House of Love's "Who by Fire" which was the starting track in all other countries. The song also appeared as a B-side on some versions of the single "Drive".

Joe Cocker covered "First We Take Manhattan" on his 1999 album No Ordinary World.

The Swedish synthpop band Tyskarna från Lund covered "First We Take Manhattan" on their 2003 album Metamorphobia.

Electro artist and multimedia performer Maxx Klaxon covered "First We Take Manhattan" on his 2005 EP Paranoid Style.

Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia also covered the song on their mini-album Sirenian Shores.

Spanish flamenco singer Enrique Morente made a new version of this song, titled "Manhattan", with new musical arrangements for Spanish and electric guitars and a rhythmic base with palms and drums. The lyrics were also translated into Spanish. It was included on his 1996 album Omega, performed with Lagartija Nick and other musicians.

Warren Zevon, citing Cohen as one of his favorite songwriters, performed the song on tour in support of the Mr. Bad Example album accompanied by Odds.

Belgian singer Yasmine covered "First We Take Manhattan" on her album Vandaag — Het Morgen van Gisteren, released in 2004.

Singer-songwriter Boris Grebenshchikov covered the song in 2005 as part of his Red Room Demos compilation.

The Boston band, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, covered "First We Take Manhattan" on their 2010 EP, The New Number 2.

Charts

Jennifer Warnes version

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Canadian Hot 100	43
Canadian Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	6
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	29
UK Singles Chart	74

R.E.M. version

Chart (1992)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	11