6 Things to Know About Marianne Faithfull’s Cover of “Tower of Song”

It appears on her 1999 album Vagabond Ways. The track is a cover of Leonard Cohen’s original.

Faithfull’s version strips the song down. It uses sparse instrumentation, focusing on her weathered voice.

Her delivery is more raw and world-weary than Cohen’s. This fits her reputation for singing with lived-in authority.

The cover reinterprets the song’s ironic tone. Faithfull plays it straight, emphasizing the melancholy over the humor.

It was produced by Daniel Lanois. His atmospheric style gives the track a haunting, minimalist sound.

The album Vagabond Ways marked a creative comeback. It was her first album of new material in four years and received strong reviews.