Who By Fire (featuring Beth O...by Skinny Pelembe

Skinny Pelembe and Beth Orton have shared a cover of Leonard Cohen’s 1974 track “Who by Fire.” Orton says, “I have always felt connected to the work of Leonard Cohen. I toured “I’m Your Man” with an amazing cast of people, and every night I was intrigued by the mystery of “Who By Fire.” I was never totally satisfied that I understood the song. When Doya [Skinny Pelembe] sent me his version I was immediately taken by the Serge Gainsbourg quality of the drums and the overall feel, and I loved the cheek and punk-like spirit of this version, and seeing as I was in a studio in Paris, I didn’t give a second thought to throwing myself into Doya’s re-interpretation. Climbing inside the words this way brought the meaning of the song into new focus, the passion and heart-breaking inevitability of human nature that Leonard Cohen writes of like no other came alive to me finally.”