Canadian Songsmith Bruce Cockburn Details Covers Album ‘The Blood Of Others’

Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn detailed a new covers album, The Blood Of Others, set for release on October 16 via Sunset Boulevard Records. The LP, which he’ll take on the road this fall, includes Cockburn’s takes on songs from the catalogs of Elvis Presley and Billie Holiday, among others.

The Blood Of Others marks Cockburn’s 39th album and traces 15 songs that shaped the singer-songwriter from an early age. The 13-time Juno Award-winning artist went to the literary world for the title of the record.

“The Blood of Others is a novel, written during the Nazi occupation of France by Simone de Beauvoir,” Bruce explained. “I read it in the seventies and found it very worthwhile. Among other things it deals with personal responsibility in the face of scary oppression, and the kinds of choices people make. I have borrowed the title because it seems perfect for an album of songs I didn’t write.”

The Blood Of Others includes rock ‘n’ roll classics such as the Arthur Crudup-penned, Elvis Presley hit, “That’s All Right, Mama.”

“Elvis Presley hit the radio in Ottawa right when I was hitting adolescence. He was captivatingly charismatic of course — but the guitar! Scotty Moore’s leads, by turns raucous and tender, bred a burning desire to play the instrument. This was one of the many songs that caught me, though the version I worked out owes more to Arthur Crudup’s original recording.”

Cockburn also touches on jazz, including the Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog number, “God Bless The Child.”

“The 1939 creation of Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog. One Sunday, in 1960 or 61, I spent my collection money on what was likely a bootleg copy of Belafonte Sings the Blues at the corner store across from Westboro United Church. Tasty jazz arrangements of really good songs. A couple of years later I got to hear Billie Holiday’s original version. Theologically a bit off base, but a deeply moving expression of disappointment with the human species…”

Ian and Sylvia’s 1963 release “Four Strong Winds” is the youngest song on the record and represents Cockburn’s folk side.

“Le hibou, the coffeehouse that was my spiritual home, was on the touring route of most of the artists in the sixties folk scene. Ian and Sylvia were regulars, appearing there a couple of times a year. We were all very excited when their song showed up on the radio.”

Additionally, The Blood Of Others touches on gospel and songs made famous by iconic films such as Casablanca. Check out the tracklist below.

The Blood Of Others Tracklist:

1. Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down
2. As Time Goes By
3. Buddy Bolden’s Blues
4. You Belong to Me
5. That’s Allright Mama
6. Four Strong Winds
7. God Bless the Child
8. Louis Collins
9. Yellow Dog Blues
10. Fare Thee Well
11. I’ll Be Seeing You
12. Laplegged Drunk Again
13. One for My Baby
14. Les Feuilles Mortes
15. Peace in the Valley