then-recent Songs of Love and Hate (which featured a live track, "Let's Sing Another Song, Boys", culled from the Isle of Wight performance) are represented. The 1972 European tour, from which most of the selections on Live Songs are taken, is covered extensively in the 1974 Tony Palmer documentary Bird on the Wire. The album cover features an unsmiling Cohen staring icily at the camera. The liner notes were composed by the little-known (and often institutionalized) artist and poet Daphne Richardson. Two months before the album's release, Cohen, who had been grappling with depression at the time, told Roy Hollingworth from Melody Maker, "I just cannot stand to remain part of the music business. I've reached a state when I'm just not writing anything." In March 1975 he would explain to Harvey Kubernik of Melody Maker, "The previous album Live Songs represented a very confused and directionless time. The thing I like about it is that it documents this phase very clearly." Reception Live Songs was released in April 1973 and was a commercial disappointment. It would be the last Cohen LP to make the U.S. charts for more than a decade. In the book Various Positions, Cohen biographer Ira Nadel deemed Live Songs "uneven but spontaneous. The mood was somber, the songs full of darkness, and the cover photo haunting...Reaction to the album was negative." Gautam Baksi of AllMusic calls the collection "an integral part of the early Cohen chronicles," adding, "The release includes several new songs...all of which skillfully combine heavy doses of erotica, love, and depression." Track listing All songs written by Leonard Cohen except "Passing Through" (by Dick Blakeslee, arranged by Cohen). All recorded in 1972 except "Please Don't Pass Me By (A Disgrace)" and "Tonight Will Be Fine" in 1970. Location of recording in parentheses. Side 1 (Recorded in 1972) "Minute Prologue" – 1:12 (London) "Passing Through" – 4:05 (London) "You Know Who I Am" – 5:22 (Brussels) "Bird on the Wire" – 4:27 (Paris) "Nancy" – 3:48 (London) "Improvisation" – 3:17 (Paris) Side 2 (Recorded in 1970 and 1972) "Story of Isaac" – 3:56 (Berlin) "Please Don't Pass Me By (A Disgrace)" – 13:00 (London) "Tonight Will Be Fine" – 6:06 (Isle of Wight) "Queen Victoria" – 3:28 (Tennessee) Personnel Leonard Cohen : Vocals, acoustic guitar, David O'Connor : acoustic guitar Ron Cornelius : acoustic and electric guitars Elkin Fowler : Guitar, banjo Bob