First We Take Manhattan

I took a drive out to Dartmoor today and called in at the pretty little village of Manaton. The sun was casting long shadows across the green in front of the church.

Now you may think I'm taking liberties with the song title again but ... there are a lot of American town names that are taken from parts of the world where immigrants came from and often the spelling changes. I wonder if Manhattan was named after Manaton in Devon? I can't find any evidence to support my theory but it could be and even if it's not the link's good enough for me!

'First We Take Manhattan' was written by Leonard Cohen but he gave it to his backing singer Kim Carnes to go on her first solo album in 1987 and that was where I first heard it. Of course, since then he's recorded it himself and Joe Cocker did an excellent version too.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

David