Tenacious_Peaches Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 I know nothing about Mr. Cohen and would like to learn more. Hit me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Me too. All I know is he wrote "Hallelujah" which I like by Jeff Buckley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 (edited) I love Leonard Cohen. There´s so much to say about him that I´ll look for a site to link before I tell you this: He´s from Montreal, 1934. He is a writer and a poet and by the late sixties he began to put music to his poems. He was at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1967 and he was succesfull with his songs for the first time; one later he released "Songs of LC" with the famous "Suzanne" (which was recorded by Judy Collins too). He went on releasing albums full of poetry and his deep voice is almost a trademark. In the mid seventies he retired to a Greek island but he kept on writing and performing. You surelly heard "The Stranger", "Bird on a wire", "First we take Manhattan" or "So long, Marianne". They´re all beautifull for any LC fan. I would reccomend you "I´m your man", it´s a great album. Official page There is also a double album, "I´m your fan", where you can find covers of many Leonard Cohen songs by different performers suchs as REM, Pixies, Lloyd Cole, John Cale and others. It´s an awesome record. Edited October 18, 2005 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 I think he is an incredible, incredible lyricist. I don't think he really does his words justice in song, however. Kind of like Dylan, I'd prefer to hear someone else covering him. This is not to say that I don't like him musically; I actually have a bunch of his albums. I just think fans of his have done more with some of the songs, as opposed to just having them be vehicles for the words. Nobody, in my opinion, is better at mixing love and anger in a single poem. From "Everybody Knows": Everybody knows that you love me baby Everybody knows that you really do Everybody know that you've been faithful Give or take a night or two Everybody knows you've been discreet So many people you had to meet Without your clothes. He's also quite willing to admit fault without apologizing. The following is also example of his frequent use of religious imagery, from "Hallelujah". This verse is omitted from most versions of the song, for some strange reason: I did my best, it wasn't much. I couldn't feel so I learned to touch. I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong I'll stand before the lord of song With nothing on my lips but Hallelujah. My favorite, though, is "The Reason I Write". He is brilliant at seducing you with romance, but leaving you quite unsettled as he goes on: The reason I write Is to make something As beautiful as you are. When I'm with you I want to be The kind of hero I wanted to be When I was seven years old. A perfect man Who kills. I first got into him via the movie "Pump Up The Volume". They used a few of his songs, including a cover of "Everybody Knows" by Concrete Blonde. Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" is the benchmark, I think, and Rufus Wainwright did it on the "Shrek" soundtrack (though John Cale's voice was used in the actual movie). Fans of "Nip/Tuck" heard Madeliene Peyroux cover "Dance Me To The End Of Love" on the recent "Mama" episode. My recommended listening: Songs From A Room ("Bird On A Wire", "The Butcher") The Songs Of Leonard Cohen ("Suzanne", "Sisters Of Mercy") Various Positions ("If It Be Your Will", "Hallelujah", "Dance Me To The End Of Love") I'm Your Man ("Everybody Knows", "First We Take Manhattan") I like that tribute album Edna mentioned, but the thought of Michael Stipe singing Leonard Cohen is way too depressing for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Good info, Das... you helped me out with Cohen some months ago... I don´t like REM´s cover neither but the choice of the songs is very good ("Tower of song" is my favourite). I can´t speak of LC in one post, he´s one of my favourite writer/poet/songwriter/singer ever... and all this makes him also very attractive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyguitar Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 Well, spookily enough, amongst other things, I got his greatest hits this week (as well as KT Tunstall, Franz Ferds newie, two Gentle Giant, two Rory Gallaghers, a Truth, two Bob Rafleson's and a Henrik Levy)...his poetry is great. Check out the Spice Box of Earth....excellent stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleEye0 Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 HALLELLUJAH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 that was very informative daslied! I have also often thought that he is a bit like dylan (but more depressing!) so perhaps it would be worth me buying the cover album. a few months back I decided I needed to try him out so I bought a greatest hits album for a flavour (plus his regular albums are quite expensive ) and although I like it, I can't say i listen to it very much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 I love Leonard Cohen since 1971 and I follow his work but I rarely listen to his songs, Rachel... in any case, it´s not good to start your day with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 yeah, a bit too depressing maybe? or too mellow? i don't know, i just felt i could fall asleep listening to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 so i looked for the tribute that edna mentioned and all i got on amazon was this one, which does not seem to be widely available, is this the right one? I'm your fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 That´s it, Rachel. But I guess you should find it any record store in London... well, I think so, maybe I´m wrong... I used to go to London to buy records some twenty years ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted October 30, 2005 Report Share Posted October 30, 2005 thanks edna. i am surprised that on amazon i can only buy it via the marketplace, and the sellers are all american, which means it would take ages. i'll have a lok in the shops just in case it's easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted November 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 Thanks to everyone for their input, especially das and Edna. I've listened to snippets of his songs, but I've spent the bulk of my research just reading his lyrics. How amazing. Here are a few that spoke to me... Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm, your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm, yes many loved before us, I know that we are not new, in city and in forest they smiled like me and you, but let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie, your eyes are soft with sorrow, Hey, that's no way to say goodbye. Bird on the Wire Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in some midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free. Like a worm on a hook, like a knight from some old fashioned book it was the shape, the shape of our love twisted me. If I, if I have been unkind, I hope you can, I hope you can just let it go by. (let it go by) If I, if I have been untrue it's just that I thought a lover had to be some kind of liar too. Humbled in Love Do you remember all of those pledges That we pledged in the passionate night Ah they're soiled now, they're torn at the edges Like moths on a still yellow light No penance serves to renew them No massive transfusions of trust Why not even revenge can undo them So twisted these vows and so crushed And you say you've been humbled in love Cut down in your love Forced to kneel in the mud next to me Ah but why so bitterly turn from the one Who kneels there as deeply as thee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 Glad to know you like him, at least lyrically. Musically he's definitely an acquired taste, with that deep, rumbling voice of his. I have a book of his, called "Stranger Music" I think, that's worth getting. It's basically just a poetry collection, but it's one of those things you can read over and over again and find a new favorite each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 This is what I love about this site. I'm 59 and still learning and discovering new music through threads like this. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted November 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 I feel the same, Joe. I used to think I knew a lot about music until I came here. Now I realize I don't know my gluteus maximus from a hole in the ground. I love learning about music I might not have ever heard of before and learning more about the ones I have heard of. Viva la Songfacts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 And I've found a place where I can ramble on and on without ditching my snobby attitude and not get beaten to death. Thanks, guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted November 1, 2005 Report Share Posted November 1, 2005 Just like what happened to me with the Sam Cooke thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meryl23333 Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 I love the Cohen songs on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. It's a killer album. Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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