RIP Leonard Cohen

[topdog]

When I was growing up there were pop stars, songwriters, and poets. That last group was a very small list: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and Leonard.

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Do you have a favorite song or memory?

Leonard Cohen Dead at 82 - Rolling Stone

 

[sammyyummy]

Genius.
A true poet.
His work is more Nobel literature-worthy.

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah​

 

[topdog]

Lots of reactions coming in.

 

[haiducii]

So come, my friends, be not afraid
We are so lightly here
It is in love that we are made
In love we disappear​

 

[defiance0]

Hold on, hold on, my brother.
My sister, hold on tight.
I finally got my orders.
I’ll be marching through the morning,
Marching through the night,
Moving cross the borders
Of My Secret Life.


​

 

[gorgik9]

Great poet, great artist, great man! The wonderful warm, deep voice!

He's already very much missed.......

 

[haiducii]

 

[slimjim]

 

[slimjim]

 

[zortek]

i find myself in total agreement with sammyyummy ... and i find myself more saddened by this parting than other recent(ish) partings .. this is not meant as a diminution of any other, rather as a reflection of the true greatness of this man

a writer's writer for all musicians


i'm going to indulge myself with posting a few of his songs that are favourites of mine in memoriam

everybody knows - the eternal truth


i'm your man


the future - its uncanny ..


the sisters of mercy - the song that confirmed me as a fan when i first heard it during the punk era (go figure )


hallelujah - of course it's entirely predictable for me to post this .. but it is one of the singularly greatest songs ever written

 

[james1981]

Very sad news. A few years ago I was wandering around Montreal. Didn't I stumble upon their JazzFest and who was playing... None other than Leonard Cohen! What a treat!

 

[topdog]

i find myself in total agreement with sammyyummy ... and i find myself more saddened by this parting than other recent(ish) partings .. this is not meant as a diminution of any other, rather as a reflection of the true greatness of this man... a writer's writer for all musicians

I am a huge fan of pop music - I love a well crafted "ear worm" that makes you want to sing along at the top of your lungs as you are driving down the road. Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Pink, Katy Perry, and the Backstreet Boys all find their way into my gym and driving playlists.

But as fun as they are, these are all songs written by a rich Swedish guy whose main talent is an incredible grasp of pop music theory and only a passing acquaintance with the English language. He writes catchy hooks and then drops words on top of them that he thinks fans want to hear. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

But, we are about as far removed from the heartfelt poetry of artists like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell as you can get. People who were able to take their personal foibles and heartaches, and make you feel it so deeply that it became part of your own experience. I'm sure there are still starving artists writing about life's pain and twisted love (Hallelujah, for example, is sung by one pretty twisted dude), but there is no way for them to really break through the wall of synthetic pop bliss that dominates the music industry.

Somehow, music often goes in cycles, so maybe great singer-songwriters with real life stories will come forward again. But until then I will treasure the poetry of the older generation. And cry a little at the loss when they pass.

 

[slimjim]

There is a section of his novel " Beautiful Losers" which Leonard used to recite on stage. As far as I know he never sung it, however Buffy St. Marie recorded it for her album "Illuminations" - way ahead of it's time, psychedelic folk music if you like...

 

[peter123]

When I was growing up there were pop stars, songwriters, and poets. That last group was a very small list: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and Leonard.

​

Do you have a favorite song or memory?

Leonard Cohen Dead at 82 - Rolling Stone

deepest thx topdog^^

 

[mattla]

I only recently became acquainted with his work, actually saw a commercial for a cd set that got me interested in looking into Leonard Cohen's work. I had heard Hallelujah sang by a couple of different artists and I thought my favorite version was from the Irish Tenors. They bring so much power to the emotion of his masterful lyrics. Now I would have to say that Mr. Cohen's original version is my favorite for it has so much raw emotion and a certain "struggle" comes through that I think is more true to the story. I think that I enjoy his voice more as he got older and I will be looking at collecting his works in the future.

 

[jeansGuyOZ]

I get very tired of hearing Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah, mainly because I think Leonard Cohen wrote many songs that are much better than this one.

Cohen was almost the antithesis of the modern pop star. His singing career did not even start until he was in his 30's, and I don't believe he ever had a charting single. His highest charting album probably came after his death. Yet I think his music will be remembered and played long after that Swedish bloke referred to earlier has been forgotten.

 

[jeansGuyOZ]

^^ I still think that the period from about 1965 to 1975, which I am fortunate enough to have lived through, was the most interesting and creative period of the modern music era. But you are right, we do tend to remember the pearls and ignore the crap. There is a reason why there has never been a 1910 Fruit Gum Company tribute band.

 

[defiance0]

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