Tower Of Song

Debate on Leonard Cohen's poetry (and novels), both published and unpublished. Song lyrics may also be discussed here.
Post Reply
User avatar
AlanM
Posts: 576
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:42 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Tower Of Song

Post by AlanM »

Having just watched the video of Tom Jones singing "Tower Of Song" my frustration at not understanding one word has returned.

Can anyone shed light on the meaning of "channels" in the line "The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor"?
Not knowing does not diminish my enjoyment of the song, but knowing may increase it.

Alan
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
London 1972, Adelaide 1980, 1985, 2009
Sydney 2010; Adelaide 2010
Sydney 2013 X2; Melbourne 2013; Adelaide 2013
User avatar
LisaLCFan
Posts: 2513
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:24 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by LisaLCFan »

I always assumed that it had something to do with television: you know, TV channels, and most TV networks are owned by rich people, and the networks control what people can watch on TV, and a lot of people watch TV in bed! But, I may be wrong...
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by MaryB »

I agree with Lisa 100%. But then, someone comes along and offers a spiritual/esoteric/intellectual/philosophical perspective and it gives me new insights into the meaning of a word/phrase.

In this case, I stand by Lisa's interpretation until someone can convince me otherwise.
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
User avatar
AlanM
Posts: 576
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:42 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by AlanM »

Ah, you mean "getting lost in that hopeless little screen" - I wondered about that, but I also wondered about
the spiritual/esoteric/intellectual/philosophical perspective and had never seen any comment about it.

Thank you both,

Alan
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
London 1972, Adelaide 1980, 1985, 2009
Sydney 2010; Adelaide 2010
Sydney 2013 X2; Melbourne 2013; Adelaide 2013
User avatar
TineDoes
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:48 pm
Location: Holland

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by TineDoes »

MaryB wrote:I agree with Lisa 100%. But then, someone comes along and offers a spiritual/esoteric/intellectual/philosophical perspective and it gives me new insights into the meaning of a word/phrase.

In this case, I stand by Lisa's interpretation until someone can convince me otherwise.
Mary B I won't try to convice you otherwise. I hear it as a metaphor.
-The rich have got their channels in
the bedrooms of the poor-
The word ‘channels’ to me just means ‘Any, or all ways and means’ the rich (might) use to seduce and exploit the poor to make money and keep them down. They reach them in the place where they are most vulnerable, ‘the bedroom’, the one place where one needs to be/feel safe and secluded.
-And there's a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong-
Even though the judgement may have come in the form of the recession, it is the poor that suffer most. –Now you can say that I’ve grown bitter- :(
MaryB Not a very esotheric I’m afraid.
"There’s no forsaking what you love ...."

Rotterdam 2008; Antwerpen, Dublin 2009; Gent 2x, Lille , Las Vegas 2x 2010, Gent, Amsterdam, Dublin 2x 2012, Antwerp, Berlin, Rotterdam 2013
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by MaryB »

TineDoes,

'Esoteric' enough for me. I see your interpretation, not as something different from what Lisa and I think it means, just an elaboration of our thought, from a slightly different angle, which makes it even more plausible - thank you for this.

Kindest regards,
Mary
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
holydove
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:38 pm
Location: Connecticut

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by holydove »

DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL

Definition
A path through which goods and services flow in one direction (from vendor to the consumer), and the payments generated by them that flow in the opposite direction (from consumer to the vendor).
A distribution channel can be as short as being direct from the vendor to the consumer or may include several interconnected intermediaries such as wholesalers, distributors, agents, retailers. Each intermediary receives the item at one pricing point and moves it to the next higher pricing point until it reaches the final buyer. Also called channel of distribution.

Not esoteric either, but I think it fits the bill!
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by MaryB »

holydove wrote:DISTRIBUTION CHANNELNot esoteric either, but I think it fits the bill!
It sure does Rachel. I think that basically, we were all going for the same end result. We were just going through different 'channels' to get there :D
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
User avatar
LisaLCFan
Posts: 2513
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:24 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by LisaLCFan »

MaryB wrote: I see your interpretation, not as something different from what Lisa and I think it means, just an elaboration of our thought, from a slightly different angle, which makes it even more plausible...
Mary
Exactly what I was thinking, Mary! I really like Tineke's suggestion, and it does encompass what I was thinking: after I wrote my post, it occurred to me that I meant all those things, although perhaps a bit more literally. That is, the "tv" and its "channels" are the conduit through which the rich seduce/exploit the poor, with their advertisements, propoganda, etc. And, of course, this results in the "poor" following through in the ways suggested by holydove.
IMM
Posts: 277
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:03 am
Location: Canada

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by IMM »

If I buy what I'm told then Everybody Knows that the meter on your bed belongs to Nielsen. ;-) :lol:
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by MaryB »

[quote="IMM"]If I buy what I'm told then Everybody Knows that the meter on your bed belongs to Nielsen. ;-) :lol:[/quote
:lol: :lol: :lol: Right on - there it is again Lisa!
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
holydove
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:38 pm
Location: Connecticut

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by holydove »

MaryB wrote: It sure does Rachel. I think that basically, we were all going for the same end result. We were just going through different 'channels' to get there :D
Yes, Mary, we all seem to have the same basic idea in mind.

I also think, since Leonard chose the word "channel", maybe we should consider the multiple potential meanings, & a couple of things come to mind.

There is the phenomenon of "channeling", & in that context, a "channel" is someone through whom the voice of another entity can speak, & the entities (who usually exist in other dimensions) use the bodies of people with channeling capability, to deliver their messages to the world. The entities who speak through such channels could have positive or negative purposes. So maybe the implication is that the people delivering advertisements through the media (tv, radio, etc.) are serving as channels for the messages of the "rich", with the purpose of exploiting the "poor". Or the channels could be delivering the messages through various other means, which brings us to the next possible interpretation.

Impulses are said to be transmitted through the "channels" of the human nervous system; & yogic teachings say that there are thousands of channels (called "nadis") through which energy flows in our "subtle bodies" (which is like an "energy body" within our physical bodies). Thinking of it this way makes it an even more invasive image, as it could imply that the "rich" are transmitting messages directly into the most intimate corners (bedrooms) of people's minds, for the purpose of controlling their actions & their lives. They could be doing this, again, through various media, but they could also be doing it even more directly, and/or through other tools. (There are lots of theories relating to "mind control", which claim that very wealthy, powerful people have long been engaging in occult practices for the purpose of controlling the minds of the general population).

The end result is still very similar to what we have already mentioned; I just think "channel" is a really interesting choice of words, so I thought it was worth exploring the kaleidoscope of images it conjures up.
IMM
Posts: 277
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:03 am
Location: Canada

Re: Tower Of Song

Post by IMM »

holydove wrote:
MaryB wrote:I also think, since Leonard chose the word "channel", maybe we should consider the multiple potential meanings ...
With LC's imagery, I think you should always consider multiple 'layered' images - but the manufacturing of consensus in a populace is an important one.
In this lullaby - the world believes.
Liseb
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:48 am

What a beautiful man!

Post by Liseb »

What a beautiful man! I admire him for what he is. I know him through his deep songs. A smart man, a brave teenager, a lovable kid... He is the hope of every man on this planet but few people knows it ...
xxLovexx
Liseb
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:48 am

What a beautiful man!

Post by Liseb »

and... I want him to sing Halleluia just for me!
Post Reply

Return to “Leonard Cohen's poetry and novels”