Songs That May Bring You To Tears

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
Steven
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Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by Steven »

Which Leonard Cohen songs may activate your tear glands?
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friscogrl
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by friscogrl »

If It Be Your Will. Without a doubt!

M
2008 Toronto June 6/ 2009 New York Feb 19 Oakland April 13 14 Coachella April 17 Ottawa May 25 26 Barcelona Sept 21 Las Vegas 11/12 San Jose 11/13
2010 Malmo Aug 4 Gothenburg Aug 12 Las Vegas Dec 10 & 11
2012 Verona 9/24 San Jose 11/7. Montreal 11/28 11/29/ 2013 Oakland 3/2 NYC 4/6
Hamilton 4/9
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Cheshire gal
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by Cheshire gal »

For me it has to be 'Dance me to the end of love'.
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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John Etherington
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by John Etherington »

"Anthem" and "Coming Back To You" are the ones that spring to mind.
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musicmania
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by musicmania »

Mmm interesting question. Practically every song from the 2nd last concert in Vegas had me in tears. For some reason I was more composed on the final night but the one song which always brings me to tears is Hallelujah.
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

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Stamatina
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by Stamatina »

Well, here's a list of songs I remember crying to, in no particular order:

Dance me to the end of love
If it be your will
Famous blue raincoat
Suzanne
Seems so long ago, Nancy
Queen Victoria

and above all:

I tried to leave you
Take this longing

and there are others, I'm sure, but these are songs I remember crying to on more than one occasions - however, please, do NOT let this statement give you the impression that I cry a lot! :roll: :roll:
"Oh chosen love, Oh frozen love
Oh tangle of matter and ghost
Oh darling of angels, demons and saints
And the whole broken-hearted host
Gentle this soul..."
MaryB
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by MaryB »

Born in Chains
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
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Stamatina
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by Stamatina »

MaryB wrote:Born in Chains
that, too.
"Oh chosen love, Oh frozen love
Oh tangle of matter and ghost
Oh darling of angels, demons and saints
And the whole broken-hearted host
Gentle this soul..."
stella s.
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by stella s. »

Who by Fire and Bird on the Wire
abby
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by abby »

Whenever I hear A Singer Must Die from the tour, & I only have the last show's version, I'm moved. Usually to tears. But I remember the penultimate show's version being the one that challenged my ability to hold my shit together. Did you hear him, going on about somebody's warm breast? How about the knee in his balls & the ladies go moist, hearing Leonard (Leonard!) sing, 'I'm sorry for smudging the air with my song'? And he sings goodnight & I think oh he's so old, God care for him.
holydove
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by holydove »

The ones that do it to me most frequently: Bird On The Wire & So Long Marianne.

Good question, Steven! And what about you - which ones wash your eyelids in the rain?
annmarie
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by annmarie »

"So Long Marianne"..............for personal reasons too painful to mention. :(
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by LisaLCFan »

In concerts, almost every song had that impact on me. I was actually sobbing through First We Take Manhattan last December in Las Vegas! That was the first Leonard Cohen song I ever heard, so seeing him sing it, right in front of me, was rather overwhelming on that particular night.

On recordings, Hallelujah does it almost every time. If It Be Your Will, So Long Marianne, Bird on the Wire, and Joan of Arc (those la-la-las!) are also frequent tear-jerkers. At various times, there are others, but those are the main ones.

I'm with abby about Singer Must Die in Las Vegas (both shows), and really, any live version of that song from 2010, just amazingly heart-wrenching!
Steven
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by Steven »

Hi holydove,

"If It Be Your Will" and "Hallelujah" have done that. Probably "Anthem" has also. They've done so by virtue of
their strengths. Longtime classics such as "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," "Sisters of Mercy,"
"So Long, Marianne," "Bird On The Wire" are among songs that have or might have done so. -- Of these, it's
because of their strengths and their powerful presence in my life for decades now. Not that I'm particularly
prone to tearing up.
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lightasabreeze
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Re: Songs That May Bring You To Tears

Post by lightasabreeze »

What brings me to tears is ' Hey that's no way to say Goodbye ' It just sounds so sad that something good is ending.

Also 'Alexandra Leaving'

'Bird on The Wire' the early recording because it reminds me of a time long past with memories.
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