Maturity and the songs

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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Steven
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Maturity and the songs

Post by Steven »

Hi,

Which songs do you find have benefitted by Leonard Cohen's more mature voice and life experience?
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by LisaLCFan »

I am tempted to say "All of them!" (as much as I love the original versions, too), but two that stand out for me are Suzanne and Hallelujah--Leonard's deeper, more emotionally rich voice elevates those songs to unimaginably brilliant heights. And A singer Must Die, that was so amazing to hear last year, incredibly poignant! All of the ballads sounded so exceptional on the 08-10 tour, and, Oh, how could how I not mention Bird on the Wire? Stunning!! (And, since I'm on a roll, So Long Marianne, Sisters of Mercy, and Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye all brought tears to my eyes and left me breathless when Leonard sang them in 08-10!) And, Chelsea Hotel, especially the slower, deeper-voiced versions from later in the tour. I'll stop now! (No, I won't! I must add Famous Blue Raincoat. Wow, every time Leonard sang that, I got chills!) And, Avalanche, that was amazing, Leonard and his guitar, that voice, those wonderful "new" lyrics, Wow!
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B4real
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by B4real »

ah Lisa,
I was reading through your post and was thinking "she hasn't said Avalanche!" and there it was right at the end. :razz:

and Steven,
Avalanche is the main one for me......but I must admit I love him singing this song at any stage of his voice.....and I'm rather partial to the one from San Sebastian 1988. His presentation is perfection for this song. He doesn't move his head or blink - just stares straight ahead and plays his wonderful "chop". The version on Songs From The Road at Gothenburg 2008 adds another dimension altogether. Atmospheric mood lighting, unshaven face, with a rawness and vunerability of voice capturing an essence not felt in the 1988 one. If you take another look at the video you will see that Sharon was just as entranced as me or anyone else watching his performance. I am a hugh fan of just Leonard and his guitar. As it was in the beginning.........
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
holydove
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by holydove »

I would love to hear Leonard sing If It Be Your Will with his current voice. I think it would be incomparably beautiful & totally mesmerizing!!
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Hartmut
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by Hartmut »

I would love to hear Leonard sing If It Be Your Will with his current voice. I think it would be incomparably beautiful & totally mesmerizing!!
Me too.
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musicmania
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by musicmania »

Was thinking of songs and check check check Lisa has said almost all of the ones I feel have benefited most. Agree with holy dove about If it be Your Will and I'd also add One of us Cannot be Wrong to that list. I'd love to hear Leonard sing this live now and I only recently noticed it was on the other options list on the right of the setlists which means it was rehearsed with the UHTB!!
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

Gwen's Leonard Cohen Journey: http://myleonardcohenjourney.wordpress.com/

"I did my best, it wasn't much"
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by LisaLCFan »

I totally agree with B4real about the SFTR version of Avalanche, it is so intensely powerful, I scarcely breathe while watching it. Everything about it is magnificent. That video gives us so many wonderful performances with Leonard playing his guitar (I'm also with B4real on that: Leonard and his guitar=sublime! While I'm on that topic, I am also very fond of Leonard's one and only solo performance of Night Comes On in NZ last year. That was such a sweet performance.).

And, yes, I would also love to hear Leonard sing If It Be Your Will (maybe on his next tour? Mr. Cohen, are you listening? We would love this!). I was hoping that One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong would have popped up in one of the concerts (bearing in mind musicmania's note), but, what we got was incredible, so no complaints! :D
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musicmania
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by musicmania »

LisaLCFan wrote:I was hoping that One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong would have popped up in one of the concerts (bearing in mind musicmania's note), but, what we got was incredible, so no complaints! :D
No complaints here either, just an observation! How could I complain about perfection :)
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

Gwen's Leonard Cohen Journey: http://myleonardcohenjourney.wordpress.com/

"I did my best, it wasn't much"
holydove
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by holydove »

Yes, musicmania, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong has crossed my mind too!

And how about, Take This Longing & Master Song - it sends shivers up & down my spine, just thinking about Leonard singing those songs with his current voice.

Sorry if I changed the topic of Steven's question; it was supposed to be about which songs that we have already heard in Leonard's current voice; but I think, like Lisa, I would have say - all of them. And I just can't help thinking about which ones I would really love to hear, with THAT VOICE, that we have not yet heard.
stella s.
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by stella s. »

I was tempted to vote for Avalanche, but then I listened to In My Secret Life (Live in London). What LC's voice does with the line "from the latest hit to the wisdom of old" is simply incredible. It sounds like his wisdom comes from some place deep inside the soul, where all the wisdom lies, that has accumulated since the dawn of mankind.
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Cheshire gal
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Re: Maturity and the songs

Post by Cheshire gal »

To bring the topic back to 'just Leonard and his guitar'. It does not seem, after listening to Show Me The Place and the other snippets off the new album, that we are going to enjoy this. I would dearly love to hear a solo album. He was just fantastic onstage by himself.

That really was the best part of his concerts for me. Although he did have that wonderful band.
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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