What was it in Cohens songs that struck you?

Partisan · Post by **Partisan** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:30 am

KRTEK, using capitals like that is viewed as shouting. I am sure you did not mean to be rude, but it needs to be said.

p.

Voel · Post by **Voel** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 10:25 pm

I must have been 16 or so and I heard "First we take manhattan" I was amazed by the lyrics and by the voice of LC. I started to look up for other songs by this strange artist called LC. A friend of mine lent me some tapes and there I found songs like "Suzanne" "Dance me to the end of love" "Take this waltz" etc. I liked it and went on to follow the man's career.

In his latest work I was delighted to find a song called "Alexandra leaving" which is based on a poem by the Greek Poet K. Kavafis

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 9:34 pm

Back in 71, my Uncle had recorded a copy of Suzanne onto an old reel-to-reel tape recorder for my grandmother. When I found it I played it over and over not having any idea who the singer was.

Then, later that summer I was on a school exchange visit to France. A large group of English and French students were hanging out listening to an eclectic mixture of music, most of which I hated. Then suddenly I Suzanne came on. I sat up immediately went over to the record player and guarded it while the rest of Songs of... played. Having found the name of this amazing artist, I went out to a record shop and bought Songs of... and Songs from a Room (un-listened to).

It was hearing the Songs of in France that finally caught me but that initial introduction through what nowadays would be called a pirate copy was what hooked me.

What makes me like LC's music? I can't say. The voice - it's so... the melodies... the backing musicians esp. John on the oud but the words... aah! I get lost in his lyrics... It's the lyrics that keep me listening and wondering.

gramsilver · Post by **gramsilver** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 9:10 pm

this is my first visit so hello to all from a caledonian son. i first heard lenny when i seen a band covering so long marianne in '92. i couldnt make the words out but the melody and style struck me straight away. at the time i was listening to a lot of singer songwriter stuff so decided to follow up on this guy. since then i doubt if a week of my life has passed without listening to one of the records . its soundtracked my life through joy , depression , boredom and hope. the best memory being listening on the personal stereo while fly fishing on the hebridean island of colonsay....youve gotta try it!!! anyway its great to see so many like minded souls and i look forward to talking to u all!

sooter668 · Post by **sooter668** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 8:37 am

At first I heard the early acoustic stuff like "songs from a room". I was struck by the sad but relaxing and uplifting mood of the songs. The poetry to me is very visual. I may not know exactly what he means at times but the overall mood is striking.
I wouldn't say that the music or words are depressing. It actually feels very good!!!
He is also one of the few artists that will actually put some humour in his lyrics at times!!!

smile · Post by **smile** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 12:08 pm

Where does one start..a young 14 year old in `68 and listening to the Songs of LC. Suzanne still gives me the shivers and makes me feel so dreamy again as does a lot of his earlier works.

wilcotree · Post by **wilcotree** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 7:40 pm

He tells me a lot of things a know and want reafirmation of. He tells me things I don't wanna hear but need to and in a way that finally works.

Alouetta · Post by **Alouetta** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 10:25 am

I found Leonard in the seventies when I was a teenager. My friend's older brother was a fan back then. We end up listening with him. Still to this day when I hear a LC song I feel the vulnerability of being a teenager again, filled with so much emotion, you can't even understand yourself. What attracted me I think was the lyrics. I read a review of the painting of the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano. The following was said: 'Vettriano recognises out inherent human frailty, that there is no victor in the struggle between duplicity and desire' To me the same is true of Cohen's lyrics.

tom.d.stiller · Post by **tom.d.stiller** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 12:07 pm

Welcome to the forum, Alouetta.

I have said somewhere else on this site that for me, too, the words were the gate to Leonard's world. And whenever I came back to the LC universe, my return had been induced by remembering lines...

I love the quote you gave. "...there is no victor in the struggle between duplicity and desire" - it fits...

Tom

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:21 pm

An official welcome to the Forum, Alouetta ~ wonderful to see you posting so soon.

~ Elizabeth

I love the quote, too ~ I also love how I can still smell and feel the air, certain presences in the room, the prevailing feelings inside ~ when I listen to Leonard's music from times gone by.

MBsky · Post by **MBsky** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 3:18 am

Listening and understanding Leonard Cohen's music gave me the freedom to be sad or depressed if I needed to be...sans morbidity

...the kind which needs to be addressed before happiness can enter.

And the kind acknowlegement that I (you/we) are only human and the importance/necessity of the darkness.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 5:14 am

"....the importance/necessity of the darkness." Yes.

greta · Post by **greta** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:24 pm

I heard Waiting For The Miracle. I was amazed by his deep voice. First I just listened to his song.Then after listening to it for a while I began to notice the lyrics. I was quite amazed. The words and the symbols were so so strong.
What I really admire in is songs is his way to write "musical poems"
I like that he has symbols in the lyrics and I like to puzzle what he exactly meant.

George.Wright · Post by **George.Wright** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 1:32 am

Yes, it's the profound symmetry set to music..............
Georges

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Jul 03, 2003 5:32 am

Hi greta ~ I also like that Leonard's messages come to us concurrently on different levels. We've had some good discussions on In My Secret Life, on the Sony Board. We talked about That Don't Make It Junk, too. We've talked about lyrics here, too. It's interesting to watch how other people interpret Leonard's words.

~ Lizzytysh

What was it in Cohens songs that struck you?

what made me say "i'm your fan" Jikan