Expanded Editions of First Three Leonard Cohen Albums

BoHo · Post by **BoHo** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:12 am

" . . . In my journey I know I am
somewhere beyond the travelling pack of poets
I am a man of tradition
I will remain here until
I am sure what I am leaving . . ."
— Leonard Cohen, "Island Bulletin," _Flowers for Hitler_

BoHo
p.s. Thanks again to Marie Mazur's Leonard Cohen Concordance:
http://www.webheights.net/cohenconcordance/index.htm
--
THE ITEM THAT HE SENT HER:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/leonardcohen.html
ADAGIOS III — ELECTRA'S BENISON, BOUND!
http://www.oberonpress.ca/titles.pl?v=new
JUDITH FITZGERALD'S EVER-EVOLVING WRITESITE:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/
LEONARD COHEN'S OPEN BOOK OF LONGING:
http://tinyurl.com/yno7z7
POET PARLIAMENTAEIRIAL JUDITH FITZGERALD:
http://tinyurl.com/38ssjq
THE AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW:
http://tinyurl.com/2h6op6
SUNITI NAMJOSHI'S BRIGHTSITE:
http://tinyurl.com/37jjvy
J.F. ON AL PURDY & ELI MANDEL @ CBC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vdrdq

Young dr. Freud · Post by **Young dr. Freud** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:36 pm

Look at their brows in profile and you wil see that while Cohen's forehead goes straight up Dylan's sort of slopes back a bit.

Cohen's brow (since that seems to be your criteria for excellence) may go straight up but it has a low hairline. Plus, there is the problem of the devil's cleft right smack dab in the middle of it. The only thing really striking about this man's appearance are his eyes. And they are at war with his mouth.

YdF

P.S. I, myself, prefer a good hamburger anyday over caviar.

Geoffrey · Post by **Geoffrey** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:34 am

Young dr. Freud wrote:
>Cohen's brow . . . has a low hairline. Plus, there is the problem of the devil's cleft right smack dab in the middle of it. The only thing really striking about this man's appearance are his eyes. And they are at war with his mouth.

The only person experiencing a problem with their mouth is you, Michael. There's not too many photographs of the devil in circulation, so how do you know Cohen has his cleft? Talking of which; I am no craniologist, and it could be a coincidence, but I've noticed how Dylan's skull sometimes slightly resembles that of a goat.

Young dr. Freud · Post by **Young dr. Freud** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:21 pm

There's not too many photographs of the devil in circulation, so how do you know Cohen has his cleft?

Because it's there, plain as day. When he was younger he could hide it by draping a long, luscious lock over it. It is very noticible from middle-age onwards when he went all buzz cut on us. I am surprised that someone so obviously obsessed with physiognomy as yourself has never noticed it. Please peruse your vast collection of Cohen photographs.

YdF

The only person experiencing a problem with their mouth is you, Michael.

A shot in the dark. A miss.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:58 pm

Original SonyBMG's RSS press article, from which Zachary Herrmann took his information, is much more informative:

http://www.sonybmg.ca/news.cgi#news62751

It's also published on the official site.

[start:]
LEONARD COHEN
First Three Records Re-released

To mark the 40th Anniversary of Leonard Cohen's debut recording, SONY BMG MUSIC (CANADA) INC./Legacy Records will re-release his first three albums: Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), Songs From A Room (1969) and Songs Of Love And Hate (1970) on April 24, 2007. For the first time in the digital era, expanded, hardcover digipak editions of Songs Of Leonard Cohen, Songs From A Room, and Songs Of Love And Hate will be made available. Each album will contain previously unreleased bonus material as well as separate newly commissioned liner notes essays written by Rolling Stone contributing editor (and Cohen devotee) Anthony DeCurtis.

Canadian musical icon Leonard Cohen has earned the distinction as one of the most influential artists of his generation and his stark images of love, beauty and despair have touched fans and inspired writers and musicians the world over. Leonard Cohen was recognized for his incredible songwriting when he was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. Cohen's recent book of poetry entitled, Book of Longing reached #1 on the Top 10 Hardcover Fiction Books in Canada, as compiled by Maclean's Magazine, being the first book of poetry ever to reach the top of the bestsellers' lists in Canada.

Of the many protégés and disciples who have spread their wings and found a kindred spirit in Leonard Cohen, none is more intriguing than singer-songwriter Anjani Thomas. They have been associated for nearly a quarter-century, since she first sang backing vocals on his maiden recording of "Hallelujah" in 1984, on Various Positions. Now signed to Columbia Records alongside Cohen, Anjani released Blue Alert in Canada in May 2006 to rave reviews. The album's ten songs were written by Cohen and Anjani, she arranged the music and accompanied herself on piano, and the album was produced by Cohen. Blue Alert will be released internationally on April 24, 2007 in a special two-disc digipak containing a bonus DVD; featuring two music video clips ("The Mist" and "Thanks For the Dance") and behind-the-scenes interviews and recording studio footage.

The liturgy of timeless songs to be found on Cohen's first three albums have mystified poets and professors for ages - among them "Suzanne," "Sisters of Mercy," "So Long, Marianne," and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (all from his debut album, 1967's Songs Of Leonard Cohen), "Bird on the Wire," "Story of Isaac," "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy," and "You Know Who I Am" (from the second album, 1969's Songs From A Room), and "Dress Rehearsal Rag," "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "Joan of Arc" (from 1970's Songs Of Love And Hate).

"If Leonard Cohen had only recorded this extraordinary debut album," DeCurtis writes of the 1967 LP, "and then disappeared, his stature as one of the most gifted songwriters of our time would still be secure." Fortunately, Leonard Cohen went on to record more than a dozen Columbia albums over the next four decades, constantly reshaping his vision and startling the world with his imagination and courage. But it all begins here, with Songs of Leonard Cohen, Songs From A Room and Songs Of Love And Hate.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen: Recording sessions for this album began in early 1967 with Columbia A&R staff producer John Hammond, who signed Leonard Cohen to the label. Hammond, famously known for bringing Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Olatunji, Pete Seeger, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, and others to Columbia, fell ill and was unable to continue on the sessions; they were subsequently completed by A&R staff producer John Simon (the uncredited producer of Big Brother & the Holding Company's Cheap Thrills). "Store Room" and "Blessed Is the Memory" survive from the original Hammond sessions. Songs Of Leonard Cohen (Columbia / Legacy 88697 04742 2, originally issued in December 1967, as Columbia 9533)

Selections:
1. Suzanne
2. Master Song
3. Winter Lady
4. The Stranger Song
5. Sisters of Mercy
6. So Long, Marianne
7. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
8. Stories of the Street
9. Teachers
10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
Previously unreleased bonus tracks:
11. Store Room
12. Blessed Is the Memory
(Tracks 1-10 produced by John Simon; tracks 11-12 recorded 1967, outtakes from the early sessions for Songs of Leonard Cohen, produced by John Hammond.)

Songs From A Room: Similarly, recording sessions for Leonard Cohen's second LP were begun May 1968 in Hollywood with David Crosby producing. The recently departed member of the Byrds had won acclaim with his first assignment as a producer, Joni Mitchell's debut album, Song to a Seagull (released March 1968). Cohen's album wound up being recorded in Nashville with Columbia A&R staff producer Bob Johnston, known for his work with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Simon & Garfunkel. Two tracks from the Crosby sessions now make their debut: "Like a Bird," which is an earlier version of "Bird on the Wire"; and "Nothing to One," which is an earlier version of "You Know Who I Am." Songs From A Room (Columbia/Legacy 88697 04740 2, originally issued in 1969, as Columbia 9767)

Selections:
1. Bird on the Wire
2. Story of Isaac
3. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
4. The Partisan
5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
6. The Old Revolution
7. The Butcher
8. You Know Who I Am
9. Lady Midnight
10. Tonight Will Be Fine
Previously unreleased bonus tracks:
11. Like a Bird (earlier version of Bird on the Wire)
12. Nothing to One (earlier version of You Know Who I Am).
(Tracks 1-10 produced by Bob Johnston; tracks 11-12 recorded May 1968, produced by David Crosby.)

Songs Of Love And Hate: For his third album, Leonard Cohen returned to Nashville and Bob Johnston in 1970. One of the songs they recorded was "Dress Rehearsal Rag," heard as a bonus track here in an early version from the second LP sessions of 1969. Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy 88697 04741 2, originally issued in 1970, as Columbia 30103)

Selections:
1. Avalanche
2. Last Year's Man
3. Dress Rehearsal Rag
4. Diamonds in the Mine
5. Love Calls You by Your Name
6. Famous Blue Raincoat
7. Sing Another Song, Boys
8. Joan of Arc
Previously unreleased bonus track:
9. Dress Rehearsal Rag (early version).
(Produced by Bob Johnston; track 9 outtake recorded during the sessions for Songs from a Room.)

Official website: http://www.leonardcohen.com

[/end]

Antonio · Post by **Antonio** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 4:53 am

The reviewer wrote:

"In the competition for the greatest lyricist of all time, there is a daunting gap between Bob Dylan and the large pack of second-place contenders. But somewhere towards the front of that pack stands the man once dubbed (unfairly) the “Canadian Dylan”—Leonard Cohen"

Dylan the first and a "daunting gap" between him and the large pack of second contenders. Blofffff... without a lot of imagination I can think of six or seven names that are TRULY greater than Dylan in all aspects; one of them is Cohen for sure...

The canonisation of Dylan seems quite boring,

bobbyd · Post by **bobbyd** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:05 am

I dont see the point of this dylan/cohen debate. They are both great artists who write amazing songs. To start going on about who is the best is always reduntant when it comes to art, and if every single home in the world owns an album by a certain artist, or whether one man and his dog does, this has no reflection at all on measuring the unmeasurable.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:09 pm

The problem is that every stupid reviewer or jorunalist does so, or call Cohen "the Canadian Dylan". As Uncut put it in its review of David Boucher's book Dylan and Cohen: Poets of Rock, if anything, it's now clear you can't compare Dylan and Cohen. It's two different worlds. (I of course read it as the implicit praise for Cohen, and the criticism of - more or less missed - Boucher's book.)

Also, to write "if he only recorded that first album, he would be legend" is utterly stupid. Of course, if Leonard died (let's be so rude as Mr. DeCurtis) after THIRD album, with all the integrity and unity of the sound and production of first "trilogy", he would have semi-cult semi-legendary status not unlike that of Nick Drake (who only made three albums, and is, in terms of sound, let's say close to Cohen). But he did not die. And we got masterpieces after masterpieces, including Various Positions and Ten New Songs. That statement ("if he made only that one album") is missed because Leonard Cohen's core is the survival and the progress of spirituality.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 4:50 pm

Welcome to the Forum, bobbyd

~

I see with the moniker you've chosen, why you feel strongly enough to enter here with this particular posting you've made. Your presence here also serves as a kind of 'proof' of your position with regard to the pointlessness of debate.

I love the contrast in the positions you've outlined with regard to every home or simply a man and his dog.

Hi Tom ~

I agree that if the proactive-pro-Dylan journalists would stop diminishing Leonard's work in regard to Dylan, it wouldn't be so much an issue with us. I don't recall how much it occurs, but it seems little, where journalists whose purpose is writing an article on Leonard even mention Dylan. It seems they have so many other things to focus on and explore that are wholly unrelated to 'contrast and compare with Dylan' that they never even think to mention him. If I'm wrong in this, please advise.

~ Lizzy

Red Poppy · Post by **Red Poppy** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:23 pm

Some people feel it necessary to attempt to diminish other people's work in order to make their own heroes look that little bit bigger. All it does is flatter to deceive. But then I'd put a lot (an awful lot) of Dylan's work in the following pack behind Leonard and Paul Simon.
To each his own...........

Red Poppy · Post by **Red Poppy** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:24 pm

PS
Lizzy - when do you reckon you'll reach the 14000 posts? Just a guestimate will do.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:40 pm

P.S. Oh, gosh, I hadn't even been looking at the number, Red Poppy. No guesstimate even possible.

I agree, too, with your posting, previous to the one I've just answered.

~ Lizzy

Geoffrey · Post by **Geoffrey** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:38 pm

Tom Sakic wrote:
>As Uncut put it in its review of David Boucher's book Dylan and Cohen: Poets of Rock, if anything, it's now clear you can't compare Dylan and Cohen. It's two different worlds.

Astronomers compare not only different worlds, but also stars, universes and even whole galaxies - that's how they arrive at conclusions. If any music reviewer declares himself too incompetent to compare two acquainted Jewish singer/songwriters of the folk-rock genre, born within a decade of one another and living on the same continent, then what in the world can he compare? It may well be that a person can like Dylan and Cohen equally, but only on a general level. Regardless of diplomacy, the deeper a person delves into the admiration of an artiste, or anyone or anything else, the wider any nuance becomes - this is absolute and logical. The most frustrating thing for Cohen must surely be that the big grey mass who primarily admire Dylan's work feel secure in reiterating the 'established fact' that Dylan is better than Cohen - yet the knowledgeable (but spineless) elite who primarily admire his (Cohen's) work are too scared of ridicule to declare that Cohen is better than Dylan.

Red Poppy · Post by **Red Poppy** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:37 pm

"Regardless of diplomacy, the deeper a person delves into the admiration of an artiste, or anyone or anything else, the wider any nuance becomes - this is absolute and logical."
What, pray tell, does that mean?
"...the knowledgeable (but spineless) elite who primarily admire his (Cohen's) work are too scared of ridicule to declare that Cohen is better than Dylan."
And where does that leaves those of us who clearly beleve Cohen to bbe better (or more empathetic) than Dylan and who say so? (See above)

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:26 pm

Hi Red Poppy ~

I can't possibly give you Geoffrey's response to your query, as it will be unique unto itself; however, I can give you mine.

I followed Geoffrey's comment to the letter:

"Regardless of diplomacy, the deeper a person delves into the admiration of an artiste, or anyone or anything else, the wider any nuance becomes - this is absolute and logical."

Simply, the closer we look at something, the more we'll see, right down to the molecular level. That level of looking, however, is reserved for a few. Yet, broad brush comparing doesn't incorporate nuances, as close and exacting examination does. So, once a person really begins to compare work for work, lyric for lyric, word for word, the differences really will emerge. Very interesting and accurate is the way that Geoffrey made his point about comparisons being made between these, particular, two.

"...the knowledgeable (but spineless) elite who primarily admire his (Cohen's) work are too scared of ridicule to declare that Cohen is better than Dylan."

My own response to that is that it leaves you outside of the spineless, amongst the spined. I doubt that Leonard would call the others spineless, though he might have those feelings come through him sometimes; but, Geoffrey certainly would and did. For me, there's a graciousness in Leonard's work and spirit that sets the bar against ridiculing. So, whereas the Dylan lovers might want to just proclaim that 'theirs' is 'the best,' the Cohen lovers may be more apt to sit quietly, in the quiet knowing that Cohen is... reluctant to get into fisticuffs about it.

I guess I may vacillate between spined and spineless. I often state it as simple fact, but I'm not going to take it to the mat. Perhaps, we who know the quality of Leonard's work should be more proactive in proclaiming it, unafraid of the ridicule of being considered arrogant. I do feel that there remains a bit of elitism regarding knowing and loving Leonard's work. I see it surface here from time to time. We've been content for so long to have Leonard to 'ourselves' that arguing about him in comparison to Dylan somehow seems base.

Whether it's diplomacy or the mere recognition of the differences in people, and how Dylan resonates more with the grey masses; whereas, Leonard resonates more with the grey matter. I feel that some are prone not to argue based on these factors, as well. Well, these are my immediate thoughts on it all.

~ Lizzy

Expanded Editions of First Three Leonard Cohen Albums

SonyBMG RSS press release re: Cohen remasters

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