Worst ever LC tracks

[John Etherington]

Am I the only person who doesn't have a problem with "Jazz Police?". I've always thought that it fits well into the experimental approach of the "I'm Your Man" album, and adds diversity to it. Though obviously one doesn't single it out as one of Leonard's greatest songs!

[commonweal]

Jazz Police is the only LC song I really dislike. I always skip ahead when it comes on. However, the cover by Monsieur Camembert is not so bad, and is funny.

I too find it hard to understand how Cohenites could dislike Bird on the Wire. I agree with John E that it has an enduring centrality to LC's work.

[Myra]

Jazz Police is the only LC song I really dislike. I always skip ahead when it comes on. However, the cover by Monsieur Camembert is not so bad, and is funny.

I too find it hard to understand how Cohenites could dislike Bird on the Wire. I agree with John E that it has an enduring centrality to LC's work.

Well, I guess everyone is entitled to a wrong opinion.
I have to agree with Jazz Police, it's just not good.
I hate to admit it, but I don't like Goodbye Marianne either, I tend to skip it.

[Gerrida]

"So Long, Marianne" sounds great on Field Commander Cohen. I actually like it; LC's voice is fine and the music as well and you can hear the lyrics clearly.

"Jazz Police" is not a favourite, but I like it more than most of the tracks on Death of a Ladies' Man.

[mickey_one]

Jazz Police is the only LC song I really dislike. I always skip ahead when it comes on. However, the cover by Monsieur Camembert is not so bad, and is funny.

I too find it hard to understand how Cohenites could dislike Bird on the Wire. I agree with John E that it has an enduring centrality to LC's work.

I really struggle to understand why anyone likes it. but I accept nearly everyone does! I always think of it as a dirge musically and lyrics about worms hook knights and books, OY!!

and ribbons OY, OY!!

how far down from a song as sublime as Master Song...

[John Etherington]

This thought has just occurred to me...I suspect that those who bought all Leonard's albums when they were first released (mostly on vinyl) probably have a greater acceptance of his total work, than those who came to it later or in a more random sequence. I also believe it's true that all creative work has the quality of the time of its creation. While most of Leonard's work has a timeless quality (and especially for those who remember when it was released) I appreciate that an album such as "Songs For a Room" may be harder to understand for younger listeners, or people who came to Leonard's work after hearing say "I'm Your Man". From about late 1968 to around 1995, I considered it unthinkable not to play a Leonard album in its entirety, and I suspect there were many who did the same ( even though we physically had to turn the LP over!). However, those who have come to Leonard's work on CD or even more so on Ipod will no doubt be far more prone to selective listening. Thus, it is easier not to embrace certain tracks in the way that those who were going for the complete sequence might have done. Comments welcome!

All good things, John E

[thin_gypsy_thief]

One of the very few LC songs I don't like is Diamonds in the mine...the atmosphere's too different from the others in SoLaH

[John Etherington]

Hi TGT,

I've always thought that "Diamonds in the Mine" brings a bit of light (if that's the right work word!) relief, after "Dress Rehearsal Rag".
For me it brings an element of dark humour and a change of tempo into an otherwise extremely intense album. I seem to remember that Leonard previously received some criticism for the solemnity of "Songs From a Room". Of course, you're perfectly entitled to not like "Diamonds in the Mind"...though I love it in a perverse way, and even more so in the later (and even darker) "Ho Chi Minh" version!

All the best, John E

[Darling]

This thought has just occurred to me...I suspect that those who bought all Leonard's albums when they were first released (mostly on vinyl) probably have a greater acceptance of his total work, than those who came to it later or in a more random sequence. I also believe it's true that all creative work has the quality of the time of its creation. While most of Leonard's work has a timeless quality (and especially for those who remember when it was released) I appreciate that an album such as "Songs For a Room" may be harder to understand for younger listeners, or people who came to Leonard's work after hearing say "I'm Your Man". From about late 1968 to around 1995, I considered it unthinkable not to play a Leonard album in its entirety, and I suspect there were many who did the same ( even though we physically had to turn the LP over!). However, those who have come to Leonard's work on CD or even more so on Ipod will no doubt be far more prone to selective listening. Thus, it is easier not to embrace certain tracks in the way that those who were going for the complete sequence might have done. Comments welcome!

All good things, John E

Interesting theory, I tend to agree. Some songs go well together as an ensemble and I think that when people made LPs in those days they probably paid more attention to the sequence of songs. Also, when we had to get up to skip a song, we tended to stay put (especially those of us who indulged in illegal substances) and give a chance to the ones that needed perhaps a bit more time to grow on us.
This being said, I must admit that I am quite happy to be able to skip 'Un Canadien Errant' so easily now...

[thin_gypsy_thief]

Hi TGT,

I've always thought that "Diamonds in the Mine" brings a bit of light (if that's the right work word!) relief, after "Dress Rehearsal Rag".
For me it brings an element of dark humour and a change of tempo into an otherwise extremely intense album. I seem to remember that Leonard previously received some criticism for the solemnity of "Songs From a Room". Of course, you're perfectly entitled to not like "Diamonds in the Mind"...though I love it in a perverse way, and even more so in the later (and even darker) "Ho Chi Minh" version!

I totally agree with you about the no-way-out intensity of "Dress Rehearsal Rag", but every time I tend to skip to "Love calls you by your name" because I think it brings light however, but just in a more attenuate and maybe softer way than "Diamonds in the mine" (I can't translate in english the italian word I have in mind describing LCYBYN, damn it! ). When I come out from the stunning obscurity of "Dress reharsal rag" and then the intro starts, I just can't help but feel like I'm not listening to Leonard Cohen.

By the way, what's the Ho Chi Minh version?

P.s.: "Diamonds in the mind" would be a great title however

[John Etherington]

Hi TGT,

Thanks for your comments. There was an extra verse that Leonard added to "Diamonds in the Mine" in the late Seventies. In one live version that I've heard he sings this repeatedly, and ends up almost screaming it. From memory, the words are:

I told you this in the days of vietman
When the poets danced for Ho Chi Minh and the jocks for Uncle Sam
Whose side are you really you on?
Which song you gonna sing?
With the mega-stench of baby corpses blowin' in the wind

And there are no letters in the mailbox etc etc....

All the best, John E

[John Etherington]

Returning to "Songs of Love and Hate", it would seem to be cheating to skip tracks on this. Clearly, Leonard didn't intend the album to be easy listening - it's more of a "wake-up call". You know this from the moment you see the cover, which shouts at you with its large lettering and stark black and white design. I personally really appreciate the songs where Leonard takes things right to the edge -especially "Sing Another Song Boys". I'm sure that "Songs of Love and Hate" must have partly inspired John Cale's "Fear" album.

[commonweal]

Somewhere on this site there was a thread a little while ago asking whether Songs of Love and Hate should come with a health warning. I agree with John E (... again ... this is becoming a habit ...) that any such warning should simply read "do not skip or fast forward". One of the many reasons why this album is right up there at the top of the pile is that it flows. Oh how it flows. The only track I ever play out of order (i.e. on its own) is Famous Blue Raincoat, when I find myself in quick need of the injection that song provides.

For myself, I came to LC's music horribly late in life. Only two years ago, after a youth misspent listening to prog rock and a 20s misspent listening to an ever greater range of fashionable and unfashionable bands (and orchestras) until I finally found what I was searching for. I know I know what took me so long...? But sometimes you have to travel far in order to come home ... Anyways, I listen on my ipod but I never skip and I only rarely shuffle. The ipod generation are fast losing sight of what an album is: the a-side, the b-side, the artwork, the product. However you feel it, "random collection of songs" has to be about the very worst of definitions. But addicted to my ipod as I might be I'm an old fashioned kind of guy, and when I put on an album it's an album. I actually regret that on some of the CDs you cannot tell (unless you know) where the break between the a-side and the b-side is. I actually want to get up and turn the thing over - particularly for Songs of LC, Songs from a Room and Songs of Love and Hate.

[John Etherington]

Hi Commonweal,

It's interesting to hear your story, and reassuring that you use an ipod, but still have an old-fashioned attitude to the album concept. Even though I don't use an ipod, I recently decided to put the first review on Amazon for an album that I like, that has just become available for download. It was a very disconcerting experience, as I felt it was innapropriate to mention the opening track, the closing tracks and the lavish cover presentation. I realised that I was reduced to describing nothing more than a bunch of songs!

All the best, John E

[thin_gypsy_thief]

Returning to "Songs of Love and Hate", it would seem to be cheating to skip tracks on this. Clearly, Leonard didn't intend the album to be easy listening - it's more of a "wake-up call". You know this from the moment you see the cover, which shouts at you with its large lettering and stark black and white design. I personally really appreciate the songs where Leonard takes things right to the edge -especially "Sing Another Song Boys". I'm sure that "Songs of Love and Hate" must have partly inspired John Cale's "Fear" album.

I've never listened to this John Cale's album..I always thought first Leonard's have been inspired by the French chansonniers (I adore Jacques Brel, btw) and some kind of classical music. I should really listen to it, an American influence (though JC is Welsh) would be a discovery


However, thanks for the additional verses, there's a sort of bitter fatalism in them..must have this version