leonardcohenforum.com

Hello John. Thank you for another post. I like learning things, and you share information that is new to me. I am not a wind-up merchant, though. If you check through what I've written you will see that the facts I've mentioned can be verified. What satisfaction could I get from 'winding' anybody up? It sounds quite amazing, I know, to say that a fictional figure inspired a song - but just because this information has taken so long to surface doesn't have to mean that it is a 'wind-up'. People have given the song a religious interpretation, and that is fine. They speak more about themselves than about the songwriter. Also, a 'casual' visitor would be more likely to believe me than a staunch Cohen fan only because they have not a predisposed impression of what inspired the song. They would view it with a fresh eye, instead of bias.

Well- I apologise if I sounded flippant before - this is very interesting reading as it goes...Thanks.
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I just want to mention here that I loved his new assembly of his "Lover, Lover, Lover" song as he sang it in the Ramat Gan concert on the 24th of September.

Just a final note, before this thread disappears, on comic book hero Conan the Barbarian as source of inspiration for the song 'Lover, Lover, Lover'.

I communicated yesterday with someone who brought to my attention a line (see below) from 'The reason I write' - a well-known poem written by Leonard. There does not seem to be anything to add after this, except to thank everyone who participated here.

"I want to be the kind of hero I wanted to be when I was seven years old, a perfect man who kills."

Leonard Cohen wrote:
>Father change my name, the one I'm using now is covered up with fear and filth and cowardice and shame.

Might it be a personal confession at some moment in time ?

Who are you to judge ?

Mind your own afairs ok ?

naf nehoC dranoeL wrote to me:
>Mind your own afairs ok ?


ok - sorry.

I don't see why you need to be sorry. A little humour plus new information is always welcome-to me anyway

Too right Clo!
I think that was just a little out of order - why are you saying sorry Geoffrey?
I thought this thread was very interesting as it developed... and I can see no reason for an apology myself!

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clo wrote:
>I don't see why you need to be sorry.

Alsiony added:
>Too right Clo! I think that was just a little out of order - why are you saying sorry Geoffrey? I thought this thread was very interesting as it developed... and I can see no reason for an apology myself!

you are both very kind, and lifted me up again. i said "sorry" because that nasty person said i should mind my own business and made it clear that they didn't think i should write any more and that it was wrong what i wrote. why are some folks so quick to criticise people and make them sad like that? i wonder what the reason is for it. what makes one person a lovely distributor of pleasure and joy, and another person a horrible bossy swine who thrives in hurting someone else's feelings?

Good! - because I believe it would be fruitless and quite frankly a bit stupid to not feel free to discuss anything or put forward an opinion about something- anything - when we have the freedom to do so. A lot of people don't have the privledge afterall.

Besides in the context of this thread- overall, it is inspiration being discussed - is it not? Or am I a lunatic? Even if a song has a very personal, deeply cherished and fixed meaning to an individual- I believe it is wrong to discount anothers thoughts on it. And if the meaning is that cherished and important to the individual- than surely nothing could threaten that anyway?? No need for sincerely negative comments really if that is the case- in my humble opinion, you would just silently 'walk on by', because you are secure in your decision about it already. Maybe that's just me.

Many of Leonards writings get me in a massively personal way and to differing degrees and for a multitude of reasons and I often wonder what it was that created each spark for the songs and poems he has produced thus far, even though I know what they mean to me (though even that is constantly evolving in some places.)
Many of my friends think he is just rubbish! And don't even get as far as forming an opinion about his influence
I have yet to fall out with any of them over it though...

I personally can't see what has been written that requires anyone to stop what they are doing and start minding their affairs instead either - NO offence meant by the way! This is all, again, just my opinion ofcourse, based on how I interpreted that which I read...
Anyhows - I was under the impression this was a thread of discussion rather than a pure judgement, unless what you have to say is ABSOLUTE Geoffrey?

Goodness me! - is that the time!? I was supposed to return this soapbox AGES ago
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Geoffrey wrote: you are both very kind, and lifted me up again. i said "sorry" because that nasty person said i should mind my own business and made it clear that they didn't think i should write any more and that it was wrong what i wrote. why are some folks so quick to criticise people and make them sad like that? i wonder what the reason is for it. what makes one person a lovely distributor of pleasure and joy, and another person a horrible bossy swine who thrives in hurting someone else's feelings?

Geoffrey,
They always have the option on not reading this thread. I come back to this thread as new posts are put on because, I, for one enjoy reading your posts .

Warmest regards,
Mary

PS - too bad I am not a redhead

MaryB wrote: PS - too bad I am not a redhead

Well, there's always Clairol ....

Mike

Not even for Geoffrey.