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Are you adamant about that, jdhayes?
liverpoolken : CuUute!

Now that this Pandora's box is opened...

Did you notice how the number 5 is recurrent in the merchandise of this opus? Moreover, it seems associated with 5 colors.

The Tarot's card number five is the Pope, or the Hierophant : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hierophant

Here is the symbolism of the colors :

Black: Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures), austerity, detachment.

Red: Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate, sincerity, happiness (Only in Japan)

Yellow signifies joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.

Gray: Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.

Blue: Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.
Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.


Source : http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm

Hi,

Wouldn't be surprised if the shadows on Old Ideas and Popular Problems are, consciously or
not, intended to represent "Jungian shadows." Here's why: Leonard Cohen's intense Zen experience
and his artistic work and disposition likely make him aware of his shadow self to an extent that most
people never discover for themselves. Just putting this forth; not looking to engage in a discussion
about Jungian theory.

You GO, Tchoc! Enjoying reading your analyses of this. Will get to the couple that follow tomorrow. Leonard takes time and thought as he puts both into, yes, even the album covers. What better, more pleasurable Rorschach could there be?

This also comes to mind:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/201 ... hings.html

Here is the link to the song "Almost like the blues" with lyrics. I would have liked one of the background flashes you see there much better for the new album cover.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/leonard-cohen ... dba5eb60ed

On the bottom of the boxes, remain this gadget called Hope and two or three smashed lucky charms.

I have read all the thoughts and comments. I saw nothing in all the thoughts, but that is just me.
I just do not like the cover at all, and I read nothing into it except Leonard looks older and more frail than he really is.

Ah! Gandalf the Grey!

( )

Yep... but.

Almost 80, another album and nonetheless I hear : More, more, more. More songs on the CD! More tour! More of him here, more of him there. From people who even not hear this opus yet and have maybe half something his age. Do they want to turn him into Gandalf the White ? He did so much already.

Ah... I guess this is la rançon de la gloire in some way.

Hello everyone,

this is almost my first post here. After all those interesting takes on the symbolism, similarities and color patterns of the both covers I'd like to add another one, based on the fresh experience of listening to the pre- listening stream right now.

The both shadows are the same, but not only are they behind him now (so not threatening anymore), but the size of each colored one has reversed. The red one now is larger than the black one. On OI it was the other way around.

Now thinking about the main theme of OI - death and transiency in many forms (Going Home, Amen, Show Me The Place, Come Healing, Banjo) it seems like reasonable to have a huge black shadow looming towards him, whereas the red one (love, passion) is hiding a bit behind.

Listening to the tenor of PP now, despite all the ugly things in the world the main theme evolving is love (yeah, it's "love's the only engine of survival" refrained) - (A Street, Did I Ever Love You, My Oh My, You Got Me Singing). So then again it seems like reasonable to have the red shadow now made larger with the black one (looming death and tragedy) hiding behind (in a kind of apotheosis of the love theme- or the "Hallelujah Hymn").

Just my take on the interpretation.

In reference to the first post by monkeyface.

It was said about OI that LC was featuring like in a certain famous movie where the Godfather was assassinated. Also many said that OI felt like a final album.

Then with PP, here he is, like an image of the wandering eternal Jew, having made it through all the ages, and through this actual sci&tech age (this era well represented by the graphic and colours), and still marching toward the future ("ah they don't let a woman kill you, not in the Tour of Song").

The Future of his famous song being more or less our present time, now, we may expect another future.

Well. A poor fellow like me has the right to dream about it, he?