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Thanks. Cleared yes, but I have very lousy hear to hear that (I compared some downloads from there with my CD). Also, I think ~greg did those MP3s long ago, from the first version; in meantime, the much better version of show emerged and that's the version I am trading (I attached only Don't Go Home With Your Hard On because that song is unfortunately missing on the new version).

DOALM and Dear Heather are to me very similar.

jerry wrote:DOALM and Dear Heather are to me very similar.

Really?! Gosh.

On both cds the music and the vocals seem disconnected from one another.

that is true. but... that's the only similarity i can think of between them.

jerry wrote:On both cds the music and the vocals seem disconnected from one another.

Oh, that! Yes, in some tracks, I agree. Not all, though.

I like it a lot - the record is compelling, little strange in a good way and definitely one of a kind! One of the records I listened 15 years ago and fell to the guy (I haven´t recovered ever since).

True love leaves no traces must be one of the most beautiful love songs ever made. The chorus is haunting.

Iodine - I´ve never liked it very much.

Paper Thin Hotel -
A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control

Memories: it has been a favourite song for many beautiful losers and I can see why.

I Left A Woman Waiting - well it always left me kind of cold.

Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On - one of my all-time favourites. And just think all the celebrities singing back vocals!

Fingerprints - it has a feeling of.....loneliness that I like.

Death of a Ladies' Man - one haunting end to a haunting album.

I can't stand that album, really. The lyrics may be good, I listened to "Memories" and "Don't go home with your hard-on", mainly because there was a Cohen live version of Memories and a cover of the second in "I'm your fan". I have never got to listen "Death of a ladies man" till the end, because the wall of sound technique irritates me, it sounds awful.

I think Death of Ladies' Man marks an important stage in Cohens' development as a singer/songwriter and that the only track that really suffers from the (over?)production is 'Fingerprints'.

Labouring as I am against the illusion of the romantic ego, I find the album an inspirational collaborative product of it's time that remains relevant today. I think one has to bear in mind Spector's prestige at the time and his genius (which, I admit, suited Lennon's songs better) and near contemporary recordings: the luscious production of Scott Walker's early solo records and even John Cale's 'I Keep A Close Watch' from the 'Helen of Troy' LP?

My Cohen collection is limited to official releases, but I think the fact that the 'Field Commander Cohen' CD contains tracks from DOALM points to the fact that Cohen did not entirely disown all of the songs on the album.

Also 'Don't Go Home With Your Hard On' is one of those jems of coincidental collaboration: where else are Cohen, Dylan and Ginsberg on the same recording?

The fact that he was willing to depart from the 'acoustic' feel of the early albums surely points to a willingness to explore. Surely such artists should be granted leave to fail in such endeacours?

Regards,
CDB

Hi cdb ~

Welcome to the Forum .

The fact that he was willing to depart from the 'acoustic' feel of the early albums surely points to a willingness to explore. Surely such artists should be granted leave to fail in such endeacours?

I agree with your perspective 100% .

I think Death of Ladies' Man marks an important stage in Cohens' development

An important stage in his survival, as well.

~ Lizzy

I think I remember hearing Leonard saying in an intervire that he has "warmed up to the album over the years". I don't think he was proud of the album. I don't think this has anything to do with his develpoment rather, Phil Spector and his twisted inflated ego. I enjoy the CD, but it does not appear that Leonard ever worked with him again.

But he would like to work with him again. He said that in 1990s. He also said it was great album, but he didn't "had guts to sing it". "It was real rock", he said, and also something like it was a Bill Medley-album.

Leonard Cohen on Buddhism, his place in history and his life
Vicki Gabereau gets in-depth and personal with the Canadian legend
http://archives.cbc.ca/500f.asp?id=1-68-93-11038
Just listened to this interview again. around 17 min into the interview he talks of his experience with Phil Spector. He said that he lost the handle on the recording because Phil would take the tapes and mix them in private. Not a 100% quote. It is a good interview.
I am sure I have heard him say that he has warmed up to the album over the years.
Another thing he mentions is that the University of Toronto

bailed him out of poverty

by buying a few of his things, and that there are suitcases of his work stassed in several places.

Why do so many people dislike Death of a Ladies' Man?
A.J. Norman: (nja@le.ac.uk):

I think there are a few reasons. One is that LC himself doesn't like it -- but he has a rather odd view of his back catalogue (the superb Recent Songs has almost been written out of the official story -- he tends to imply that the album after DOALM was Various Positions). One is that it contains a couple of what by LC's standards are real stinkers -- "Don't Go Home..." and "Fingerprints". It doesn't sound much like any of his other work -- that's the reason a lot of people dislike "The Future", as well. I think the production is muddy, LC's singing is not very good, and the fact that he was suffering from deep depression when he recorded it is all too clear from the lacklustre performances. On the other hand, there are some of his best songs there ("Paper Thin Hotel", "Memories"), and the title track is great -- I don't think it's too long at all, and the world-weary style is suited to that particular song. It's one I listen to quite often when I'm walking to work in the mornings, but hardly ever when I'm in a reflective mood in the evening.

that's sad. who dislikes "the future"??? it's probably up there with my favorites, possibly my most favorite. i'd have to think real hard about it but i don't want to do that. i'm fine with just declaring the bulk of his work as my favorite. the song "the future" was really the first thing i was exposed to of leonard's and i'll never forget it. it blew me away, and i'd never ever heard anything quite like it. it sucked me in like a vacuum of infinite space encompassing