And you climb the halls of fame...

[remote1]

All this talk of Halls of Fame, Grammy awards and the like ("the peanuts"?) keeps reminding me of "Love calls you by your name":

"The women in your scrapbook
whom you still praise and blame,
you say they chained you to your fingernails
and you climb the halls of fame.
Oh but here, right here,
between the peanuts and the cage,
between the darkness and the stage,
between the hour and the age,
once again, once again,
love calls you by your name."

Just wonder whether Leonard likes getting all these awards or whether he just politely obliges. I don't see this type of recognition fitting Leonard Cohen as I perceive him to be, but perhaps I'm all wrong; I don't know the real man!

"You thought that it could never happen/to all the people that you became"...

[heart]

I totally agree.

It's nice to live to see your own fame though isn't it? I mean, you go all your life and your a kinda-sorta well-known person in the music world, and everyone covers your songs, but in the eyes of the public you sort of go unrecognized....then, lo and behold you're a star! Awards all over the place! Everyone is the "new Leonard Cohen fan". You gotta love the irony! If anything, I think LC must love the irony, but not so much all the awards and fame. Although, who knows, it sure beats starving artist status.

Maybe God smiled on LC after all eh? Bout time! Yet, maybe He waited that long so it wouldn't have time to go to his head and ruin him.

[remote1]

Glad you agree, Heart!

I don't believe in God but I still think that life is smiling on Leonard the poète maudit right now. The way people are responding to his concerts must be so heart-warming for him. And I am pleased for him.

[holydove]

Remote1, I've wondered about that too. In an interview many years ago, I remember Leonard saying that he liked being a "brilliant failure" (or something to that effect), because success is "obscene" as he put it.

I wonder if maybe he has conflicting feelings about it - it's great to be recognized for one's brilliance, but maybe "too much" recognition doesn't quite suit his style. But we all know it certainly doesn't diminish his brilliance, and I have to believe (and hope) that he knows that too.

I also saw a more recent interview (probably late '80's - early '90's) where he said that he feels that more people are now experiencing the kind of "landscape" from which he writes - a landscape where there is an awareness of constantly being on the verge of collapse - and that's why more people are connecting with him & his music/poetry (what a great & true perception, huh?!). So if he attributes his larger popularity to that kind of "evolution" in people's minds, then maybe he can be okay with all the recognition & awards. I hope it's bringing him some joy, though ultimately, I'm guessing he exists in a realm that is rather beyond all that "award" stuff. . . I think the most important & joyful thing for him is the love he is receiving from all the the fans at his concerts, rather than whatever these organizations choose to bestow. . .

I like the connection you made with the lines from Love Calls You . . .

[remote1]

Hey Holydove, missed you for a few days! As usual you express it much better than I could!

[holydove]

Hi to you, Remote1 - you are so sweet, and I missed you too! But I don't agree about me expressing things better - your insights are clearly sharp "as a new razor blade" - I always enjoy our exchanges. . .

[remote1]

Well, thanks!

[Steven]

Hi Remote1,

The late Phil Ochs wrote a song that speaks well to this, "Chords of Fame."

[remote1]

Thanks Steven, spot on! I've just listened to the song, it's great!

"I found him by the stage last night
He was breathing his last breath
A bottle of wine and a cigarette
Was all that he had left
I can see you make the music
’cause you carry a guitar
God help the troubadour
Who tries to be a star

So play the chords of love, my friend
Play the chords of pain
If you want to keep your song,
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t play the chords of fame

I seen my share of hustlers
As they try to take the world
When they find their melody
They’re surrounded by the girls
But it all fades so quickly
Like a sunny summer day
Reporters ask you questions
They write down what you say

So play the chords of love, my friend
Play the chords of pain
If you want to keep your song,
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t play the chords of fame

They’ll rob you of your innocence
They will put you up for sale
The more that you will find success
The more that you will fail
I been around, I’ve had my share
And I really can’t complain
But I wonder who I left behind
The other side of fame

So play the chords of love, my friend
Play the chords of pain
If you want to keep your song,
Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t play the chords of fame"

Phil Ochs

[Steven]

Hi Remote1,

Thank you so much for posting the lyrics. Yes, it is a great song.

[Kush]

"The women in your scrapbook
whom you still praise and blame,
you say they chained you to your fingernails
and you climb the halls of fame.
Oh but here, right here,
between the peanuts and the cage,
between the darkness and the stage,
between the hour and the age,
once again, once again,
love calls you by your name."

Think he wrote it for Tiger Woods?

[lightning]

The Talmud says that fame is a curse but most people think its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. If you aren't famous you always have to wonder what it would be like to be famous, and wonder what you are lacking that your are not. One famous person I know said, "At first it's flattering. After that, it's a pain in the ass." Another said, "When I first started out, I looked forward to being famous. Now that I'm famous, I look forward to retirement." "Vanity of vanities" saith the preacher.

[Steven]

Hi,

Another song that deals with fame is "Stars," by Janis Ian.

[lightning]

Try Loudon Wainwright III-- "Harry's Wall."

"There he goes, that's what's his name... we saw him on TV."

[hydriot]

If you aren't famous you always have to wonder what it would be like to be famous, and wonder what you are lacking that your are not.

Nobody who is not famous lacks anything. Being famous doesn't mean you are talented, or even special. Why do people think being worshipped by the mob means anything, is worth anything?

No need to wonder any more what it would be like to be famous. Take it from me: it is horrible, horrible, horrible. I had my fifteen minutes of fame when I was thirteen. Never again.