leonardcohenforum.com

This is the situation. You have been given the task of supplying the track list for a new compilation release "The very best of Leonard Cohen". You can only select 15 tracks from the entirety of his recordings. Which, if any, tracks would you include from "Dear Heather".
My personal choice would be "The Faith" and no more.
Rob.

The Letters and Morning Glory.

Nothing else, because it's to disperse recording. And never The Faith - I would never include the song about which mix there are so various opinions, and I wouldn't like to end my very best of without L.C., with Anjani singing alone the whole verse.
The song is great - we must leave something to the people who will buy the original album after they hear the compilation!

No more compilations without The Letters for me.

Who is interested to help me install an "Untertow" fan club ? Who else is fascinated by that song ?

The song is mesmerizing, and that sax particularly. But I miss Leonard's voice there
Henning, do you have the original poem from Intensity? Courtois posted it somewhere here.

Tom Sakic wrote:Henning, do you have the original poem from Intensity? Courtois posted it somewhere here.

I will also look through my issues of Intensity, and - unless someone is faster than I am - post any information given about Undertow.

Funny: the other day on this board we discussed the dvd of Ladies and Gentleman... Mr Leonard Cohen, and yesterday I saw the dvd for the first time in a record shop in Amsterdam (Fame). I think I've even seen the documentary once, on a friend's video tape.

Oh, and my vote goes to To a Teacher for inclusion on the hypothetical new Very, Very, Very Best.

Courtois

Henning, dear friend... what is it about Undertow... ? If I were to answer for you, I would say that it reminds you a bit of Chris and Carla.... Yes.. ? Regardless... indeed it's your kind of song to be sure.

B

Henning my friend,

I'll happily join your club!

I find this track hauntingly beautiful (strongly accentuated by the sax) - the music superbly matches the poignant lyrics, which for me deftly convey a sense of somewhat chilling resignation. Nevertheless, at the very end, the fatalism is balanced by a spark of hope around the notion of human (or divine) charity and good will prevailing.

However, like Tom I would like to have heard just a little more of Leonard than a background whisper towards the end of the track!

Cheers
Andrew (Darby)

Undertow is mezmerizing. Beautifully phrased. I think Anjani's voice is perfect for it, and leonard's mark is sufficient.

I perused my eight or so issues of the discontinued fan magazine Intensity four times in a row. I failed to turn up the earlier poem version of Undertow which must be in there somewhere. How else could I have learnt it by heart (see below)? I even found a piece of paper onto which I had copied the poem.

I think the reference was a small part of an interview, which may include some information as to the time it was written... Maybe somebody else's sleuthing skills surpass mine?

I set out for love but I did not know
I'd be caught in the grip of an undertow
To be washed to a shore where the sea needs to go
With a child in my arms and a chill in my soul
And my heart the size of a begging bowl

Courtois

I love this song. It 'feels' with a kind of vulnerability for me. I'm interested to know how you interpret it, Henning. I liked the comments that Joe Way [whom I will soon begin to refer to simply as Joe] made on it.

Lizzy, I hesitate to analyse lyrics – why should I try to steal mystery from the lyrics while the tune maintains it ? Of course, sometimes I think I have a clue and I pretend to see signs in the sky but I do not really know, I could be caught in the grip of an untertow.

Courtois wrote: I think the reference was a small part of an interview, which may include some information as to the time it was written... Maybe somebody else's sleuthing skills surpass mine?

I set out for love but I did not know
I'd be caught in the grip of an undertow
To be washed to a shore where the sea needs to go
With a child in my arms and a chill in my soul
And my heart the size of a begging bowl

Courtois

Try this link: http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/buzz.html

Henning ~

That works for me . I hesitate, as well. Still immensely enjoy what others do with them. Jump in myself from time to time. Yes, the mystery remains.

~ Lizzy

Hey Henning..I can join this club of yours. For me this is another of Leonard Cohen's spiritual collaboration (for want of a better term) with Salvador Dali. The painting is vivid in detail and the heart in the shape of a begging bowl is appropriately impossible.

…. and this songs' rhythm rolls like the flow of time, previously symbolized by melting clocks. Yes, I also enjoy to read people’s interpretations – it is just that I don't trust my own dirty phantasie and how misguided I was when I thought that “sometimes I need you to kill a child” was a reference to oral sex. Since then I love to sink with the magic of a song just by its tune and arrangement, sometimes picking a line just to see how it fits to my own current situation. I am happy to hear that I am not alone being caught in the grip of “Untertow”.