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No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:18 am
by B4real
There is mention on the forum of this Canadian folk music group The Fugitives being avid LC fans but I can't see their tribute song to him posted here before. It was written for him the day after his passing. It's on their new album The Promise of Strangers and is called No Words.
One example is album highlight "No Words," dedicated to Leonard Cohen; "I have no words, he took them all," it declares, though the song does include such eloquent lyrics as "I never knew a stranger who hurt my heart better." The song begins slowly, just voice and guitar, with other group members gradually joining in on banjo and fiddle. A choir (dubbed the Awesome Strangers Gospel Choir) is then added, imparting a neo-gospel fervour.
http://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_fug ... _strangers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj6WsixYtwE
Live at the Ryerson Church in Vancouver, Canada, with the Righteous Ramshackle Chorus -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m0X-E2Kkws
LC said at the beginning of his song Morning Glory:
No words this time? No words. No, there are times when nothing can be done. Not this time.
Re: No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 5:08 pm
by mutti
I have listened to this song by The Fugitives a number of times now and think it is so touching.
So perfect...and beautiful. I don't usually like covers (except a few) and these kinds of songs but this one got me.
Thanks Bev
Leslie

Re: No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 6:17 am
by anny
This song is so touching...thank you Lisa
anny
Re: No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:32 pm
by holydove
B4real wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:18 am
One example is album highlight "No Words," dedicated to Leonard Cohen; "I have no words, he took them all," it declares, though the song does include such eloquent lyrics as "I never knew a stranger who hurt my heart better."...
This song is indeed very beautiful & touching, & contrary to what the writer of the article said, I have to add that I think it is beautifully executed, & I love the added dimension of the choir.
Also, I believe the lyric referred to above is actually, "I never knew a stranger who heard my heart better". But "...hurt my heart better" works very well too!
Thank you, Bev, for bringing this here!
Re: No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:51 am
by B4real
Glad you all enjoyed that song as did I! On both occasions, it is a wonderfully presented original tribute to Leonard!
And Rachel, you are right, the word is "heard" and that is written in the lyrics of the black and white video

I also wondered at the time of posting which is the correct name of the choir -
A choir (dubbed the Awesome Strangers Gospel Choir) is then added, imparting a neo-gospel fervour
Live at the Ryerson Church in Vancouver, Canada, with the Righteous Ramshackle Chorus
The writer of this article states the former and the video says the latter which I think is correct or maybe they have two different names or are different groups
Bev
Re: No Words (tribute song to LC)
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:33 am
by holydove
B4real wrote: ↑Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:51 am
I also wondered at the time of posting which is the correct name of the choir -
A choir (dubbed the Awesome Strangers Gospel Choir) is then added, imparting a neo-gospel fervour
Live at the Ryerson Church in Vancouver, Canada, with the Righteous Ramshackle Chorus
The writer of this article states the former and the video says the latter which I think is correct or maybe they have two different names or are different groups
Bev
Hi Bev,
Yes, I wondered about those different choir names too. I thought maybe the Awesome Strangers Gospel was the choir on the album, since the writer seems to be talking about the album, & the Righteous Ramshackle is the one in the live performance; but who knows, that writer seems to be a bit off on some things... so either both choirs sound great, or one choir sounds great twice!
