leonardcohenforum.com

What does everyone think is Leonard's worst song? Has he, in your view, ever recorded a real stinker? Or are they all masterpieces? Wonder what he would say...

I'd vote for Fingerprints. Of others, there are few I really don't like but they're good crafted (like Why Don't You Try). Most people do vote for Jazz Police, but I think it's great (particularly in live version.)

There's was the voting thread some time ago here.

Can't abide Jazz Police - skip past it every time.

Same here, Jazz police is terrible, always jump over it.

May I nominate "Dear Heather", the cd, as the subject has been raised and I am feeling particularly misanthropic.

The Day They Wounded New York, unless I'm missing geological layers of ironic depth, was vastly disappointing. Dear Heather (the track) is silly and pointless, but too slight to qualify as the worst for me.

There is a crack in everything, including Cohen's genius.

David

I'm sorry, but nothing could possibly be worse than "Never Any Good" and "The Great Event." AWFUL! These are the only Leonard Cohen tracks that I can't stand. He should have put First We Take Manhatten and Waiting For The Miracle on the More Best of CD instead of those two oddballs.

Which one was it that Leonard had no part in... all Kelley's doing, absent his knowledge, as he was up on Mt. Baldy. Was that "Best Of... " or "More Best Of... " ~ it seems it was the latter.

~ Lizzy

I thought that was 'Field Commander Cohen', Lizzy.

My pet hate is 'Humbled in Love', though I can see why people would pick 'Dear Heather'. I prefer to think of that one as just a joke!

Yeah, Dear Heather (song) and On That Day are poretty without deeper substance.

On the other hand, I adore Humbled In Love. But, to tell you a secret, Linmag, in one interview Leonard was asked is there single song of which is he maybe embarassed... He said, Well, there's that song, where I sing I'm humbled in love...


This about Kelley doing FFC without Leonard is total surprise for me. he was out fo monastery then mote than a year (2000). Can you link me to any rumour about that?

Never Any Good is a song I have always enjoyed very much. I think it showcases his humour and subtelty very well.

He did a lot of press around the release of that album, so there is no way he didn't know about it.

I recall Leonard in interview having reservations about the compilation album 'Liebestraume' ('Love Dreams'), Germany 1980; saying he had no input or involvement in the selection of tracks.
Similarly,as far as I know, the UK Sony-authorised release 'Mojo presents: An Introduction to LC' 2003, did not have Leonard's input in the selection of songs.

Well, if you don't know about it, Tom, I'm probably wrong . "Field Commander Cohen," Linmag, doesn't seem like it would be the one. It seemed to me, when I read it [the apparent rumour ] that the selections were somewhat repetitive to what had gone before, and even the title of the album was somewhat suggestive of that. I remember the picture I got in my mind's eye was of Kelley scurrying about to get some more money coming in and to heck with how Leonard might want the album to present itself, in terms of selection and order of the songs themselves. Wish I could link you to it, Tom . Wish I could link myself to it . I also remember feeling that, even though it was done absent Leonard's input or approval [or knowledge] that I was still glad to have it, as is. This is feeling a bit like the Twilight Zone, and I can't think of anything else to add to try to rein it in for myself or anyone else.

~ Lizzy

I think I'm getting Kelley Lynch and Leanne Ungar mixed up I thought FCC was done while Leonard was (mostly) still up the mountain, but I had certainly never heard any suggestion that it was done without his knowledge or consent. I don't think there can be any doubt about his being involved in More Best Of either, given that the 'special thanks to' section ends with Adam, Lorca, Esther and Roshi!

Leonard was angry about Liebestraume in one of the old interviews, but I think he actually messed that LP with So Long Marianne, which is still on catalogue from Sony in three different art covers. Because he mentioned many times that So Long Marianne is stupid and unauthorised compilation made without his approvement. (While Libestraume is only one of dozen of local LP compilations made in 1970s and 1980s).

I have few Leonard's TV appearances for More Best Of on DVD, and he talks that he chosed the songs himself, and also, how he had reservations, but it hwas his anniversary on the label and they pressed him to issue new best of... So it's not the one. Field Commander Cohen - by that time I was already on this board, and I recall former manager's announcement (interview from Globe and Mail). And when FFC came out, we were already informed about Ten New Songs... Plus his words inside, thanks to Rumi, Roshi, Sharon, Jennifer Warnes... Sharon as "production consultant" and Leanne Ungar by mixing pult and in production chair... Not the one I'd say. But I remember that, after The Essential was compilated by Leonard personally in 2002, only ten months later Mojo Presents was released, and Leonard was angry. This Forum and The Files stated clearly it's unauthorised compilation, although legal and official (Sony has given the permission, but not Leonard. Now, in light of our new knowledge, did former manager gave the permission...?)