Do you know who Leonard Cohen is???

[cracker39]

I was playing one of my Leonard Cohen CDs today while going out for a pizza and got to wondering if any of you are familiar with his music. I have yet to find very many people who know of his work (poetry or music), or has even heard of him. And fewer who like his songs. So, I thought I'd ask. He is listed in the rock jenre (sic), but I disagree and wouldn't know how to classify his music. He is one my favorite mail vocalists, if not the favorite.

Somewhere in the 90s, I turned on the TV to Austin City Limits and he was performing. I had never heard of him, but was immediately captivated by the song playing, so I popped a cassette into the deck (which was connected to the TV) and recorded most of the program, and as I found out later, most of the album "I'm Your Man". I started checking and found another album, "Songs From a Room", which I didn't care for as much as it was an earlier work and his voice was much higher. His later works are in his "whiskey and cigarette voice". Since then, I've collected a half dozen or so of his albums made since the early 90s. He's around 70, but still going strong and getting better all the time.

If you are familiar with Cohen, you probably either love his work, or don't like it. I don't think there is a middle of the road attitude towards his music. If not, he was renowned as a poet before his singing carreer. He writes his own songs, and many are his poems put to music.

If lyou aren't familiar with his music, you can find clips of his music online, but a 30 second clip just doesn't give you the full impact of his songs. So, if anyone's interested, I'd put several of my favorites on my web site for you to listen to. Let me know if anyone is interested.

[cracker39]

PS: Several of his songs have been in movies. In Shreck, it was "Halleluja". In a movie I watch recently they played "Boogie Street" in several places.

[AmyH]

I love Leonard Cohen, he has such a great raspy voice! Have you heard of Ray LaMontagne? Not as gravelly sounding as Leonard Cohen, but really great music! Check it out sometime.

[cracker39]

Amy, that's the voice I was referring to. If I were gay, I'd be in love with it...

His last album Dear Heather, was quite a departure from his usual work. But, it slowly grows on you if you listen to it a few times. I just finished listening to it again (I have it on my PC). This is the first time that he has had so much work from another vocalist on an album, and as much spoken poetry set to music. And, the cover of Tennesee Waltz seems completely out of place here. But, it's Cohen, even if a new version.

[Boodro]

Hey Cracker , I caught the same show on Austin , I just haapen to bump into it & had to stop & listen to Cohen. I was not sure if I liked him or not. I watched the whole show & at the end I could only liken him to ( no offense here ) the early 60's & the Beatnik sound. You know the coffe houses that had open mics for anyone to step up & share their feelings in song or poem! They were always portrayed on tv as skinny & always dressed in black pants & black sweaters. His music is quite mesmerizing when listned to carefully.

[lcurrie]

I've been a fan of his since about 1993 when i first heard one of his songs on a radio station called KGSR here in Austin.

For you music fans you should consider picking up a copy of KGSR's Broadcast Voume 14 CDs that is going to be resleased in the next few days/couple weeks.

If you decide to pick one up, you need to get it quickly. They're usually sold out well before Xmas. I've got them all the way back to Volume 4 and never regret getting it. All songs are recorded in the KGSR studios while the artists are doing an on-air interview/singing.

I'm assuming people will be able to pick them up online once they go on sale. If not, PM me and i'll go grab a copy for people and ship them out for cost + postage.

Lynn

[campadk]

Ah yes....

Dance Me to the End of Love

I'm Your Man

Leonard is just so unique, ok a tad on the weird size LOL...

[Greg M]

You can get thrown out of this country for not knowing who he is

-Greg

[subtearanean]

Newbury Comics has the DVD "Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man" on a coupon sale this week, I picked up a copy today. Haven't watched the entire yet (it got busy at work.....what's up with that????).

To see a nice use of his music pick up a copy of Werner Herzog's "Fata Morgana" ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067085/ ).

Book of Longing is a good read also, if you like poetry (if you like Cohen music you must like poetry).

[asianflava]

Throw me out then, because I have no idea who he is.

But then again you guys didn't know who said, "We want prenup."

Ugggh, I just listened to some samples, I hope it is not the same guy.

[subtearanean]

Well, if the prenup quote came from this piece of American history:

http://www.lyricstop.com/g/golddigger-k ... efoxx.html

then I think I'll consider moving closer to Leonard.

[cracker39]

Throw me out then, because I have no idea who he is.

But then again you guys didn't know who said, "We want prenup."

Ugggh, I just listened to some samples, I hope it is not the same guy.

I depends on what you listened to IMHO. I only like his later work from late 80s or early 90s on. You can't get much from a 30 second clip, you need to hear the whole songs. Like I said, I think he is liked a lot, or not liked at all...no middle ground with Cohen.

Well, if the prenup quote came from this piece of American history:

http://www.lyricstop.com/g/golddigger-k ... efoxx.html

then I think I'll consider moving closer to Leonard.

That's nothing at all like Cohen. Thank Goodness!!!!!

[subtearanean]

PS: Several of his songs have been in movies. In Shreck, it was "Halleluja". In a movie I watch recently they played "Boogie Street" in several places.

The Shrek version of Hallelujah was done by Rufus Wainwright, quite nicely in my opinion.

For other covers of his stuff see if you can find a copy of Jennifer Warnes "Famous Blue Raincoat" CD that came out in 1987 (I ran into this in a bin at a Salvation Army, 50¢, best deal of my life), or the 1995 "Tower of Song" CD, or the 1991 "I'm Your Fan (Tribute To Leonard Cohen)" CD. All are worth owning.

Any of you out there remember seeing him in the late '80s on Miami Vice?

[cracker39]

Any of you out there remember seeing him in the late '80s on Miami Vice?

I don't remember that, but recently I started watching the daily episodes of MV on the Sleuth channel. I caught the first or second episode and am recording them daily. So, I'll probably catch that episode sooner or later. The ones I've watched so far has Crocket driving the black Farari. He still hasn't gotten to the white Lamborghini.

[Ira]

I never heard of him either, but with a name like that, he HAS to be Jewish.