Looking for the YOUNGEST first-time listener to LC

[misty_blue]

Thanks,Lizzytysh

I see many people have experienced similar feelings in their first encounters with Leonard's music.His music has that special power,awakens some really strong feelings,even gives you goosebumps...Last summer was very painful for me,I had to deal with some pretty bad stuff,and I really think it would be much harder to survive if it weren't for Leonard's songs.I am truly grateful to Leonard Cohen for giving so much to so many.

I hope I will be able to come to one of the gatherings someday.It would be great to meet so many Cohen fans,so many great people...

[lizzytysh]

Yes, Misty Blue, Leonard's music is very sustaining for the hard times. I'm glad you found him in time for whatever it is you went through.

Beccka ~ Are you still around? What's happened with your and your Dad's reading project? Did you finally finish and, if so, how did it go? I know it was more than either of you had anticipated.


~ Lizzy

[raggedclaw]

A bit late in arriving, but couldn't stop myself from responding to this thread.
(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
This reply is a combination of me (62) and my son (20 months). Yeah, yeah, I know.
I first learned of Leonard when I was dating a student at the University of Bristol, 1968. An American, I was stationed in England at the time. Have been a fan since.
I have a couple older kids, 23 and 29, and they are major Cohen fans, but my youngest got hooked when he was only 8 months old. Really.
I'm a stay-at-home-dad, so introducing solid foods fell to me, and I would always put on the Field Commander Cohen Tour CD while feeding. Then, to entertain my son, I started playing "air violin" during Raffi Hakopian's solo in "The Window." Soon, my son was also playing air violin.
For several months, he would not eat unless the Field Commander was present. Then, we branched out to other albums and then YouTube gave us visuals. Though he loves Pavarotti and Heifetz and Mozart and Pink Floyd and Dylan, et. al., Cohen remains my son's favourite. Now that he speaking, he proudly tells everyone that "Leonar Coen" is his favourite singer.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
My older kids and I pretty much know it all. I'm a literature major and retired writer, and after figuring out Eliot, Cohen was not that tough. While some of the lyrics can be a bit of a challenge, I find that meaningful differences in interpretations usually arise based on my mindset, not the lyrics.

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
His work has been very liberating for me over the years. It's nice to know someone feels almost exactly as I do. With Dear Heather, I was prompted to provide the lyrics to my wife with a note saying "He continues to write my life's story."

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
Cohen's work is perfect for all ages. Even my toddler. Now, my boy doesn't understand the complexity, and he doesn't understand the simplicity. He just likes the sound. This music will be a great tool for teaching, for as he ages, we'll unwrap a new layer of meaning every once in a while. Since I still find new joys in the old songs, I will have given my son a constantly changing tableau that will comfort him throughout his life.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
Guidance? As in controlling or hiding or denying something? No. Help in understanding poetry? Well, sure. We all need help with poetry when we start, and though I "know" poetry, I find it essential to consult references, attend lectures, sit in on a university class or two, read the critics, etc.

[lazariuk]

raggedclaw

That was a very interesting read.
Welcome to the forum.

I was a bit shy about talking to my son about the real stuff and waited until he was about 7 before we got to Ezra Pound.

I remember him saying "Hey that is really cool the way he can be saying two true things at once"

Thinking back I wished that I knew more of Pound at the time so that we could have used Pound to talk about how hard schools were going to try to make him stupid.

[openeye]

I like these questions. Memories of the first time I listened to Leonard Cohen have been brought back. Thanks.

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
I didn't actually start listening to Leonard until I was 19 years old. I was in college in my friend's basement and she played the new album "Songs from a Room". I was immediately hooked. I did however already love the song "Suzanne" which I heard at the age of 15 or so, recorded by Noel Harrison and then Judy Collins.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
I don't know, I guess my mind wasn't really going there as I was quite naive at that age.

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
I remember being in awe and listening in silence. Everything was wonderful and magical.

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
I used to sing "Suzanne" to my children when they were babies. Any age is appropriate. Children get their own meanings out of songs.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
Well, I can't imagine a very young person choosing on his or her own to listen to Leonard Cohen. My daughter was probably 17 or 18 when she first chose on her own. Her favourite at that time was "Songs of Love and Hate". No parental guidance was required as teenagers today are quite aware of everything.

[fieldcommanderjoseph]

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard? 18, when I first saw Pump Up The Volume and I heard Everybody Knows.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references? "Give me crack and anal sex, Take the only tree thats left, stuff it up the hole in your culture?" Obviously it means everything is going down the tubes, and everything is tearing up and falling to pieces. People have developed the F.U. mentality.

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel? Smart. Seriously, hearing this music has opened my eyes and my mind to many other things.

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard? Sadly, kids today at around 6 are used to these words. they probably wouldnt understand the context. Maybe 12 or 13 year olds might get it.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences? Maybe, for explaining the context and to create dialouge! Which is good.

[stan]

I know this topic is more or less gone but i must tell you about my first listening,im 53 now and first heard LC when i was 13,i was in school in Liverpool and during a maths lesson i done something to upset the teacher[teacher are my lessons done].
I went to the front of the class to get six of the best,for the lucky pupils of today it means he hit you with a stick, after taking my punishment i told the teacher his old road was rappedly changing and get out a new one if ya cant lend a hand, and then WACK on the side of my head and was told to go home until further notice.
I went home terrified what mum would say but she was out, but george was in next door,so i sat in his until later and when i was there he played bird on a wire and i was hooked,I still dont understand a lot of lenards words but i love his voice and his music.

[secretchord]

my daughter is just gone 10 and she's pretty familiar with Leonard's music now mainly due to having to listen to it endlessly in the car at high volume on many a journey long and short

she also met Leonard last year at the gallery opening

must admit I skip over The Future ('give me crack and anal sex' etc) on The Essential but that's all

I'm planning to take her to The Big Chill so she'll get to see Leonard live as well

[ania]

i know this is old but i havent been around for a while...

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
9 or 10

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
nothing. i didnt speak english

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
the lyrics didnt because i didnt understand them except for one translation of first we take mahattan
but the music moved me
tremendously so

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
in the womb. seriously. i would play leonard and tom waits and bob while pregnant. its never too early.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
i think perhaps with blatant sexual lyrics yes. but i cant think of anything overtly ... in your face/crass/obvious with leonard lyrics.

[ania]

The Future ('give me crack and anal sex' etc)
oh oops forgot about that one

[Lissa]

1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard? 28

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel? I got very depressed listening to Songs of Love & Hate. I had to stop listening to it for awhile because I got so low.

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard? My son is 1 1/2 and we listen to it together and dance.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences? As with all music, yes.

[imaginary friend]

Lizzy, I've really enjoyed this thread.

1) I was 22. (I was already married with 2 children. I grew up in the Caribbean – what more can I say?) A friend had returned from a trip to Montreal, and brought an LP over for us to hear: Songs of Love and Hate.

2) I was a big girl. I got it.

3) Thrilled. Itchy. Those are the best descriptions. I wanted to play it over and over. I had to give it back to my friend, and unhappily, it wasn't available in Jamaica; but that Christmas, when we exchanged gifts, he had wrapped up the LP for me. I still have it, I always will, even though I no longer have a turntable, and even though I now live a great distance apart from my friend, it's still the most special gift I ever received.

4) My two children grew up on LC, Lisa, the youngest was 3 when she first heard it (see more below*)

5) Speaking for myself, it wasn't. And in my opinion it shouldn't. Leonard's art is so full of wit and wisdom and love and elegance and humour.

*An addendum –
A short while ago, I was driving to work, accompanied by my daughter, Lisa. I was playing The Essential LC, and suddenly she said: “I love Leonard Cohen”; then, “I’d marry him!” Surprised and somewhat peeved, I said: “He’s 73 years old! He’s a lot older than ME, much less you!” She looked me in the eye and replied: “I don’t care – I’d still marry him.” Later that evening, my son and his young wife, Shannon came over to visit. Shannon (whose musical taste runs to techno-monotony club stuff) was chatting with me in the kitchen when Lisa put on the same CD. “Oh” said Shannon; “Leonard Cohen. I love him.”

[stan]

Hi Imaginary friend
Nice little story, people can be funny and full of surprises, do you and her sit and listen to cohen or do you carry on as you did in the past.

Money doesnt talk it swears.

[dreimanis]

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
I believe i was about seven or eight. My stepfather bought the cassette somewhere and i listened to it in a car because we had no player at home. It was "The Future" album and i was born in 1984 so.. it makes.
(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
I'm from Latvia, so at that age i did not understand nothing regarding the lyrics. The only thing i knew was, that democracy was coming
(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
I did not understand the lyrics but i can say that the music itself and cohens voice affected me deeply. It was something like.. i don't know a perfect tragedy. I remember when years later i got hands on cohens recordings, i listened to the future album and thought: oh, my god, it sounds like it sounded 10 years before + i now understand the lyrics.
(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
I believe one shouldn't listen too young. I'd say about 17 would be best. Not that you can't listen it in your early tens, but still better safe than sorry
(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
No.

[Mark J]

15 years old, on the way to my first driving school class in my friend's car, when I heard him sing along to strange deep lyrics on his tapedeck: "like the shy one at some orgy." What a great simile! I was hooked. It's been another 15 years, but long as I've sought to fully understand this lyric, I haven't yet had an orgy to be shy at.

disclaimer: The meaning of "orgy" in the UK may hold different connotations than that in North America (just mentioned because I've heard several of my parent's UK generation refer to a wild, bachelor-type party as an "orgy." In Canada the term only calls forth images of coitus with strangers.)