The first note - how you found LC and how it affected you
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tom.d.stiller
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Oh, Elizabeth, I forgot you are a very early "fish" - sorry. But you're right about the image: it's "viscerally appealing".
As to the nebulosity: I just thought that seaweed, like driftwood, seems to be always afloat, visiting many shores, before, finally, it dries in the sun, but unlike driftwood it is very alive. The heroes I imagine to be in the seaweed are a bunch of maybe very lonesome, but not very troublesome heroes. When I add the "children in the morning", imagine both the heroes and the children "leaning out for love and [...] lean that way forever" - it might make sense ...
But a true image remains unfathomable, and it might lead to different associations every time you think about it, or rather let it work on your mind and soul. (Leonard's work is filled to the brim with images of that rare quality - that's why we all are here, I suppose...)
As to the nebulosity: I just thought that seaweed, like driftwood, seems to be always afloat, visiting many shores, before, finally, it dries in the sun, but unlike driftwood it is very alive. The heroes I imagine to be in the seaweed are a bunch of maybe very lonesome, but not very troublesome heroes. When I add the "children in the morning", imagine both the heroes and the children "leaning out for love and [...] lean that way forever" - it might make sense ...
But a true image remains unfathomable, and it might lead to different associations every time you think about it, or rather let it work on your mind and soul. (Leonard's work is filled to the brim with images of that rare quality - that's why we all are here, I suppose...)
my introduction to the wonderful world of Leonard
Hello everyone,
I am a complete newcomer to this forum so I greet you all graciously.
I first "discovered" Leonard Cohen when I was around 16, in a friends room, around 1985, he had an LP with a what I thought was an old "Square" man on the cover, in a sepia photo the LP was called the Leonard Cohens Greatest Hits.
He put the record on and played me Suzanne it was a catchy number in about the tempo and mood that a hormone soaked 16 year old Scottish boy with too many emotions could really relate to, he then played me Sisters of Mercy I really like this music at the time but was spending a lot of time listening to REM, The Smiths and as I never had a copy of the LP I had been listening to I gradually forgot over the years all about Leonard Cohen.
Until last autumn, I wasin a record shop in Glasgow when I found a copy of Greatest Hits, with its Sepia toned cover and the not so "Square" photo of Leonard Cohen.
I took it home and played the first side, I realised that this was the music I had been wanting to hear for almost all my life, the beauty of the music the depth and sometimes verging on mythological subject of the lyrics. It made me feel part of the oneness that is humanity, and that the life I led was not that of a freak, or a loser.
Sisters of Mercy undoubtedly sits in my heart as the most benevolent and magnanimous song potraying emotions, in an open way, giving us an aspirational target to try to match so that we can become more generous in spirit and support our fellow men and women in life.
regards
Ronnie
PS The son which I currently feel most attached to is the Stories of the Street
I am a complete newcomer to this forum so I greet you all graciously.
I first "discovered" Leonard Cohen when I was around 16, in a friends room, around 1985, he had an LP with a what I thought was an old "Square" man on the cover, in a sepia photo the LP was called the Leonard Cohens Greatest Hits.
He put the record on and played me Suzanne it was a catchy number in about the tempo and mood that a hormone soaked 16 year old Scottish boy with too many emotions could really relate to, he then played me Sisters of Mercy I really like this music at the time but was spending a lot of time listening to REM, The Smiths and as I never had a copy of the LP I had been listening to I gradually forgot over the years all about Leonard Cohen.
Until last autumn, I wasin a record shop in Glasgow when I found a copy of Greatest Hits, with its Sepia toned cover and the not so "Square" photo of Leonard Cohen.
I took it home and played the first side, I realised that this was the music I had been wanting to hear for almost all my life, the beauty of the music the depth and sometimes verging on mythological subject of the lyrics. It made me feel part of the oneness that is humanity, and that the life I led was not that of a freak, or a loser.
Sisters of Mercy undoubtedly sits in my heart as the most benevolent and magnanimous song potraying emotions, in an open way, giving us an aspirational target to try to match so that we can become more generous in spirit and support our fellow men and women in life.
regards
Ronnie
PS The son which I currently feel most attached to is the Stories of the Street
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tom.d.stiller
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George.Wright
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- Location: Bangor, N.Ireland
1st note
"The First Note"?
A treasured boyhood friend of mine --the Krantz to my Breavman for many years-- brought a copy of "Songs Of" to my house one evening. We listened to it, sitting in slack-jaw'd wide-eye'd wonder at the aural wordscapes of miracle and mystery being woven in front of our ears and eyes. I was transported into what I can only call an alternative universe (or "landscape," as Leonard used to say) that night, and I've never entirely gotten over it.
I should probably also mention that the great and wonderful friend who brought Leonard's music to me has since passed away. He and I used to spend hours, walking the streets and dreaming of the day when we might become writers and transform the world with words as Leonard had inspired us to do. He accompanied me later when I had the opportunity to inteview Leonard at a gig -- my first "real" professional writing assingment! On the way home he looked at me with wonder in his eyes, and said, "May there always be jobs like this."
Tragically, he was eventually sidelined by setbacks both physical and otherwise, and for the most part he was never able to realize that dream. I, meanwhile, was blessed to be able to carve out something of a life for myself as a writer and a teacher.
Now, after [too] many years of scuffling as a freelancer, I've landed a book contract and will have my first book (a series of vignettes from the modern-day Chicago blues scene) published some time within the next 24 months or so. I'm going to try to slip in an acknowledgment to Leonard, without whom none of it would ever have happened, and to my departed friend as well. As corny as it sounds, I now feel compelled to carry on and realize the dream for both of us.
A treasured boyhood friend of mine --the Krantz to my Breavman for many years-- brought a copy of "Songs Of" to my house one evening. We listened to it, sitting in slack-jaw'd wide-eye'd wonder at the aural wordscapes of miracle and mystery being woven in front of our ears and eyes. I was transported into what I can only call an alternative universe (or "landscape," as Leonard used to say) that night, and I've never entirely gotten over it.
I should probably also mention that the great and wonderful friend who brought Leonard's music to me has since passed away. He and I used to spend hours, walking the streets and dreaming of the day when we might become writers and transform the world with words as Leonard had inspired us to do. He accompanied me later when I had the opportunity to inteview Leonard at a gig -- my first "real" professional writing assingment! On the way home he looked at me with wonder in his eyes, and said, "May there always be jobs like this."
Tragically, he was eventually sidelined by setbacks both physical and otherwise, and for the most part he was never able to realize that dream. I, meanwhile, was blessed to be able to carve out something of a life for myself as a writer and a teacher.
Now, after [too] many years of scuffling as a freelancer, I've landed a book contract and will have my first book (a series of vignettes from the modern-day Chicago blues scene) published some time within the next 24 months or so. I'm going to try to slip in an acknowledgment to Leonard, without whom none of it would ever have happened, and to my departed friend as well. As corny as it sounds, I now feel compelled to carry on and realize the dream for both of us.
"Nothing is said that is not sung."
Dear David ~
Corny? You know full well it's not. It's a wonderful dream to write a book and thank Leonard for his role in its coming into being with the pen from your hand....or the keys at your fingertips.
I love the consistency I've seen in how Leonard's music affects those who relate to it. It seems either a do-or-you-don't phenomena. "I was transported into what I can only call an alternative universe (or "landscape," as Leonard used to say) that night, and I've never entirely gotten over it." Exactly right.
It's a bittersweet story about your friend and a lasting bond that will at last be, seemingly, its most appropriately honoured through your upcoming book. You have a busy couple years ahead of you. The structure and content of your book sounds very interesting and a pleasure to read. By then, I should be ready for another book
. Mark yourself for another sold.
~ Lizzytysh
Corny? You know full well it's not. It's a wonderful dream to write a book and thank Leonard for his role in its coming into being with the pen from your hand....or the keys at your fingertips.
I love the consistency I've seen in how Leonard's music affects those who relate to it. It seems either a do-or-you-don't phenomena. "I was transported into what I can only call an alternative universe (or "landscape," as Leonard used to say) that night, and I've never entirely gotten over it." Exactly right.
It's a bittersweet story about your friend and a lasting bond that will at last be, seemingly, its most appropriately honoured through your upcoming book. You have a busy couple years ahead of you. The structure and content of your book sounds very interesting and a pleasure to read. By then, I should be ready for another book
. Mark yourself for another sold.~ Lizzytysh
Until last night....Leonard's music has drifted into my life carried by the voices of other artists...from the first time I recall hearing one of his songs, (back in the day when MTV had something to do with music...lol), on the program 120 minutes, when Jonette from Concrete Blonde did a beautiful acoustic version of Everybody knows accompanied only by guitar. Her voice was what first drew me in, but my ear quickly tuned into the intriquing lyrics. Waching the movie Natural Born Killers my ear was caught by a deep voiced man singing over the desert images, hmmm Leonard Cohen. Further down the road, I fell into Hallajulja covered by Jeff Buckley who sang it like an angel. I had read many critical and artistic praises throughout the years regarding Mr. Cohen but for some reason I didn't explore his body of work at the time. Some time later curiosity (and the fact that I wanted to hear Bono do that beautiful Hallajulja song, which of course didn't come close to Buckley's version in my humble opinion) caused me to pick up Tower of Song, The Tribute CD and I was very struck by the lyrics printed in the booklet. My favorite covers on the CD were, Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel and Billy Joel. L.C.'s lyrics really moved me and I do believe that Light as a Breeze is the most amazing ode to femaleness that I have ever heard. All that said, I STILL didn't go in and explore Leonard's work.
Which brings me to last night. One of my girlfriends came over and we had rented a couple of movies. We drank some wine and relaxed and at the end of the first movie, we decided to take a break and smoke a joint. I haven't done that in some time and with all of the war stress and anxiety going on, I thought that the smoke and the wine would put me in a relaxed place. The TV was on and the news was covering the war, the mystery virus, suicide bombers, etc., etc.,....I could feel my anxiety rising and was thinking that smoking the joint probably wasn't the most prudent thing to do.
And then we changed the channel.
Tuned into PBS to see what was on Austin City Limits and there was Leonard Cohen...in a performance from 1988. For some reason, I had the idea in my mind that L.C. did not perform live, so I stopped to listen and for the next 45 minutes, the wine stained our lips as we sat silently, enveloped in his performance and lyrics. After all of these years....I had finally discovered Lenoard Cohen. And I wonder, what took me so long?
Have been on today browsing this website, which I must say is one of the most extensive and interactive artist websites I have ever seen and my appreciation to those of you who have put this site together and who make up this virtual Community. Thank you for all of the information and resources.
Which brings me to last night. One of my girlfriends came over and we had rented a couple of movies. We drank some wine and relaxed and at the end of the first movie, we decided to take a break and smoke a joint. I haven't done that in some time and with all of the war stress and anxiety going on, I thought that the smoke and the wine would put me in a relaxed place. The TV was on and the news was covering the war, the mystery virus, suicide bombers, etc., etc.,....I could feel my anxiety rising and was thinking that smoking the joint probably wasn't the most prudent thing to do.
And then we changed the channel.
Tuned into PBS to see what was on Austin City Limits and there was Leonard Cohen...in a performance from 1988. For some reason, I had the idea in my mind that L.C. did not perform live, so I stopped to listen and for the next 45 minutes, the wine stained our lips as we sat silently, enveloped in his performance and lyrics. After all of these years....I had finally discovered Lenoard Cohen. And I wonder, what took me so long?
Have been on today browsing this website, which I must say is one of the most extensive and interactive artist websites I have ever seen and my appreciation to those of you who have put this site together and who make up this virtual Community. Thank you for all of the information and resources.
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tom.d.stiller
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Andrew (Darby)
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I really enjoyed your stories, David and DesirousC! My story is not quite as absorbing, but I'll share it nonetheless.
I was introduced to LC by my first serious 'girlfriend' (later, my wife) whilst I was living as a young man far from home in the (relatively) cool and culturally sophisticated city of Melbourne. I was astounded and mesmerised by this amazing artist, the like of which I had never encountered before. The album was the "Songs of Leonard Cohen" and I even thought the visual image on the album cover was profoundly striking and totally concordant with the material on it. This experience changed me for life, in that it introduced me to a musical and lyrical world of meaning and emotion that was (as someone suggested earlier) to form a considerable component of a new "landscape" for my psyche!
These songs and lyrics have resonated in me for thirty years now and I can still capture the special feelings that "Songs of LC" invoked in me back then!
Cheers
Andrew (Darby)
I was introduced to LC by my first serious 'girlfriend' (later, my wife) whilst I was living as a young man far from home in the (relatively) cool and culturally sophisticated city of Melbourne. I was astounded and mesmerised by this amazing artist, the like of which I had never encountered before. The album was the "Songs of Leonard Cohen" and I even thought the visual image on the album cover was profoundly striking and totally concordant with the material on it. This experience changed me for life, in that it introduced me to a musical and lyrical world of meaning and emotion that was (as someone suggested earlier) to form a considerable component of a new "landscape" for my psyche!
These songs and lyrics have resonated in me for thirty years now and I can still capture the special feelings that "Songs of LC" invoked in me back then!
Cheers
Andrew (Darby)
First contact
I think Suzanne was the only Cohen song that really made it big on secular radio. I heard it first as a young teenager on KOIL-AM in Omaha NE. The song stuck with me as a young guitar player; but I never connected with LC.
It was troubling times, much like the present. My draft number came up,but I was able to get into the Air Force. Ended up in 'Nam at a place call Phan Rang in '71 and '72. A friend of mine there had a Cohen album. We listened to it constantly. I've been a listener ever since. Cohen has a deep sense about him in regard to empathy towards the victims of this world.
Gary N.
It was troubling times, much like the present. My draft number came up,but I was able to get into the Air Force. Ended up in 'Nam at a place call Phan Rang in '71 and '72. A friend of mine there had a Cohen album. We listened to it constantly. I've been a listener ever since. Cohen has a deep sense about him in regard to empathy towards the victims of this world.
Gary N.