leonardcohenforum.com

It is almost like being slaves.

Almost.

Amost just because of this invitation.

An invitation that can be accepted. Or not. (It is a free world, after all.)

And the comfort is all in this invitation.

It is almost like the Blues because a Leonard Cohen song, to me, is always a way out of difficulties.

jarkko wrote:

Alex plays violin on some tracks.

tell me that over and over! Amen!

...and of course I just have to say.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Jarkko!!

See what the readers of The Guardian make of this new song:


http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicb ... MP=ema_630

Tchocolatl wrote:It is almost like being slaves.

Almost.

Amost just because of this invitation.

An invitation that can be accepted. Or not. (It is a free world, after all.)

And the comfort is all in this invitation.

It is almost like the Blues because a Leonard Cohen song, to me, is always a way out of difficulties.

Hi,

Picking up on Tchocolatl's last line in the quoted post, what do others here make of why it's almost like the
blues? I've listened to the song twice and have an opinion as to why. I'm far more interested in hearing from
others on their take on this than in posting my opinion. If people post their opinions, I'll probably post mine.

Early blues frequently took the form of a loose narrative. The singer voiced his or her "personal woes in a world of harsh reality (...)

Source : Wikipedia

Picking up on one of Tchoc's posts, I do prefer by far this little line.

(It's almost like the blues
It's almost like the blues)

I hope that I count for another person, Steven (I'm not you, after all. If we think about it). I would really like to know about your opinions.

And other musicians opinion about being almost like the blues (almost like the blues) Is it a AAB structure? Or something? Or almost? Or is it me, again?

Sincerely,

Ann Other Person

Tchocolatl wrote: And other musicians opinion about being almost like the blues (almost like the blues) Is it a AAB structure? Or something? Or almost? Or is it me, again?
Sincerely,
Ann Other Person

Perhaps something 'like AAB' avoids the ABBA structure?

Steven wrote:
Hi,

Picking up on Tchocolatl's last line in the quoted post, what do others here make of why it's almost like the
blues? I've listened to the song twice and have an opinion as to why. I'm far more interested in hearing from
others on their take on this than in posting my opinion. If people post their opinions, I'll probably post mine.

I think when he's saying that all the bad things he lists in the song, war, murder, rape etc are almost like the blues, I think he's being somewhat tongue in cheek about the everyday things that give us all the blues and is illustrating how they pale in comparison to some of the more horrifying things that happen to some people on this planet, and is meant to point us to how lucky we are most of the time and how our (blues) problems, for the most part, probably aren't as serious as we like to believe. It's almost like the opposite of when someone who is complaining about having to be kept waiting on an aeroplane for 30 minutes due to a delay comparing their experience to those who went through auschwitz.

In the midst of some of the real horrors of this world, the 'blues' just doesn't cut it. In some ways it's kind of ironic, when you consider that Leonard has been mostly singing his own personal blues all these years and which this song hints pale in comparison to things others experience, but shows a high level of self awareness and a certain detachment from one's own problems, which I think is the 'purpose' of the song.

I could be wrong of course, but it was pretty obvious to my mind straight away what the song was about so I'm surprised all the other interpretations of the song seem to be so different, maybe I'm going mad What if all his songs are interpreted differently by all of us?

Hi,

I think it's "almost" because the song character is maintaining a degree of emotional detachment from
others' conditions (those mentioned in the song) to avoid becoming overwhelmed. The song character
isn't meeting glances, let's his heart "get frozen," looks down -- all defensive actions "to keep away
the rot" ("rot" could be a condition of darkest despair). The "invitation" accepted similarly seems to
be another action that takes the character (the sinner/acceptor) to a more acceptable state than
would otherwise be present. I've heard the song four times and am almost convinced that future
listenings won't change my opinion. The instrumental music, btw, in the song is anything but somber or
blues-like. This disconnect with the lyric content somewhat parallels the detachment; good songcraft.

Without listening further or looking at the lyrics, Tchocolatl, I don't think that the song is of a
AAB lyrical blues structure. Thankfully, it is not ABBA structure (Mama Mia, IMM).

Tchocolatl referenced a line from another post that had something to do with early blues that
included "personal woes in a world of harsh reality." The song "Almost The Blues" has this present.

Hadley, you absolutely could be correct.

We all absolutely be correct, I do believe. He sings for each one of us in particular, after all, and this is all that matters, really.

All the rest are details.

And often the meaning is changing with time. Same CD. And all. I don't know how he is doing this trick.

The instrumental music is a jungle music to me, a jungle tamed by some circonvolutions, round sounds of the thin varnish of the recent homo sapiens sapiens civilisation that oils the machine a little bit. Oh! So thin, like the ice of november on a lake. Beware. Watch where you put your feet.

But the Hebrew Bible has an ABBA structure, No? Some of it. Yes?

But what is the structure for what he repeats two times, this line that is also the title of the song? (A manner used in the blues.) I have to read the song again.

The blues is moaning but it does not lack the sense of humor. It can be ironic too. I do believe the Blues includes the blues, the little one as well as the cosmic one. The irony frames the horror in contrast, also.

I don't know for you but I could not go through a sole day if I would not take a distance from all the horors of the world, I would only cry all day, it is so sad. Then I would rot little by little.

When he looks at his shoes, it may be because of the shame, a paralysing shame. Or because he is sad. A paralysing sadness. There is so much suffering and a human being looks as small as an ant in the middle. People hurting each others in so many ways. People destroying the ecosystem. Cruelty against the animals. Name it. All the past, the present, and the future sufferings.

Better be able to take a sole small constructive efficient action than nothing during a lifetime, and for this one must be healthy, take care of herself, himself, looking "selfish" doing so maybe, but just being healthy is a constructive action for the world. As we are better doing what we like, it is not forbiden to be happy in general for every creative actions that we are doing each day. Besides, my beliefs lead me to think that enjoying life despite its dark sides is an absolute duty. To celebrate all the bright sides. You see? This is an absolute duty. Because what we are nurturing is growing. Obvious for you all this? Well... Not for me, not all the time.

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting!

Effective right now, I must switch to mute for an unspecified period.

And often the meaning is changing with time. Same CD. And all. I don't know how he is doing this trick.

I'm guessing that opinions might change when it's heard in context. There is a rumour that there will be a song before it and a song after it.

The lyric video now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szYrXzEi0cg

Deadly Cold

Put charity above the law,
raise funds, and then decide:
"The poor ones whom I like shall live;
the ones I don't shall die."

(And wars must not be limitless:
sell weapons to both sides.)

Borrowed emotions
— the real ones don't last —,
"in that hopeless little screen" they all fuse
ever since I have found
I'm observing the ground
as it's hiding right under my shoes.

While those eyes
simply keep
looking in-
to me...

Third-hand hear-say and gossip
— this rock-solid base —
condemn people beyond all appeal:
it feels good to judge those
with no twist to speak back.
Let opinion unknowing redeem.

All the great are professing
things which cannot be said
while the true ones of humankind
describe the very small realm
that wisdom can reach —
far too small for a cancerous mind.

Hell from beneath my earthen disk,
God from my sky escape,
and, laughing at my mental grip,
their omnipresence state.

Up walks a power
and it proclaims
its refrain "... he can't refuse",
and dissolves like some clouds.
Disguised as sins my rags mouth
that salvation for me's of no use.

While somewhere some old statue sits,
repeating patiently:
"The deadly cold of Empty Space?
37°."

("Then it's back to the Marketplace" —
that's what they used to say.)

Here goes lingering a smile
amidst Vanity Fair,
and it sure almost is like the blues,
as it were.

It's almost like the blues.

A beautiful video composition of time lapse images of nature placed to Almost Like the Blues: https://youtu.be/y0WMDKBpDz0