Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

This section is dedicated to the new studio album and the Dublin concert video
Diane

Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Diane »

I so agree about the richness of first nations' languages and music.
sensitive translations that quite go there, and even further sometimes, do exist.
OK. I thought they'd go somewhere else (not excluding the possibility of it being somewhere further). But you'd know.

Patricia O'Callaghan, from Canada, sang some of her LC covers in English and French at the LC Event in Dublin. I will try to send you the mp3 of Si C'est Ta Volonté (can only find her English-only version on youtube).
Tchocolatl
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Tchocolatl »

Well. If you say so.

Thank you for the kind though, but I prefer LC by himself to any cover.

I do enjoy few covers by other men. But any covers by women. Except by Jennifer Warnes.

If it be your will - as is - is perfect for me. :D
***
"He can love the shape of human beings, the fine and twisted shapes of the heart. It is good to have among us such men, such balancing monsters of love."

Leonard Cohen
Beautiful Losers
Elizabeelzebubeth
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Elizabeelzebubeth »

I'm curious if the "almond trees/lemon trees" lines made anyone else think of this LC poem from way back when:

In almond trees lemon trees
wind and sun do as they please
Butterflies and laundry flutter
My love her hair is blond as butter

Wasps with yellow whiskers wait
for food beside her china plate
Ants beside her little feet
are there to share what she will eat

Who chopped down the bells that say
the world is born again today
We will feed you all my dears
this morning or in later years

I assume this was written about Marianne, because of hair color and time period. And I found myself wondering if there's any direct connection between it and "Did I Ever Love You," or if the almond trees and lemon trees are reappearing, well, just because. Because he likes them, likes the sound and the image of them.

Almond trees and lemon trees must certainly grow on Hydra. (But not in Montreal, ha-ha.)
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blonde madonna
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by blonde madonna »

I love this song but I also think it's very sad, like he's singing to someone who has died.

I had the thought it might be for Roshi, something about leaning across the old table and the almond tree, spiritually symbolic, has withered.

But what Helen says also makes sense to me.
Tchocolatl
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Tchocolatl »

Way back when ? Indeed, Indeed.

http://publicaciones.ua.es/filespubli/p ... 751437.pdf

Very first-ray-of-the-sunny poem. The sunny side up of the Man.

Oh! Yes lemon tree, almond tree, pomegrenate tree, olive tree, vineyards. Ocean and sky all around. Sight. All favorite things. A vision of Paradise.

Thanks to reset (though meanly 8) ) the valley of tears correctly on the map, anyway. (wrote the maso? no-no, it is not so bad.)

This detail is really stressing the course of time indeed.

Indeed.

From there to there and now there.
***
"He can love the shape of human beings, the fine and twisted shapes of the heart. It is good to have among us such men, such balancing monsters of love."

Leonard Cohen
Beautiful Losers
Elizabeelzebubeth
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Elizabeelzebubeth »

It's very idyllic, isn't it? From c.1966, by the way.

It's hard not to see the two pieces as bookends of a sort, even though that probably wasn't the intention.

The "old table" also sounds Hydra-ish.
Tchocolatl
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by Tchocolatl »

Who really knows for the "real intentions" - but him ?

But for me, that fits! as a sequel of So Long Marianne (well, as a side of the prism... But that's me, he?) I'm so very pleased that you bring this to my attention! :D
***
"He can love the shape of human beings, the fine and twisted shapes of the heart. It is good to have among us such men, such balancing monsters of love."

Leonard Cohen
Beautiful Losers
AlexandraLaughing
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by AlexandraLaughing »

This is the song I play most often on this album. I could get drunk on it. As soon as I have finished it I often play it again immediately.

The female doubling acts as the sort of ghostly 'voice in one's head' asking the questions over and over that one asks about a regretted relationship. I think it's brilliant.
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rvdeynde
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by rvdeynde »

For me the sound goes straight to my heart.
Although at first I thought it sounded a bit funny, maybe he overdid it just a bit...
But anyway, it's my favourite song on the album!
almostahermit
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by almostahermit »

Popular Problems : This album was well worth waiting for , as a previous devotee said it goes straight to the heart . It's a strong and well crafted stone in the wall of Leonard's own Tower of Song , not a corner stone but , I feel , a perfect fit .
Like some of the previous comments , I settled down to my first listen of the album . After the first four tracks of classic Cohen ' Did I Ever Love You ' started up with more Leonard vocal magic and then the chorus that surprised and in my case quickly delighted , the tempo change and the angel voices , the hook that helps this song along with Leonard's great lyrics and vocal and the inspired violin to compete to be a favourite from this very very fine offering .

Thanks Mr Cohen

Manchester 85 / Manchester 08 / Paris 08
thewriterscontract
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Re: Did I Ever Love You - "major misstep"?!

Post by thewriterscontract »

"Or are we still leaning across the old table." As evocative as another album.
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