Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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B4real
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by B4real »

Hi Lizzy, good to “see” you!

Vickie, I’m glad to know your grazing in another paddock was most nourishing ;-)

As the artwork cover suggests this album was a collaboration with Sharon Robinson and she was the official producer. During the last world tour Sharon has sung a couple of the songs from it soulfully by herself - Alexandra Leaving, Boogie Street and In My Secret Life as a duet with LC. He holds the longest note ever when he sings live in concert “to the wisdom of oooooooold” and it gets longer and lower as he gets older! I really like this song. Thank you Henry, for the excellent video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUq5vQiyFXQ

It’s been nine years since the last studio album - time and circumstance shows a way of seeing the world from another point of view. LC was mainly living at the Buddhist Zen centre on Mt Baldy for approx. five years in the nineties. Many of the songs on this album were conceived and concluded there and naturally have a certain Zen quality. This record is dedicated to Roshi, the head monk there. In fact, while he was at this monastery it was Leonard who contacted Jarkko when The LC Files was just a fledgling site and he saw it online in the early days of the internet with only dial up connection. I remember some years ago Jarkko telling me that it took over half an hour for Leonard to upload a drawing or photo etc. This is one of the earliest and possibly the first site totally dedicated to an artist.

My favourite from this album is A Thousand Kisses Deep but as a recitation in its many varied verses. This song on the album is listed in memoriam to Sandy Merriman, a member of the early News Group here who unfortunately committed suicide in 1998. How kind and thoughtful of Leonard to remember her this way.

Here’s the last time I saw Leonard recite this version live on the last tour in Australia at Adelaide 2013. Video once again courtesy of my friend Alan M: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZecgBo9YWlo

If you want to read some of the different verses of A Thousand Kisses Deep just click at the LC Files link, then Blackening Pages and A Thousand Kisses Deep. When he says below that he published 12 verses on the internet he’s referring to those on the LC Files:

2001 Magazine Mc Lean's -
“There are about 30 verses of it that I've done and hopefully they'll work their way into other songs. I think there are six verses in this version. On the Internet, I published 12 verses of the song. It's taken so long to write and it was so much of my ordinary day even when I was in the meditation hall spending long hours. I suppose I was supposed to be calming my mind or directing it to other areas, but I was working on the rhymes for A Thousand Kisses Deep. I found the mediation hall was an excellent place to work on songs. I could concentrate on a verse, work out the rhymes and the ideas would come.”
2001 Toronto Globe and Mail -
"We don't write the play, we don't produce it, we don't direct it and we're not even actors in it. Everybody eventually comes to the conclusion that things are not unfolding exactly the way they wanted, and that the whole enterprise has a basis that you can't penetrate. Nevertheless, you live your life as if it's real. But with the understanding: It's only a thousand kisses deep, that is, with that deep intuitive understanding that this is unfolding according to a pattern that you simply cannot discern."
I used one of the lesser known verses of A Thousand Kisses Deep in conjunction with the song A Thousand Winds (a Zen-like Japanese translation Sen no Kaze ni Natte of the poem, Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep) in my post when Leonard passed away.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36946&start=60#p361812

You know, it has been proved that it gives a sense of release and direction to write down how you feel about events in your life...As you say, I wish he was still here too...and so does every living soul on this forum and many others around the world!
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by vlcoats »

B4, thank you so much for your additional insight into this album. Maybe it is the Zen quality of it that attracts me.
I especially loved hearing more about A Thousand Kisses Deep. I'm not surprised to learn that it has other verses.
I also love the quote where he described using meditation time for working on his songs (like a naughty little boy, lol). I have never been successful in giving meditation a chance to work, but from what I have heard, I think the state of mind you reach is similar to when you first wake up in the morning but are not yet fully awake. I say that because so many creative ideas I have had or solutions to problems that I have had are revealed to me at that time. Then again, I am a morning person so maybe that is why...
Thank you for insight into the dedications on the album. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I am humbled by the depth of this forum.
Thank you for the video links. (just watched and edited to add this) They were awesome. I loved the Thousand Kisses Deep recitation. I will bet nobody in the audience dared to breathe during it.
Love,
Vickie
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B4real
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by B4real »

Hi Vickie, always glad to help!
I loved the Thousand Kisses Deep recitation. I will bet nobody in the audience dared to breathe during it.
Ha! We were so close, we could hear him breathing!

Just some general points about the next album Dear Heather. It’s prophetic that in the CD liner notes is written © 2004 Old Ideas because in 2012 “Old Ideas” would become the title of another album. It has been said that Leonard wanted DH to have that name originally so I guess he finally got his way :) Once again here he has collaborated with his long-time friend Sharon Robinson and also Anjani Thomas another friend and band member from the 1985 tour.

Similar to the last album some songs were also published as poems. On the acknowledgment page of my Book of Longing, Leonard said: “Some of the pieces in this book became lyrics for songs that Sharon Robinson and I wrote and sang together. They can be heard on the Sony CD called Ten New Songs”.

Ten New Songs 2001:
Book of Longing 2006 - Alexandra Leaving, A Thousand Kisses Deep, Boogie Street, By The Rivers Dark, Here It Is, Love Itself, You Have Loved Enough.

Dear Heather 2004:
Spice-Box Of Earth 1961 - To A Teacher.
Book of Longing 2006 - Because Of A Few Songs, Nightingale, The Letters, The Faith, There For You.

Interesting to note that of the 13 songs on Dear Heather, Leonard is listed in the liner notes as writing the words to only six of them entirely by himself – Because Of, Undertow, Morning Glory, Dear Heather, To A Teacher and The Faith which is musically similar (ignore the Mexican mariachi band if possible :) ) to Un Canadien Errant on his Recent Songs 1979 album.

Btw – I’m pretty sure you’ll like the last live recorded track from 1985 ;-)
I’ll give you my favourites later!
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by lizzytysh »

You are stellar, Bev, in providing Vickie such depth of information! Such a pleasure for me to read it all. I know how much it must mean to her!
Vickie... I loved your letter to Leonard. I wish he were here to read it, but I still hold hope that he's aware of it in the hereafter.
Actually, on A Thousand Kisses Deep, not sure about the recording of it here because I haven't had a chance to listen to it, but people did hold their breath while listening... except for one spot... "You have to be a man to know how good that feels, how sweet." Without exception, in every performance I saw, those lines drew laughter. I kept hoping for one time when they wouldn't, as Leonard was already into the solemnity of speaking the song, and I was into the solemnity of listening, already painfully aware that one day he would speak no more.
Sorry to make such a quick trip in and out, but it's storming and getting late, and I need to get home.

- Lizzie
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by vlcoats »

lizzytysh wrote:... I know how much it must mean to her!
Vickie... I loved your letter to Leonard. I wish he were here to read it, but I still hold hope that he's aware of it in the hereafter.
Lizzie,

Thank you. Yes, you are right, everything B4 (and others on the forum) have shared with me has truly added to this alpha journey.

My father passed quickly and without warning, and it was a huge shock to my system. The only comfort for me at that time was a very strong feeling that he was right above me, close enough that I felt if I had only known how, I could have reached up and touched him. I am not much given to thoughts of ghosts or the other side (one of the things about the Jewish faith that attracted me is the understanding that we let G*d worry about that), so I can't explain why I felt so strongly that my dad was with me. I sometimes still feel that way. I bring this up because, what you said about hoping that Leonard is aware of my letter, and the way you all talk about Leonard here on the forum, makes me wonder if you feel the way about him that I did about my dad-- that he is still.. right there. I hope you do.

I was going to open Dear Heather today, but after reading what you and B4 have had to say about A Thousand Kisses Deep, I think I will listen to Ten New Songs again one more time and will open Dear Heather tomorrow.

Thanks for listening,
Vickie
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by vlcoats »

Hey 4-

If you are still checking this thread......I have been waiting for your review of the 'new' album. What did you think of the song about the mare?

Sincerely but not so very patiently,
Vickie
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by its4inthemorning »

Yes, of course I have been reading this thread with interest.

Finally had the opportunity to listen to Recent Songs. As always, his lyrics are impeccable and stand on their own, but my initial reaction to the music was it's all over the place.

Favorite tracks are The Gypsy's Wife, followed closely by Ballad of the Absent Mare, The Window, and The Guests, here are a few initial thoughts:

The Guests and The Window - Love his vocals and love the violin. Music and overall impact seems reminiscent to his earliest albums for which I am happy. The lyrics seem very deep to me, these are songs that will require much time to digest; with only two listens I am still at the stage where I only see beautiful mental imagery that still needs to be interpreted.

Humbled in Love - Exquisite lyrics, but I wish there was also a tune. Feel badly for saying that, but I know that wherever LC now is, he would certainly have better things to do than read reviews!

Came So Far for Beauty and the Traitor - Until I dig deeper, I would characterize these as 'songs of love and guilt' Cannot listen to Came So Far without imagining LC in a piano bar entertaining the patrons. Really love the lyric "Should rumor of a shabby ending reach you, it was half my fault and half the atmosphere."

Un Canadien Errant - What was John Lissauer thinking re the mariachi band? Very difficult to get beyond that, sorry LC, but of course you are not reading this. Do think it is somewhat cool that LC was somewhat fluent in a second language, he did a heck of a job with "La Manic" in several of his 2013 Canadian concerts (I believe "La Manic" was on his last live CD).

Our Lady of Solitude - Liked this with first listen, also seems reminiscent to his early work. This song will continue to grow on me.

The Gypsy's Wife - Love the imagery, love the bohemian (is that the right word, I hope so) feel, and love the lyrics, for example, "I've heard all the wild reports, they can't be right." This was played in all of the concerts we attended.

The Smokey Life - Have not absorbed enough to really comment other than to say I wish there was a bit more instrumentation.

Ballad of the Absent Mare - Yes Vickie, this became a favorite in one listen, it could just as easily been on one of his first two albums. Given all the rural imagery, I am not surprised Ballad captivates you. LC apparently had some sort of fascination with crickets, they are mentioned in other songs besides this one.

Obviously I need to spend more time with Recent Songs.

Vickie, a question: When LC's first three CDs were re-released, one of them included a bonus song not on the original called "Store Room," which I liked a lot (it was never on any other album that I know of). Is Store Room on your CD, and if so, what did you think of it?

4

PS I see Lizzy is now following this thread. Lizzy, we met in 2012 at Sunday brunch in Paris at les Editeurs, do you remember us?
2010 DECEMBER 10 - CAESARS COLOSSEUM, LAS VEGAS / 2012 SEPTEMBER 28 - L'OLYMPIA, PARIS
2012 OCTOBER 3 - PALAU SANT JORDI, BARCELONA / 2012 DECEMBER 13 - K-ROCK CENTRE, KINGSTON
2013 APRIL 6 - RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW YORK CITY / 2013 JULY 9 - PIAZZA NAPOLEONE, LUCCA
2017 NOVEMBER 4-8 - MONTREAL "TOWER OF SONG" CELEBRATION - RIP, YOU GOT ME SINGING!
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by vlcoats »

4!
Thank you so much for your reply! I loved reading your reviews. I am crazy busy today with just beginning my summer (the blessings of working for a school district!) and having just made a quick 12-hour trip to Montana yesterday to pick up our 10 year old nephew who will be spending a month or so with us, so I will respond in a day or two regarding your reviews and your question about "Store Room". Just wanted to say thanks for getting back to us here (if I may speak for others in this thread). I have just started listening to Dear Heather and will comment on that also (so far it is a bit of a surprise).
Thanks!
Vickie
its4inthemorning
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by its4inthemorning »

Vickie, I had to laugh when you said you just returned from a "quick 12-hour trip to Montana," I guess your geographic sphere is expanded when you live in the wild west. What made your comment stand out is, we are currently hotly debating whether a trip to see Charleston, SC is worth the grueling 11-hour trip (which we would probably spread out over two days anyway)!

Ten-year old nieces/nephews make perfect weeders, suggest you put your visiting nephew to work in he garden. Just be sure to carefully explain which plants are the good ones.

Just read a short piece about Leonard by Jennifer Warnes, I think you will enjoy reading it:

http://www.slow-journalism.com/leonard- ... fer-warnes

4
2010 DECEMBER 10 - CAESARS COLOSSEUM, LAS VEGAS / 2012 SEPTEMBER 28 - L'OLYMPIA, PARIS
2012 OCTOBER 3 - PALAU SANT JORDI, BARCELONA / 2012 DECEMBER 13 - K-ROCK CENTRE, KINGSTON
2013 APRIL 6 - RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW YORK CITY / 2013 JULY 9 - PIAZZA NAPOLEONE, LUCCA
2017 NOVEMBER 4-8 - MONTREAL "TOWER OF SONG" CELEBRATION - RIP, YOU GOT ME SINGING!
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

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Oh yes 4, distances are real here. I lived in Massachusetts for a (very) long 7 years, and I will never forget how shocked I was to find everything so close that I could go through 4 townships in the space of 5 minutes and cross an entire state in an hour. To say I was thrilled when I finally came back west would be an understatement. Not that I enjoy driving 30 minutes to get a gallon of milk, but I can breath here. Your history is more interesting over there though.

Dear Heather....
Lisa, you were right about the last song on the album being an immediate favorite! I loved it within seconds. I am having a hard time listening to most of this album though. I don't have the best stereo setup, except in my car-- which now that I have a 10 year old chirping in my ear every minute (Hey Aunt Vickie, look! Aunt Vickie, did you know....? Aunt Vickie, Aunt Vickie...Aunt Vickie!) I am having a hard time finding a quiet spot to absorb this album. It is hard to hear some of what Leonard is saying. It is more of a poetry recital with accompaniment than an album of songs. But, I do have some definite first impressions of a couple of the tracks.
Tennessee Waltz has always been a favorite, and I feel like I have known the words my whole life. It is one of the songs my dad would sing, along with The Strawberry Roan (a song I am certain Leonard would have liked as well!) What a treat to hear this one sung by Leonard Cohen.
Because Of- Well Leonard, if you think I am going to fall for this kind of crap, you would be absolutely right! This song is hard to not love. I realize that there may be several righteous women out there who might think it condescending or that he is attempting to turn women into a combination of mommy/stripper/nun, but how can you deny the sentiment? This was a man who loved women, whether they deserved it or not. I am sure he was no angel but I am also sure there were some women in his life that didn't deserve his singing about their mystery either. Anyway, I did love this one. Too short though.
The Letters- Like most of the songs on this album, I need some quiet time to figure it out, but I was taken with the opening phrase right away. "You never liked to get the letters that I sent". It could mean so many things.

Bottom line on this album for me is... I need time and some quiet to see what I think. In fact, I finally talked my husband into getting the pair of Studio Beats (headphones) that I have been coveting and had sitting in my cart on Amazon for months, just so's I could listen to Leonard better. I am waiting for them to arrive!

I would love to hear any tidbits about Dear Heather from you all that would help me figure it out. What was he thinking with this one? I have read that it wasn't that well received by the public. Is that true here on the forum as well?

Thank you for the link to the article by Jennifer Warnes. I didn't realize they were that close. What a lucky lady. She makes him sound like such a wonderful friend.

Thanks again everyone! (and yes 4, I am trying to keep my nephew busy with chores and reading... but I see now why so many parents stoop to allowing video games, lol)
Vickie
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by B4real »

Hi Vickie,
Sounds like life is happening to you while you are busy making others plans :) I’m remembering the first time I played my CD of Dear Heather. I totally wasn’t prepared for all the duets and female voices at all and wasn’t quite sure what to think about that. I do know I just wanted Leonard’s voice to be more prominent overall. I’m more than happy with simply just his voice and his guitar alone. It took me a while to get a handle on this album. On reflection, to me DH is a bit like a patchwork quilt – pieces of fabric with different shapes, colours, shades and textures of materials accumulated over time and now put together. Even so, most songs seems to have an affinity to the Crosses and Losses pattern ;-)

Also take a moment to consider that this album was LC’s first to be released after the devastation of 9/11 (On That Day is about that day) and it does have other songs of subdued shades and solitary shapes including those with dedications to dead poets etc. There are different vocal textures with the shared songs and “no words this time” Morning Glory but there are some bright colour splashes of humour eg Dear Heather and Because Of. And to end it all off, a live flowing dance floor of midnight blue with Tennessee Waltz.....hummm, maybe I do have a touch of synaesthesia in my thinking :razz:

I do like Nightingale and also Anjani’s slower version on her Blue Alert album. On DH Leonard plays the Jews harp at the end of both Nightingale and On That Day. Every time I hear the Jews harp played I always think of a line from Master Song, “with the music of rubber bands” because I hear that twang! To me sometimes the Jews harp (not actually a Jewish invention) sounds like the Australian aboriginal didgeridoo (no rubber bands involved) maybe because both are monaurally melodic. They can be harmoniously played together.

The song I like the most is The Faith – maybe because the melody was originally an outtake from one of my favourite albums which 4 has recently acquired ;-) and spoken about and of course I love Raffi’s violin playing in it.

The cover for the album is a modified part of LC’s drawing “They gave me a medal for dreaming of you” later published in full and partly on some pages in Book of Longing and also sold complete as a print.

Hi 4,
Speaking of remastered songs on the first album Songs Of LC, as well as Store Room there was Blessed Is The Memory. Maybe some thoughts about it could be interesting as well.

And with the Recent Songs album, I read/heard/saw somewhere years ago that Humbled In Love, from what I can remember, when LC was asked if he disliked any of his songs he said he was embarrassed by this one. I can’t find anything to specifically back that up at the moment but I think it’s close to those words.
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by vlcoats »

B4real wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2017 8:07 am Hi Vickie,
Sounds like life is happening to you while you are busy making others plans :) I’m remembering the first time I played my CD of Dear Heather. I totally wasn’t prepared for all the duets and female voices at all and wasn’t quite sure what to think about that. I do know I just wanted Leonard’s voice to be more prominent overall. I’m more than happy with simply just his voice and his guitar alone. It took me a while to get a handle on this album. On reflection, to me DH is a bit like a patchwork quilt – pieces of fabric with different shapes, colours, shades and textures of materials accumulated over time and now put together. Even so, most songs seems to have an affinity to the Crosses and Losses pattern
Thank you B4! I totally agree with you there. I commented something similar to that to my husband. Guitar is my favorite instrument and I just want to hear Leonard and would be fine with just his voice even in his deep low whisper.
Please tell me what you mean by 'Crosses and Losses' pattern. Are you just talking religion and love or something else? I tried to Google it but only got quilting block directions!

You said you think of Master Song when you hear the Jews harp. I always think of Last Year's Man because of the Jews harp on the table line.

Thank you for revealing why the tune of The Faith was so familiar to me! I've been waiting for my headphones to get here before really listening to Dear Heather again in earnest but I will listen for that when I do.

About the 2 added songs on Songs of Leonard Cohen, I had read in Simmon's bio that Leonard didn't like that these 2 songs were added to the CD version of the album, saying they ruined the integrity or something like that. So, in my (sometimes misplaced) sense of right and wrong, I decided to pay them no mind and didn't record them along with the rest of the album to my phone for listening on the go and have even tried to skip them when listening to the CD. Eventually I realized how silly I was being, and now I listen to them often now along with the rest of the album and Store Room has its place in my heart. The fun galloping faster and faster feel to it got me right away, and I keep trying to figure out if he is talking about things that are being taken away from us or things that we are taking for ourselves. My favorite line was "You don't even try to prove that the noise is neighbors making love", although not sure if I get what he's talking about there. I also like "Blessed is the Memory" although not quite as much as Store Room. The mention of German paper weights, trains in the snow, and children makes me thing of the Holocaust, and I wonder if that is the main theme of this song or just passing images for it.

When I think about what the lyrics all mean, I always think about 4's earlier comment regarding the blackbird's throat. I listened to Bob Dylan's Nobel Peace Prize lecture a week or so ago, and he said something about how writers don't always know themselves what they mean when they write. "But it sounds good. And you want your songs to sound good." I liked that part of his speech the best. I have often wondered if that was true... not only about Dylan but Leonard and other artists as well. But for me at least, it is sometimes impossible to hear the lyrics and not wonder where they came from.

It's funny what you said about LC not liking Humbled in Love. I liked this song a lot right away. The deep baritone and almost dramatic tongue-in-cheek sound of the title lyrics cracked me up, and something about him asking why they were complaining so much, when he was right there in the mud with them got me on a more serious level.

Thanks again for your thoughts on everything B4. I appreciate hearing that you also were taken aback a little with Dear Heather. I will listen to it again a few more times before I go to the next one.

I only have 3 studio albums left... I am excited to get there...but also very sad.
Vickie
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by B4real »

Vickie wrote: Please tell me what you mean by 'Crosses and Losses' pattern. Are you just talking religion and love or something else? I tried to Google it but only got quilting block directions!
He he! Vickie, it’s the same as for my “alpha” simile – you won’t find my meaning in Google! But as you’ve found out, it is an actual patchwork quilt pattern. To keep that patchwork concept in the context of my words, I was relating a traditional pattern called Crosses and Losses to most of the songs on DH. And yes, I am talking about religion and also loss.

About Humbled In Love – when LC was asked if he disliked any of his songs, he didn’t actually say directly that he disliked this song; he just said he was embarrassed by it. Remember, he is the master of the elusive answer! It could mean that he did like this song but there were lines in it that maybe later on he regretted writing or making public or perhaps 4 may have a point about the tune and that may have been the embarrassment. Whatever the reason, this song was never played in concert.
Vickie wrote: I also like "Blessed is the Memory" although not quite as much as Store Room. The mention of German paper weights, trains in the snow, and children makes me thing of the Holocaust, and I wonder if that is the main theme of this song or just passing images for it.
There’s every chance you are right on both occasions. You may know this, but the title Blessed Is The Memory is very close to the Jewish term "Of Blessed Memory" that is used when referring to someone who has passed away. But this song was first called Everybody’s Child so maybe it is generally speaking about all children.

I agree with not over analysing meanings (I know I’ve said this quite a few times before) because it can destroy the very thing that draws you to it in the first place! But it is a double edged sword because you are so intrigued by what it means and want to know so you can understand the intention of the writer but as you know (I like your quote on what Bob Dylan said - I haven’t listened to his speech yet) the writer himself doesn’t always know why he wrote what he did. As a visual artist, I can say this happens to me all the time. I most always have a plan on how I’m going to paint/draw a picture but inevitably that plan goes out the window and unconsciously I find myself completing the artwork without knowing how it happened! And as to what the end result means .... that’s another story!

“I understand my work is confusing enough to be construed as many things, I feel the same way about it myself!” - LC

“He will speak these words of wisdom
Like a sage, a man of vision
Though he knows he’s really nothing
But the brief elaboration of a tube”
- LC
Vickie wrote: I only have 3 studio albums left... I am excited to get there...but also very sad.
And you will never pass this alpha way again, but please know this - the omega here is truly only another beginning ;-)
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by its4inthemorning »

The "bonus songs" on the re-release of his first three albums always make me wonder, what other song projects are sitting in boxes somewhere because they were not quite up to Leonard's standards? I expect that eventually some of this work will surface, and I have great hopes that this will be done in in a way that will honor Leonard and his fans rather than solely for monetary reasons. These hopes are bolstered by the fact that those who would have the most say are his children and his loyal manager/friend Robert Kory. We will see.

Vickie, you are approaching the end of your "Introduction to Leonard Cohen" studies. Don't worry, there will not be an exam (*) and you get to grade yourself! To me the last three studio albums seem to have a lot in common, they showcase Leonard's voice and for the most part dispense with elaborate instrumentation. It is impossible to listen to these albums without realizing that, near to or in his eighties, he must have known that they were his final opportunities to convey his deepest thoughts. "Old Ideas" was released in 2012 when he was still touring, so a number of the tracks were performed in his 2012-2013 tours. "Popular Problems" and "You Want it Darker" were released after his final tours, so (with the exception of Born in Chains which he played in some concerts before "Popular Problems" was released) their songs were never played live. I know you will like what you hear.

(*) The last time I took an exam was more than 40 years ago. Even so I still, to this day, occasionally have dreams about being woefully unprepared for an upcoming college exam. These dreams always puzzle me since for the most part I normally did well in exams. The human brain is a strange place.

4
2010 DECEMBER 10 - CAESARS COLOSSEUM, LAS VEGAS / 2012 SEPTEMBER 28 - L'OLYMPIA, PARIS
2012 OCTOBER 3 - PALAU SANT JORDI, BARCELONA / 2012 DECEMBER 13 - K-ROCK CENTRE, KINGSTON
2013 APRIL 6 - RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW YORK CITY / 2013 JULY 9 - PIAZZA NAPOLEONE, LUCCA
2017 NOVEMBER 4-8 - MONTREAL "TOWER OF SONG" CELEBRATION - RIP, YOU GOT ME SINGING!
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B4real
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Re: Along the way ... Discovering Leonard's Albums. continued...

Post by B4real »

its4inthemorning wrote: Thu Jun 15, 2017 5:34 pm I expect that eventually some of this work will surface, and I have great hopes that this will be done in in a way that will honor Leonard and his fans rather than solely for monetary reasons. These hopes are bolstered by the fact that those who would have the most say are his children and his loyal manager/friend Robert Kory. We will see.
There's every chance we haven't heard the last words from LC - see here:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37221&hilit=back#p364269
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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