Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by vlcoats »

It worked! And I really LOVED it! Great version, and I think LC would have liked it too. They kept the intensity and the intimacy and the tension of "And here, right here" in a great way. Nice take!
Thanks so much for sharing it! I will listen to it again for sure.
Vickie
its4inthemorning
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by its4inthemorning »

Hi Vickie,

Glad the link worked (although when I clicked on it the song is part-way in, so I had to manually move back to beginning, wonder why?

My earlier post only concerned the first five songs on SOLAH since that was as far as you had gotten. Re the last three songs:

Famous Blue Raincoat--this has always been our favorite LC song. He played it in all of the concerts we attended. Took me awhile to fully understand and appreciate the melody, especially the changes when it moves to the last line of each verse ("did you ever go clear," "she sends her regards," "so I never tried," and "sincerely, L Cohen.") The first few times I heard FBR I (embarrassingly) misunderstood the lyric "thanks for the trouble you took," I neglected to link it with what followed and thought the singer was thanking someone for taking the trouble to do something rather than for taking the trouble from her eyes. I always liked the "sincerely, L Cohen" ending, but for some reason he stopped singing that at some point and replaced it with "sincerely, a friend."

Sing Another Song Boys--It took me awhile to associate the moneylender/pawnshop idea with the later references to items that one would, in fact, find in a pawnshop-- glasses (binoculars or telescope), microphone, clarinet, Nazi dagger). The version on SOLAH is actually a live version from the 1970 Isle of Wight concert. LC's performance at Isle of Wight is available on DVD and highly recommended.

Joan of Arc--Not much to say, the song speaks for itself, an LC classic. I remember the day of the concert we attended in Paris we were in Notre Dame cathedral, and on our way to the front of the cathedral we passed a statue of Joan of Arc. I told Joann it was an omen that he would play "Joan of Arc'' that night. Alas, he did not. The only one of these last three songs on SOLAH that he played in the later concerts was FBR.

I only very occasionally look for others' interpretation of LC's lyrics, and to be honest, I do not necessarily try to conjure of what this or that means. I am content to let the lyrics work with my mind and create whatever imagery they do. Maybe I am just too lazy to search for "meaning."

I would just bask in LC's first three albums for awhile more before moving on. These three albums may be characterized as his "early" work. At this point his music (not lyrics) started to undergo changes, in part I think due to influences by those who were producing the albums. (Although some may be inclined to include his fourth album in the early work group.)

You said you bought the "I'm Your Man" DVD. If I am not mistaken, this is a DVD of covers of some of LC's songs by other artists, just so you know. Again, I highly recommend the Isle of Wight DVD.

It must be rewarding to work in a school library. And challenging, educators wield immense power in the shaping of our culture. Me, I am in the midst of preparing income tax returns, which is far, far away from doing something that really matters in the long run. We all entered the zoo called humanity and we all choose our own cages!

Curt
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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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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its4inthemorning wrote:I only very occasionally look for others' interpretation of LC's lyrics, and to be honest, I do not necessarily try to conjure of what this or that means. I am content to let the lyrics work with my mind and create whatever imagery they do. Maybe I am just too lazy to search for "meaning."
Glad to hear that not everyone overthinks his lyrics! It takes away from what he is giving us to do that, right? I do often wonder what he meant by things and imagine it might have been this or that, but mostly I just want to take it in.

I ordered the DVD of the Isle of Wight concert at your suggestion. I remember Simmons account of it in her biography and it sounds pretty amazing.

How disappointing to not hear Joan of Arc after seeing the statue. But how jealous I am of your being able to see him at all, especially more than once and in such wonderful venues!

You suggested I wait before going on. That is easy. I don't feel like going on to his next albums yet anyway, although I have New Skin for the Old Ceremony and the dreaded Death of a Ladies Man still wrapped, waiting for me on my desk. I am going to order the rest of his studio albums now too. I would feel better to have them all sitting there waiting. It is surprising how much I like Songs from a Room the more I listen to it and I am very content to be listening to his first three for awhile. But I will watch the Isle of Wight DVD the moment it gets here!

Yes, I am happy working in the library. It is peaceful and I imagine working with number would be too. I am a bit of a hermit in my way and I like things that are uncluttered but also inspiring, so the library has just the right amount of order and, being in a school, chaos. But yes, it is a cage just the same.

Thank you again for your suggestions!
Vickie
its4inthemorning
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by its4inthemorning »

Hi Vickie,

I was somewhat in your situation in 2010 when I rediscovered LC. At that time I had only been familiar with his first three albums, and in short order bought the next eight ("New Skin for the Old Ceremony" through "Dear Heather"). This resulted in an overload when I listened to these albums all at once (an overload you are avoiding). Although I am intimately connected to many of the songs on these eight albums, I have not "spent much time" with at least half of them. When you get past SOLAH (but, does anyone ever really get past it?), I am thinking of taking remedial action by mimicking your methodical progress through these albums.

Have you had an opportunity to view the Isle of Wight DVD yet?

Regards,

Curt
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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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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its4inthemorning wrote: When you get past SOLAH (but, does anyone ever really get past it?)....
I am really enjoying SOLAH and listen to it daily on the way to work and back, with breaks for the first two albums when I miss them. Every time I listen, I find something new and appreciate each song at another level. I am tempted to go through it all like you did, but I really want to try and take my time with his music. It's like slowing down when you are reading a good book but more so.

We live in a remote area of Idaho, so I turn to Amazon to get my Cohen fix. I ordered "Isle of Wight" but haven't received it yet. It is coming from one of their partners and that usually takes longer. It has shipped, but tracking says it is in Kentucky now and I won't receive it until between Mar 6th and 21st! Torture. I could have driven the 2 1/2 hours to our closest "big city" (Spokane), but we don't go there often. We have too much to do around the place.

Talk soon,
Vickie
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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its4inthemorning wrote:... The only one of these last three songs on SOLAH that he played in the later concerts was FBR...
May I please correct you? Leonard played "Joan of Arc" on November 11, 2012, in Portland, Oregon (it was the first time in the 2008-2013 tour that it was played), and I happened to be in the audience. Here's a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9L7uS7RcXQ

I think he played it at one or two other concerts after that, but I can't recall precisely. I do recall very clearly how thrilled I was to hear it that night!
its4inthemorning
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by its4inthemorning »

Lisa, you are correct, I now remember seeing that "Joan of Arc" was played at Portland and hoping it would be included at Kingston the following month. Somewhere on the great forum someone posted a complete listing of all the songs played in the 2008-2013 concerts, how many times performed, etc., but I cannot find it any more. Lucky you to see "Joan."

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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Mollydog
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by Mollydog »

I believe the only other time was a day later in Vancouver. I was lucky enough to be there. :D

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/leonard-c ... a93d9.html

(Welcome to the forum, Vickie!)
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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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Mollydog wrote:I believe the only other time was a day later in Vancouver. I was lucky enough to be there. :D
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/leonard-c ... a93d9.html
(Welcome to the forum, Vickie!)
Thank you Mollydog. I'm grateful the forum is here. That's an interesting website! Everyone who saw him live was blessed, that is for sure, no matter what he chose to sing. Wish I had been among you!
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B4real
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

Post by B4real »

Just thought I'd also add a welcome to Vickie :D and some additional info about Joan of Arc being sung on the 2008-2013 world tour.

Firstly, Lisa and Mary how wonderful to have experienced that song sung live then! I was hoping it would have surfaced in Australia maybe at one of the concerts I went to over those years but it was not to be :(

Joan of Arc was also played during the Old Ideas Tour at both soundchecks in 2012 in Dublin 11th Sept and Quebec 2nd Dec - the latter being on the last live album Can’t Forget – A Souvenir Of The Grand Tour released in 2015.

And of course, there are those previous earlier concerts where it has been sung many times.
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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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B4real wrote:Just thought I'd also add a welcome to Vickie :D
Thank you B4real! Once again, I am jealous of you all for the concerts you have seen. I am waiting for my "Isle of Wight" DVD to arrive (it is taking forever). That is the closest I will get to seeing him live.
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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B4real wrote:...Joan of Arc was also played during the Old Ideas Tour at both soundchecks in 2012 in Dublin 11th Sept and Quebec 2nd Dec - the latter being on the last live album Can’t Forget – A Souvenir Of The Grand Tour released in 2015...
My gosh, I actually forgot that (how could I? ha-ha!) -- yes, the 2012 version of Joan of Arc is on that very lovely album! Thanks for the reminder, Bev! And, yes, I was incredibly lucky to have heard it live! It was truly just a fluke of circumstances that I ended up in Portland that night -- not a place I'd normally be!
vlcoats wrote:...I am waiting for my "Isle of Wight" DVD to arrive (it is taking forever). That is the closest I will get to seeing him live.
If you haven't already purchased them, I highly recommend both the DVD of "Live in London" and the Blu-Ray (or DVD, but the former if you have a Blu-ray player) of "Songs from the Road", because that will give you an incredible taste of what it was like to see him live on the last tour ("Live in Dublin" is also available on video, but I would start with the first two -- they are, I think, the most magical). Of course, I know you're back in the early days with his studio albums, so Isle of Wight represents those times beautifully, but I was not around back then, and all I know first-hand is the last tour, and the later videos capture it quite well, indeed!
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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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LisaLCFan wrote: If you haven't already purchased them, I highly recommend both the DVD of "Live in London" and the Blu-Ray (or DVD, but the former if you have a Blu-ray player) of "Songs from the Road", ... Of course, I know you're back in the early days with his studio albums, so Isle of Wight represents those times beautifully, but I was not around back then, and all I know first-hand is the last tour, and the later videos capture it quite well, indeed!
Thank you Lisa! I will order them to have them on hand for when I get to that 'era' in his music. I would like to wait until I have gotten to know the songs a little before I see him perform them. Maybe you could tell me after which albums to watch the 2 DVDs you mention?
Thanks!
Vickie
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LisaLCFan
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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vlcoats wrote:... Maybe you could tell me after which albums to watch the 2 DVDs you mention?
Thanks! Vickie
Sure, after "Ten New Songs", you'd be good to go for "Live in London" and "Songs from the Road", as nothing from subsequent albums appears on them. For the "Live in Dublin" video (which, of course, you'll probably eventually want to see!), you'll have to wait until after you've heard "Old Ideas".

Before that (chronologically), however, there are two professionally-filmed (for TV) concerts of Leonard readily-available online (which are, of course, quite enjoyable!). The first is from 1979 (so, after you hear the "Recent Songs" album) called "Pop Rock Special 1979". The second is Leonard Live in San Sebastián from 1988, which you could watch after hearing the "I'm Your Man" album. (There are many other "bootleg" videos from various years, which you may eventually wish to seek out, but all in good time!)

Cheers!
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vlcoats
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Re: Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

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Perfect information! Thank you Lisa!
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