When,Where,And What Was The First LC Song You Heard?

[bridger15]

Such a lovely story, Mar. I add my thanks to you for sharing it with us.
I found a Youtube of David Soul singing BOTW and enjoyed it very much.

http://youtu.be/RwLbJBqqvms

---Arlene

[wareagle]

The first song I remember hearing was Suzanne. It was during the summer of 1970 and was playing on Armed Forces Network while I was stationed in Berlin. Went to the PX the next day and bought Songs of Leonard Cohen (on vinyl of course). Have accumulated a lot more of his music over the past 40+ years.

[Sanverp]

My first song I have heard of Leonard Cohen was a song that a friend of mine played on his guitar.
He learned me to play the guitar when I was 14 years old. The song was 'Hey, that's no way to say goodbye'.
Since then, I have bought all cd's of him and learned a lot of his songs. He is brilliant.

[Okudzhava]

When: 1997
Where: my home, while watching Murray Lerner's IOW doc on the telly
What song: Suzanne

[HelenD]

The first Leonard Cohen song I ever heard was So Long Marianne at a party in about 1971 - I was 15 or 16 and have been hooked ever since.

[leonardthecat]

I was pondering this the other day. Thinking about it, I remember hearing 'Chelsea Hotel' at a young age and wondered what the hell it was on about. My older brother was playing LC album - New Skin For The Old Ceremony. I must have been about 9 or 10 at the time 1975/6, and listened carefully to the words. 'Head/ bed?' didn't make any sense. It was a few years later when I discovered the meaning.
My brother is 8 years older than me - and always had the music. He was a big influence on my own choice in music. I love the words. New Skin For The Old Ceremony has another favourite of mine - A Singer Must Die. It was electrifying to hear Leonard sing this live in Lissadell.
I also first heard Van Morrison through my brother's collection. This year I finally went with him to a Van Morrison concert. We've seen him many times, but never managed to go to the same one.
(And a Bob Dylan one last year, but that's another story!) We haven't managed to get to a LC concert together yet.

[comehealing]

2002, when I visited Mount Koya in Japan:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4900.html

The song was "Suzanne". The perfect and most mystical blend
of content and context. The wisdom and sincerity of Leonard's
lyrics have rippled through me ever since.

[Ultraviolet]

About two weeks before 13. March 2009
In my home, when I still lived home with my parents and brother
First We Take Manhatten

But it was friday 13. march I start listen to him!

The day after I bought I'm Your Man and New Skin for the Old Ceremony.. And my Leonard Cohen history began! And I felt in love!

[meglos2000]

I was a real fan of Suzanne Vega when I was about 13 and loved her poetic lyrics (and still do).

She often mentioned Leonard as an inspiration in interviews and also told a story in a concerts about an early love affair between her and a boy that began because they shared a common passion for Leonard.

On the back of this I bought a 3" inch cd single (remember those!) that had First We Take Manhattan, So Long Marianne and I think Suzanne. I was swept away immediately and then rented Greatest Hits Etc from my local library and have never looked back.

27 years later I'm still listening and was particularly pleased to see Suzanne Vega support him at the Weybridge.

It sounds cliched, but my life has been better having had the pleasure of Leonard's music in it. And what a joy to see him live over the last few years.

[djsampson]

My first Leonard Cohen songs were heard on Judy Collins CD "In My Life" -- Suzanne, which was very pretty and Dress Rehearsal Rag, which was amazing. Thus, when "Songs of Leonard Cohen" came out I pounced on it. I believe it was December 1967, and I was 16.

Therefore, the first song I heard him sing was "Suzanne" which I knew, but after that I remember being blown away by the rest. "Sisters of Mercy" is still my all time favorite song of his. Meanwhile I was at a perfect age to listen to that record over and over again, both to set a gloomy teenage angst mood for myself so I could wallow, but also to try to unravel the mysterious lyrics and their meaning, which of course I never did until much later. Even today the new biography by Sylvie Simmons provide even more insights for me.

Anyway, there it is, 45 years of listening and loving Leonard, and using "Sisters of Mercey" and "Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye" as lullabyes for my kids, who are now 34 and 32. I hooked my daughter on him and together we were at the Beacon in New York in 2009 for what was a mind-blowing concert.

[Holly1]

When i was 16
in a taxi cab
Suzanne

Ran away from home, desperately hungry, a homeless girl suggested we try Prostitition. After not picking up any tricks we climbed into a taxi and headed for another area. On the radio these lyrics came on about: 'Jesus being a sailor and touching my perfect body with his mind" and suzanne showing garbages and flowers to someone, and something about leaning out for love and leaning that way forever. I climbed out the taxi before the song finished but was mesmerized. I lost my nerve and my new found friend gave me a short strong speech and carried her anger as we walked back for hours to our blankets.Talking about changing our lives. I never knew who sang those lyrics or what happened to friend who's name I cannot remember. At 21, I moved into a flat with a fold up couch and a radio as my only possessions. No food again the radio kept my hunger occupied and one day this song came on again. Bought the cd 'Greatest hits' and played it until i knew all the words and background music by heart. It fed me through many a tough time and even when I lost my best friend who sang This waltz to me two days before he died. My daughter Ruby Suzane was made at Leonards visit to Dublin in 2008. Leonard changed my life and is still my inspiration.

[Lazysuit]

Wow Holly. Your story brought a tear to my eye and that doesn't happen every day. Youch.
I was going to reply to the post with a simple 'what a wonderful question - this would evoke so many memories for people' and now I just can't do that.
Ok ok ok, I've wiped my face but my throat is still lumpy.
Thank you for speaking to us. Oh fuck I'm crying again.
Me? I first met LC also when I was homeless but very happily so - I was busking Europe, I was in Berlin, met a guy who came from the same small town as me in Lancashire England, almost. A wonderful tower of a man. he was 24 at the time, I was 20, you know he was a thousand years older than me. He had a flat to live in and a tape deck! But the first Leonard Cohen song I heard was him playing Famous Blue Raincoat on an acoustic guitar and I know all the heathens here will scowl at this but he played it faaaaaaar better than LC ever has or will.
Love on you sister. Blessings and love x

[Ampickup]

My first post on this great forum.
My husband is English and ironically, he introduced me (a Canadian) to Leonard Cohen. It was 1995, early in our relationship, and the CD was "The Best of" - what a great introduction! So we listened to it a lot during the first cold winter together. Learned the words by heart, and fell in love with both men! We like to joke that you don't need foreplay when you have Leonard playing (hope that's not offensive) We have a collection of kids and a collection of Leonard's CDs now...

[softkitty]

Suzanne, late 70's, ex husband introduced me, I want impressed, but listened to him again when I was alone. The penny dropped, and LC has been with me ever since.

[TowerOfCirce]

This too is my first post on the forum! I actually went looking for a forum after buying tickets to his concert here in New Orleans in a few days. Can't wait!
When: Can't remember exactly, but sometime in the late 90s.
Where: In my mom's bedroom.
What: Everybody Knows, Waiting for the Miracle, and I'm Your Man.
I was probably around 11 when my mom turned me onto LC, and am forever grateful for it. I'm the youngest LC fan I know, none of my friends "get" him.