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

[Gary Neitzke]

My introduction to Leonard Cohen happened on a portable 9-transistor General Electric pocket radio, listening to radio station KOIL in 1967. The song was Suzanne. The song grabbed me! Because of the turmoil of the times, with the military draft on my ass, I lost track of Leonard until the Summer of 1971. That year found me sitting on a hill in Vietnam, smoking a joint with my comrades in arms and listening to Leonard's Songs of Love and Hate on a small, portable cassette player. How shall I ever forget hearing Joan of Arc while watching 105mm artillery shells being targeted towards fellow human beings. I finally got to see Leonard in person during the 2009 concert at Red Rocks in Colorado.

[sheffmark]

I was in my last year at school in 1983.
The music teacher used to play different songs and styles but i do remember that he told us Leonard Cohen was his favourite artist (Along with Nick Drake).
He played "Famous Blue Raincoat".I'll always remember the title as it's so distinctive and different and the record so beautiful.

[John Etherington]

Sheffmark - You were lucky to get a music teacher with such good taste! As you may know, the three Nick Drake albums were released during approximately the same time frame as Leonard's first three albums. In case you don't have them, all three are absolutely essential (though if you're just starting to buy Leonard's albums seriously, you might want to wait to the early summer to buy them). I would advise anyone not to buy a Nick Drake compilation, as the three albums all have their own distinctive mood.

[sheffmark]

Hi John,yes i already own all Nick Drake's albums and i find it real chill-out music!
Now you mention it yes they would have been released at the same time wouldn't they?
It must tell you a bit about my taste in music that i'm drawn to that era.
Ray Davies and The Kinks are also very,very close to my heart.Ray Davies is a songwriting hero of mine!

[Jonnie Falafel]

A badly home recorded cassette tape sent to my older sister by a pen-friend. Suzanne was definately among the songs. We were not enthralled! Indeed, we scorned this fellas musical taste and it ended the romantic fantasies my sister had been having about this guy. I'd be probably thirteen or fourteen at the time and into T-Rex, Cockney Rebel etc.... but then I went to a friends house one night. 'Songs of Love & Hate' was in his brothers collection. I recognised the name and requested he play the album for a laugh. Something happened between 14 & 16 because I was hooked after hearing Love & Hate.

[its4inthemorning]

My first exposure to LC's music was in the summer of 1972. I was finishing up college then, and one evening visited a friend's apartment, there were four of us there. At some point he put on "a new album he had just bought," one that he felt was interesting and "very different." Of course it was "Songs of Love and Hate," so I assume the first LC song I heard was that album's first track, "Avalanche." That day in June/July of 1972 started my affinity to LC's music (later to be augmented by an affinity to the man himself and all of his many accomplishments). To this day, "Avalanche" remains one of my very favorite LC songs.

To close the circle, let me add this: Like many on this forum I lost track of LC only to rediscover him in the late 2000's. That rediscovery led to a decision to attend one of the 2010 Las Vegas concerts (a big mistake was not getting tickets to BOTH concerts, but that is another matter), and it made me wonder if the person who, so many years before, introduced me to LC's music was still a fan--or even alive, for that matter. I hadn't had any contact with this old friend for more than 30 years, but managed to locate him through the internet. It turned out that he too had lost touch of LC and his music, but when I told him that the final concert tour dates included Oakland (which is not far from where he lives), he decided to reconnect, and he attended one of the Oakland concerts with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law. So in a way, I feel I have at least partially repaid him for making me aware of Mr. Leonard Cohen!

[scocoh]

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[ksargent]

For me it was 1967 - Noel Harrison's recording of "Suzanne." After that, the songs on Judy Collins' "Wildflowers" album led me to seek out and buy "Songs of Leonard Cohen."

Ken

[tina]

1996
France, La Roche s/Yon
in the room of a fellow student
So long, Marianne

Up from this day, Leonard Cohen is part of my life and a few days later I bought my first Leonard Cohen album!

[Deena]

1976. I was fourteen. At home in London. We lived near the river. I stayed up late one night listening to the radio alone.
Suzanne.
My life changed forever. Leonard and his music have been in my heart and soul ever since. I still prefer to listen alone, despite enjoying recent concerts, even including the 02 ("Just the other side of intimacy" 2008).
I'd like to quote Lizzytish from some years ago on this thread:
"The meaning of his lyrics will keep you going for years. They're structured to last over a person's lifetime. "

They certainly have.

Deena

[Robin Orfe]

Suzanne. In 1972 while visiting a friend. I was 17 years old, and I was "hooked" on Leonard. That's all it took was one song. I've been a fan ever since.

I just love him SO much!!!

[SeldomSeen]

The first LC song I heard was “Suzanne” in 1993. I was an expat living in a three-story house in North London with 10 other Americans and one Canadian named Jane (appropriate, right? She understandably loved “Famous Blue Raincoat”).

Jane introduced all of us in the house to the “Best of Leonard Cohen” CD, whose opening track is, of course, “Suzanne.” I was immediately haunted by and drawn to both the song and the singer. We wore that CD out during the six or seven months we all lived together.

When I moved back to the states a year or so later, I bought the “Best of” CD and listened to it often, but it wasn’t until four or five years ago that I dove into Cohen’s other works. Whenever I hear “Suzanne,” I’m transported back to my time aboard with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

[TineDoes]

The meaning of his lyrics will keep you going for years. They're structured to last over a person's lifetime.

~ Lizzy

So very true!

Summer 1970 "Traveling Lady". I was a traveling lady at that time, spending 2 months in Ireland, my second home, in love, but unable to commit. The man in question sang this song to me often. He introduced met to Songs of LC. When I got home I bought the LP and listened to it day in day out.
But never got to see Leonard Cohen, the real love of my life untill 2008. Still unbeleivable.

[IrishMar]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1340582698.570371.jpg (23.37 KiB) Viewed 950 times

I first heard Bird On The Wire on a David Soul album in the Seventies. I loved the depth of the lyrics. On investigation I discovered it was a Leonard Cohen song I had never heard of him so I searched for an album and bought Songs from a Room. I was hooked.

I have always been grateful to David Soul for recording the song and introducing me to Leonard's work at a young age. On Monday night I got the opportunity to thank him in person after his performance in a play in Dublin.

I told him my story and he said "Ah Leonard Cohen, he's a Champion!"

Mar

[mutti]

That's beautiful Marie. Thanks for sharing your story. Is that David Soul from Starksy and Hutch?
lovely what he said about Leonard.
Leslie