September 21 - Leonard's birthday

News about Leonard Cohen and his work, press, radio & TV programs etc.
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jarkko
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September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by jarkko »

We all know that Leonard was born on September 21, 1934.
Thursday September 21, 2017 will be the first birthday without the Master.

This is our birthday thread for your thoughts, feelings, memories...
1988, 1993: Helsinki||2008: Manchester|Oslo|London O2|Berlin|Helsinki|London RAH|| 2009: New York Beacon|Berlin|Venice|Barcelona|Las Vegas|San José||2010: Salzburg|Helsinki|Gent|Bratislava|Las Vegas|| 2012: Gent|Helsinki|Verona|| 2013: New York|Pula|Oslo|||
LC&LC
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by LC&LC »

missing him a lot, but keeping in my heart the souvenirs of the grand tour
i couldn't listen to his music for weeks after the news broke; but now, I'm back under the spell, forever bewitched

''we are so lightly here'' how right he was for many things and how wrong here about himself
Last edited by LC&LC on Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
2009: Paris, Nimes, Barcelona, 2010: Caen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Tours, Lille, Las Vegas, 2012: Ghent x2, London, Verona, Paris x3, Barcelona, Madrid, NYC, Brooklyn, 2013: NYCx2, Paris, London, Brussels, Rome, Lucca, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Pula, Manchester, London, Amsterdam, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney Opera House
Tony
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by Tony »

Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, it's joys and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.

Wordsworth.

In remembrance.
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juneC
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by juneC »

This time last year I was very mindful of Leonard’s impending birthday and hoping so much that he would receive/read the birthday greeting/letter I had posted to him back in August care of Robert Kory.

I will never know if he did receive it but I will choose to believe he did. How I wish my thoughts this year were also concerned with whether he would get to see my very imperfect offering, instead of still mourning his passing. I never met Leonard, never even managed to see him in concert but having fallen in love with Leonard the feelings don’t change. I deeply miss him being in this world as do thousands of others I know. My thoughts, as the date of Leonard’s birth draws near and what should have been his 83rd birthday are most especially with his precious family - Adam, Lorca, Cassius, Viva Katherine and Lyon.
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WiTS
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by WiTS »

Master says, 'I intend to stick around until I'm 120.'
Master also says, 'Some guys you just can't trust.'
then I remember that Master sings, 'I wish there was a treaty we could sign.'

I became a fan in 1996 and then started a Chinese fan site around 2002. I've been running the current site for 9 years. Thank you for these wonderful years, Mr. Cohen. Miss you so much.
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2008-06-29 Pyramid Stage, Glastonbury Festival; 2008-07-17 O2 Arena, London
Leonard Cohen Chinese Fansite since 2008 http://site.douban.com/137869/
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oblivion
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by oblivion »

.......just in this very moment i thought :
no birthday thread this year, so sad
not to know him among us anymore,
but his presence is strong as ever and will always be.
the meaning of his lyrics are changing since he has gone
sometimes more bittersweet...
a day without your words and music would be a lost day for me ;
thank you Jarkko for opening this page and keeping him alive.
frankfurt+munic 1976; nuremberg 1988; lörrach, berlin, frankfurt+london 2008;
new york, cologne, venice, istanbul, prague + barcelona 2009
sligo, berlin, ghent, wiesbaden, strasbourg, marseille, hannover, dortmund, warsaw, las vegas 2010
ghent, helsinki, berlin, dublin, verona, paris...2012
oberhausen, mannheim, bruxelles, lucca, hamburg, odense, amsterdam...2013
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HugoD
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by HugoD »

How we wished you were still here to celebrate yet another birthday. It was not to happen. A man’s live is not measured by the years he lived but by the memory he leaves behind . Let us celebrate all the music, poetry and fond memories that you gave us.
Lille 2010, Dublin 2012, Mannheim 2013, Rotterdam 2013, Montréal 2017
Happiness is just the side effect of a meaningful life.
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Geoffrey
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by Geoffrey »

thinking of leonard most of the time, but even more so right now. i can't address this to him personally, because there's no way he could read it, and regretfully, i am not psychologically weak enough to need to fool myself. "may everyone live, and may everyone die, hello my love, and my love - goodbye."
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UrPal
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by UrPal »

A premature but belated birthday greeting to the Muhammad Ali of song. How curious that two of North America's golden boys - one black, the other jewish - fell so close together....One poetry in motion, the other motion in poetry. Can't help remembering you with that wicked smile on your face. As I've said in previous years, and maybe this year it means more than most, thanks for stopping by......It had always been reassuring to have you around living in my present turning out the goods .....This perhaps is one of those instances in which absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder - though it isn't diminished either. Still holding your smile...and remembering you through the indelible imprint of your songs and their continuing resonance with each passing day experienced in this carnival of the absurd and wonderful that is life. Happy birthday Leonard, and many happy returns to you through your songs.
holydove
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by holydove »

I am struck by the fact that this year, Leonard's birthday falls on the first day of Rosh Hashanah - the jewish "head of the year" (it's a different day every year, because it's based on a lunar calendar, & it consists of 2 days). As everyone knows, the song "Who By Fire" is based on a prayer said on Rosh Hashanah, called the Unatanneh Tokef, & the opening line of this prayer is:

"Let us proclaim the mighty holiness of this day, for it is awe-inspiring..."

Rosh Hashannah commemorates the creation of Adam & Eve, the first human being (they were originally one androgenous person). Kabbalah teaches that Rosh Hashannah, as an aspect of sacred time, is a gateway for a burst of new light & life-force to come into the world.

So, though I endlessly mourn Leonard's passing from this world, I also celebrate the creation of such a beautiful & magnificent human being, & I commemorate the day of his birth as a mighty holy day, & I honor the infinite, powerful light which he brought into the world & which I believe goes on forever & ever; like his nightingale, he is singing somewhere still, & wherever he is, may his universe be filled with eternal goodness & sweetness.
Last edited by holydove on Wed Sep 20, 2017 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mutti
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by mutti »

I wanted to say some of the things Rachel (holy dove) mentioned about Leonard's birthday being on Rosh Hashonah this year but she said it so well I will leave it. Thank you Leonard for giving us your 'all' at the last concerts and for just being you.
I feel so fortunate to be alive at the same time as Leonard so I could experience the master of words and song in my lifetime. He is missed by so many.
As Leonard said in 2009 for the Jewish New Year "May your life be sweet as apples dipped in honey".
Thank you Jarkko for starting this thread but it is very different this year. I think its a great idea to celebrate Leonard's birthday on this thread every year as difficult as it is.
Leslie 8)
1988 Vancouver
2009 Victoria/Seattle/Almost Red Rocks/Las Vegas/San Jose.
2010 Sligo x 2/Victoria/Vancouver/Portland/Las Vegas x 2.
2012 Austin x 2/Seattle/Vancouver/Montreal x 2.
2013 Oakland x 2/New York City x 2/Winnipeg...
rae
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by rae »

We just had a special 375th birthday concert here in Montreal, and it included two tributes to Leonard. You can find them one after the other, starting around 23:48, right after Martha's tribute to her mom - also a lovely moment.

http://watch.cbc.ca/cbc-arts-specials/s ... 0cfefcbf7c

I was lucky to be there myself, a warm summer evening on the slope of Mount Royal.

So, happy birthday to you Leonard, as we also celebrate our/your city's birthday.
Last edited by rae on Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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B4real
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by B4real »

Twelve o’Clock Chant
(LC's first song - written 1951, sung L&G film 1965)

Hold me hard light, soft light hold me,
Moonlight in your mountains fold me,
Sunlight in your tall waves scald me,
Ironlight in your wires shield me,
Deathlight in your darkness wield me.

As it was in the beginning and is in the end
... That’s how the light gets in ...


Dear Leonard,
To you, from me
an image to speak
a thousand words deep -

83rd BD light hold infinity.jpg
To hold infinity in the palm of your hand ~ William Blake

Light and Love Eternal,
from Bev
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: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by vlcoats »

B4,
Thank you. That was beautiful.
Vickie
Yehi ratzon mi'lfanecha Adonai Eloheynu ve'elohey avoteynu she'tehadesh aleynu shanah tovah u'metukah
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Stranger
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Re: September 21 - Leonard's birthday

Post by Stranger »

Forever with us despite the distance put between......
" ........... if one can describe as serious the confused comedy of our lives". Graham Greene, "The Comedians".
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