Warsaw 1985 report

Recollections from Leonard Cohen's pre-2008 tours, YouTube clips
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jarkko
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Warsaw 1985 report

Post by jarkko »

We have a great addition in The Files: Warsaw 1985 story by Daniel Wyszogrodzki AND transcription of Leonard's comments written down by Artur Jarocinski. Daniel was eyewitness to Leonard's most political concert ever, and is now - after more than 20 years - sharing with us his report with photos and sound samples! And read what he did with a very special banner!
The story is at
http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw85.html
and the transcription etc. at
http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw-85-2.html
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lizzytysh
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Post by lizzytysh »

Thank you, thank you, Daniel and Artur.

I am deeply moved by and wept several times as I read Daniel's invaluable and impressive account of Leonard's trip to Warsaw. With an economy and proficiency of words, he has conveyed the profound complexity and depth of the circumstances of Poland, which surrounded Leonard's presence; why and how it meant so much to the Poles; and graphic evidence that it did. As Daniel makes clear, history and politics cannot be excised in a country such as Poland. Yet, I've listened before to Leonard's careful and just wording in this concert and am always amazed at his ability to walk the delicate line he understandably chooses.

Artur's transcription of the concert is all the evidence I need to support my always absolute preference for concert recordings to include what Leonard says between his songs.

I love many paragraphs, but will isolate this one because of all it says, including how Leonard simply stands apart:
This is no place for literary analysis, but our appreciation of Leonard Cohen’s songs is easy to explain. We understood them. When he spoke about Suzanne or about Jesus we felt his lyrics sound familiar, strike familiar bells. His poetry seemed to be a distant branch of the ages old tree of European literature. We dug the metaphors. He seemed – with all his originality – not unlike our own poets. Exotic – yes. Especially in his unorthodox treatment of sex and religion. But understandable. As opposed to the “Americana” of Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen.

I love these paragraphs because they are so immensely meaningful and true:
And so the Warsaw audience listened to songs – both smart and beautiful – but waited for a statement. A political statement. I felt it and I didn’t sympathize with that. I was different. This put Mr. Cohen in a very delicate position. He sensed that tension. He felt anticipation. There was also an amount of hope involved – no matter how silly it may seem today.

But obviously he did not come as the Messiah to free the land and lead it’s crowds to freedom. He came to perform his songs and it was more than we had the right to hope for. But he spoke, like he always does. The magic of his voice was making a contact but the tension prevailed. Everybody wanted to hear The Word – the one word that was both sacred and forbidden. Solidarity. He finally said it and the audience erupted like it was more important then any of his own words. Or songs. I still think it was sad. We were the oppressed people.

. . .

And you know what? When I really think about it now he helped us to become free after all. Exactly the way he likes it: “in other little ways” (as he put it in the book). Because a nation comes to freedom in thousands of steps – some of them huge leaps, the others little. And the evening with Leonard Cohen more than twenty years ago was an evening of hope. Difficult as much to him as it was to us. Not necessarily political but intimate. And I learned to appreciate the power of intimacy. There are moments when nothing can get between you and the other person. And when this person is Leonard Cohen himself you feel blessed. And you feel free.
Wonderful photos... and thanks to the guy in the balcony. I loved your creativity with the banner.

I am so happy for you, Daniel, that you were the one to translate Leonard's Book of Longing. Thank you, again, for this inestimable, high quality report. I felt I was there. If Leonard tours, I'm sure he will go to Poland. Thank you for letting us know of this fine report, Jarkko.


Love,
Elizabeth
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