Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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Jean Fournell
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by Jean Fournell »

Its4inthemorning, you're putting words on my feelings!

This thread is most delightful for me as well indeed.
This is partly due to the contributions from very different horizons, as you say, and partly to the fresh look caused by Vickie's impulsion.
And yes, that deserves a Thank You!

After your thoughtful comments on "Live in Dublin", I can only add a very personal anecdote:
Back then, the vinyl records came without the lyrics, and so it was only quite a while after having discovered the internet that I became aware that the line
like a night from some old-fashioned book
is in fact about "a knight"!

And even now, listening for the how many-eth time to "Live in Dublin", I was taken unawares and reacted with a start at like a night bent down in some old-fashioned book.
(And then I remembered: Ah yes of course, it's "a knight"...)

As an overall estimation of what's going on in my mind, I'd say it's about 70 to 30 in favour of "a night".

In what concerns your wondering who the narrator in "Going Home" might be, you'll probably guess what my take is...
___________________________________________________
Therefore know that you must become one with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the target
to say nothing of the horse.

... for a while
... for a little while...

(Just a filthy beggar blessing / What happens to the heart)
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

B4real post wrote: I don't think you noticed my post on this page above with some links for you to buy the DVD you wanted of Live in Dublin...
Well, I did notice it but assumed till now (stuck in travel limbo at the Boise airport for 4 hours with time to peruse things) that they were DVDs in the format that only plays in Europe etc. But I see that the links you gave should play here too. Thanks!
... for those of you who are going to Montreal I'll bet you that you will be sitting down to a virtual concert including Leonard :D My crystal ball shows me that it will be one that has been recorded during the last world tour and the video of which no one has yet publically seen.....so Vickie, I reckon you will get to see him 'live' after all :D
Well, we'll find out soon. I am sure my experience will be amazing regardless of the offerings. My imagination has me expecting everything and nothing.
Jean Fournell wrote: As an overall estimation of what's going on in my mind, I'd say it's about 70 to 30 in favour of "a night".
I like night now that you mention it. And, I don't think I ever told you how much I like the bow and arrow and horse quote in your profile signature.
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Jean Fournell
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by Jean Fournell »

"Night" is compelling, isn't it?

That first part of my signature is meant as a comment on my avatar picture.

The second and the third part are borrowed from Leonard Cohen.
The musical sequences are from "tonight will be fine ... for a while" and from "Held you for a little while / My Oh My Oh My" (Songs From A Room and Popular Problems).

The bottom line is taken from Happens To The Heart, Leonard Cohen's last word and testament here on the forum. And even though this thread is about his albums, and in spite of your rather poor access to the internet, it might be worth the while to have a look at it:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36741

One rather inexperienced glance into B4real's crystal ball adds that it might be worth the while to do so before going to Montreal...
___________________________________________________
Therefore know that you must become one with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the target
to say nothing of the horse.

... for a while
... for a little while...

(Just a filthy beggar blessing / What happens to the heart)
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

Jean Fournell wrote:That first part of my signature is meant as a comment on my avatar picture.
Well, I have loved that since I first read it. Nice job. I am editing this (and hope you see it) to ask if you could post a larger picture of your avatar? Please forgive the deviation from our thread, but I also wanted to say that I wish we lived within driving distance of one another, because I think you would be a good person to help me train Sam (by that, I mean train me, of course). I have employed a well respected horse trainer in our area for a short time, and it has helped, but I think there is probably a better approach. - end of edit!
The bottom line is taken from Happens To The Heart, Leonard Cohen's last word and testament here on the forum. And even though this thread is about his albums, and in spite of your rather poor access to the internet, it might be worth the while to have a look at it...
I had a look at the topic link, and yes, it was definitely worth the while. Although I will need to read that again and then, probably, again still.
One rather inexperienced glance into B4real's crystal ball adds that it might be worth the while to do so before going to Montreal...
Thank you. I will ask B4 if she will be kind enough to let me have a closer look. ;-)
Vickie
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

Tick-tock.... tick-tock.
I wish all of us (B4, 4, Alan, Jean, and myself) and our significant others were going to Montreal in November! It's just one hour before the tickets go on sale, or the announcement is made... I am not sure which.

If someone told me a year ago that I would be sitting here counting the minutes.. waiting to buy tickets for a Leonard Cohen event in Montreal for which I had already purchased airline tickets and accommodations for, I would have told them they were crazy!

However experience has taught me that these are the things that life is made of....or at least any kind of a life that I am interested in participating in.

Vickie
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AlanM
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by AlanM »

I wish all of us (B4, 4, Alan, Jean, and myself) and our significant others were going to Montreal in November!
I would if I could, but a prior arrangement with several other couples, made nearly a year ago, keeps us in Oz.
I'm looking forward to the announcement and then the reports of the anticipation and eventually reports of the event.
We are heading to Melbourne on Thursday, but sadly we have only been able to entice 2 Melbournites to join us that evening to celebrate Leonard's birthday and all he has done for us to improve our lives. As with Leonard's works - quality rather than quantity!

Best wishes for your Montreal adventure.

Alan
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
London 1972, Adelaide 1980, 1985, 2009
Sydney 2010; Adelaide 2010
Sydney 2013 X2; Melbourne 2013; Adelaide 2013
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

AlanM wrote:As with Leonard's works - quality rather than quantity!
How true. As with everything!
Thank you...
Vickie
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

Hello --
There is so much activity here on the site that I feel our little thread is getting blown away. I have been wanting to post about Live in Dublin... even though I said I wouldn't... and now, the whole site is blowing up with the event in Montreal. We will not all be there. But we are all still here.

I have time only to post my first thoughts on Live in Dublin. Here they are (I will post more soon):

I have been listening to Live in Dublin and happened to be playing it through my phone when we were outside working. Usually, after a few Leonard songs in a row, Dave says something to get me to play a random mix with other songs in there too, but this time he didn’t. After about the 2nd CD, he commented that the keyboard cracked him up. So I asked if he wanted me to put my phone on random mix, and he said, “No, it’s cute. I like it. It reminds me of The Blues Brothers.” Do you think Dave is going to catch the darkness too? We can only hope. He definitely has found a great appreciation of Leonard’s sense of humor.

We both loved the intro to Tower of Song and then later in the song when he thanked the audience, saying “Are you humoring me?.... I accept it, thank you.” And even funnier was when he said, “If these are the crumbs of the compassion that you offer to the elderly… I am grateful.” What a sweetheart. Much has been written about how Leonard charmed the women with his poetry, his voice, and soulful songs, but I would bet a good many of them were equally charmed by his sense of humor... and men too.

Another thought on Live in Dublin….. Suzanne was the first song on the first CD that started this whole journey for me. That first CD will forever be at the top of my list along with Recent Songs and You Want it Darker, as well as bits and pieces of all of his albums. But, I was particularly touched by this version, performed so many years after the first album. You can feel him stretching his mind back and back, all the way to when he wrote that song.

I want to say more about Live in Dublin, but I am out of time. I just wanted to connect with you all again.

Are you all still here?
Vickie
PS--- sorry for all of the edits... I kept being interrupted (dinner, donkeys, this forum, etc.)
its4inthemorning
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by its4inthemorning »

So....where were we?

To resume things, here are some odds and ends:

I recall that there is/was a "theory" that women are bad at judging distances. Without commenting on the validity of that theory, I note the following: Vickie said she initially thought that the Pillars of Creation photo might be rock formations in Sedona, Arizona. Sedona is 1,200 miles from Vickie, while the Pillars of Creation are 7,054,350,447,820,320 miles away.

On youtube there is an audio (easily found so I am not providing a link) of the Moonlight Sonata performed backwards. This is not simply a recording of the Sonata played in reverse, it is the result of a pianist actually playing all the notes, but in reverse order. Surprisingly, it actually sounds like music, although there are some points where the note combinations sound a bit "clunky." If you look for this, it is the version that says "performed backwards."

This is a repost: There is a rock version of "Love Calls You by Your Name" by Rickie & Slinger (from the Netherlands) that I really love. I find myself finding it and listening every month or so to get my fix. I would be interested in comments about this cover. For the link, go back to page one of this thread, it is in the last post on that page (when you open the link, you need to manually move back to the start). The accompanying artwork is also very good.

As you all know, anything Cohen is fodder for discussion here, from the deep and penetrating to the whimsical. Does someone want to offer a topic he/she is interested in?

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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B4real
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by B4real »

Vickie wrote: If someone told me a year ago that I would be sitting here counting the minutes.. waiting to buy tickets for a Leonard Cohen event in Montreal for which I had already purchased airline tickets and accommodations for, I would have told them they were crazy!
Ha! Those words reminded me so much of what had happened to me -
keep reading on and you'll also find some comments from Alan and 4 as well :)
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=34170#p334989

and the results of all that anticipation -
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=34175&hilit=pre+sale&start=30
and keep reading -
viewtopic.php?f=79&t=34175&hilit=pre+sa ... 30#p335049
It was Leonard’s last time in Australia and words cannot express how it felt to be there. I was most kindly offered a front row seat to Auckland, the last concert ever, but unfortunately I was too unwell to make it there. You will meet the person who ended up with that seat when you go to Montreal. I think she is the only Australian attending so far. I’m sure she will tell you all about us and the tour from down-under :)
Vickie wrote: We both loved the intro to Tower of Song and then later in the song when he thanked the audience, saying “Are you humoring me?.... I accept it, thank you.” And even funnier was when he said, “If these are the crumbs of the compassion that you offer to the elderly… I am grateful.”
And to further add to your enjoyment, just wait until you listen to the very last track on the last live album Can’t Forget – A Souvenir Of The Grand Tour 2015. In fact, Alan filmed LC performing this live at the Sydney Opera House. It’s so different to the normal banter he usually varies. If you can’t wait and want to see it, it’s only a click away ;-)
4 wrote: Moonlight Sonata performed backwards.
I nearly posted that visual video plus the backward recording when I posted my image referring to Victoria. I have placed the actual sheet music of the Moonlight Sonata shown backwards in it. “Next Tuesday, when the sun goes down, I will play the Moonlight Sonata backwards. This will reverse the effects...”

And I have to say that I’m very good with judging distances - doing art I have a trained spatial awareness :)
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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AlanM
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by AlanM »

Hi Bev,
Thanks for the Memories. Those were exciting days. Pity you weren't able to make it to Melbourne on 21st. It was great to catch up with Andrew and Junk. Took me back to the gathering of Cohenites at my house the evening prior to that last Adelaide and thus Australian concert.

Alan
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
London 1972, Adelaide 1980, 1985, 2009
Sydney 2010; Adelaide 2010
Sydney 2013 X2; Melbourne 2013; Adelaide 2013
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vlcoats
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

There you are!

B4- Thank you for sharing the experience you had with purchasing your tickets. I think my head would have exploded from the excitement, and I imagine your credit card must have been smoking! And to think I have been feeling crazy just for going to Montreal.

On the day the tickets went on sale (Thursday), I had to work. It did occur to me to play hooky, but our good friend 4 was kind enough to offer to purchase my tickets along with his own. So he was the one that faced the stress of the whole thing. From what I gather on the forum, the presale could be accessed through several fan sites and many of the best tickets were only available through expensive VIP packages. I was happy to hear that 4 secured tickets for us in the tiered seating to the left of the stage. I think it will be perfect, as I am 5’2” and would crick my neck all night on the floor if we were very far back, which by the sounds of it, we might have been. I am now forever in 4’s debt and owe him big time and will have to live in fear of when he calls in that favor, haha. By the way… I was very lucky that I didn’t play hooky, as I got very sick at work yesterday and had to go home in the middle of the day, which would have looked very suspicious (I am feeling a little better now…)

Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford the Welcome Package which, in addition to the VIP packages, was the ONLY way to gain advance access to Leonard Cohen exhibition at the MAC, so we will have to miss it. It looks like it will be very special. On their website you can see snippets of their previews. There are several entries that I am sad to miss, but most of all is the I’m Your Man video created by Candice Breitz. I did purchase a membership in the museum at Jarkko’s recommendation in hopes of gaining entry, but I know it is a Hail Mary attempt.
B4real wrote:… just wait until you listen to the very last track on the last live album Can’t Forget – A Souvenir Of The Grand Tour 2015…..If you can’t wait and want to see it, it’s only a click away ;-)
It is tempting, but I just ordered the CD from Amazon, so I will wait... as usual. :)
I nearly posted that visual video plus the backward recording when I posted my image referring to Victoria. I have placed the actual sheet music of the Moonlight Sonata shown backwards in it. “Next Tuesday, when the sun goes down, I will play the Moonlight Sonata backwards. This will reverse the effects...”
And
its4inthemorning wrote: On youtube there is an audio (easily found so I am not providing a link) of the Moonlight Sonata performed backwards. This is not simply a recording of the Sonata played in reverse, it is the result of a pianist actually playing all the notes, but in reverse order. Surprisingly, it actually sounds like music, although there are some points where the note combinations sound a bit "clunky." If you look for this, it is the version that says "performed backwards."
??? It seems I am remiss in my studies. I didn’t purchase the compilation album that had the song The Great Event, so I don’t understand the references to Moonlight Sonata. Should I listen to More Best Of Leonard Cohen before listening to his last live album, or just the last 2 songs? I can download the songs individually (which even with my clunky internet, I can do in the early morning hours when downloads are less expensive).

I have wanted to say more about Live in Dublin but realize that any conversation on the live albums will end up being a conversation about individual songs themselves, which we can do later if we want. But there was some chanting or something at the end of one of the songs that I wanted to ask about. I thought it was Darkness but I was wrong. I am not feeling well enough right now to go through them all to find it, but does anyone know which one I am talking about? Was the chanting a Zen thing or just Leonard being Leonard?

The other song I would mention is Chelsea Hotel. When I saw that his son Adam had asked for people to comment on his Instagram site regarding what songs they would like to hear at the tribute in Montreal, I messaged him. After introducing myself and telling him that I have no right to ask for anything, I requested “anything that is the bare bones of him would be perfect; anything that didn't require backup or orchestration”. He said “Thank you”. The performance of Chelsea Hotel on Live in Dublin is the type of song and the approach that I was talking about.
its4inthemorning wrote: I recall that there is/was a "theory" that women are bad at judging distances.
There is a joke regarding this theory, but seeing as it is off color and requires a visual, I will let it go. ;-)
There is a rock version of "Love Calls You by Your Name" by Rickie & Slinger (from the Netherlands) that I really love.
I loved that cover version as well. Thank you for reminding me about it!
AlanM wrote: Took me back to the gathering of Cohenites at my house the evening prior to that last Adelaide and thus Australian concert.
Alan- Thank you for sharing your memories of the gathering at your house. Were you all friends beforehand and just happened to have Leonard Cohen in common, or did he bring you together?

So nice to hear from everyone (almost… Jean?) again after all the craziness of the Montreal ticketing.
Thanks again!
Vickie
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Jean Fournell
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Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by Jean Fournell »

Vickie, starting with the Video Bonus Tracks, then listening to all the songs' ends on Live in Dublin, I couldn't find the "chanting" you mention.

So here's just a titbit for the category "trivia":

The bolo tie Leonard Cohen is wearing during "Anyhow" (the second song of the Video Bonus Tracks) reminded me of the Croix de Camargue on a fruit crate with apples for the horses I was given a few days ago:

Croix de Camargue.jpg

("I did my best, it wasn't much..." Sorry)
___________________________________________________
Therefore know that you must become one with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the target
to say nothing of the horse.

... for a while
... for a little while...

(Just a filthy beggar blessing / What happens to the heart)
its4inthemorning
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Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

Re: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by its4inthemorning »

Until someone comes up with a better topic, how about considering this:

I was always struck by the word/phrase pairings in "Love Calls You by Your Name," that is, the fifteen pairings that all begin with "between the..." (But obviously not struck enough to make me sit down and study them!) So, can any of you come up with a theme, or commonality present in these pairings, or a way in which they can all somehow be connected? Maybe there is no relationship or connection, but I throw this out to you anyway. As you might surmise, "Love Calls You by Your Name" has recently moved up in my LC favorites list.

4

PS - Vickie: I do not think that "The Great Event" was ever made into a song and it only exists as a beautiful poem. It would be nice if I am wrong here, if I am someone please correct me.

PPS - Geography: This was always a favorite subject for me, I love maps. From photos and other clues, I can visualize Vickie's little farm quite easily. As for Jean's locale, I checked and was surprised to see how large an area Provence encompasses, stretching from the Alps to the Mediterranean; from his videos I want to guess that he lives between the mountains and the sea in, as Alan commented, a picturesque town or village. Sorry Bev and Alan, I must plead ignorance regarding the geography of your homeland except to conjecture that you both live near the coast (no great stretch considering where Australia's cities are located). Bev's concert marathon in 2013 is stunning, if this was a driving trip (probably unlikely), google maps calculates she would driven about 7,600 km; this is roughly the equivalent of driving from Miami, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska!
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: Along the way... Discovering Leonard's albums

Post by vlcoats »

Jean Fournell wrote:I couldn't find the "chanting" you mention.
Sorry for the wild goose chase. Maybe 'chanting' isn't the right word, but I will listen again and promise to get back to you.
The bolo tie Leonard Cohen is wearing during "Anyhow" (the second song of the Video Bonus Tracks) reminded me of the Croix de Camargue on a fruit crate with apples for the horses I was given a few days ago...
I don't have the DVD version of Live in Dublin and although I found a fan-recorded YouTube clip of the performance, I couldn't get a good look at the bolo tie, but I imagine you mean the symbol after the word Camargue on the box. I Googled it and see that it is the Carmargue Cross, (which I am sure you already know, Jean). The only Wikipedia site was in French, but I found an interesting site http://www.magdalenepublishing.org/cama ... ss-origin/ It explains it nicely as "CAMARGUE CROSS is an emblem formed with a Latin cross whose upper ends represent a three-pronged fork or “trident” (a working tool used by “gardians” or cowboys) and whose lower end is a sea anchor topped by a heart. The Camargue Cross stands for the three cardinal virtues: cross of tridents for F A I T H, anchor for H O P E, heart for L O V E." As you would imagine, I already am intrigued by it because it mentions cowboys, but it has something to do with your Carmargue horse, doesn't it! By the way, I love wooden boxes and I have a favorite here at our house that we use for our firewood in the winter:
Maple Brand Box.jpg
its4inthemorning wrote: I was always struck by the word/phrase pairings in "Love Calls You by Your Name," that is, the fifteen pairings that all begin with "between the..." ...
4- This is a wonderful idea for a topic. This song has been one of my favorites on SOLAH since the first listen. I will listen again though, with your questions in mind.

Geography and maps are also favorites of mine, although I haven't formally studied either. I have not so easily imagined your area 4, because I think of Allentown as a typical East Coast city with lots of brick and warehouses and factories but yet you have a garden with fawns sleeping in it! It sounds more like New England. I am guessing Jean's area is close to the sea, maybe, but not too close. I would have to go back to the videos he posted to check for hints. As for Bev and Alan, I am aware that Australia can be desert-like but also subtropical on some of the coasts. I imagine it never gets too hot or too cold and you might have palm trees and you may be right now sipping a cocktail on the beach in your swimsuits. Or sitting inside with the shades drawn because enough sun is, well, enough sun!
Vickie
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