Back to "The Future"

[linda_lakeside]

Unlike many of you, I've lost touch with Leonard in the past months. I've left the hype behind, and gone exploring.

Today, for a number of reasons, I put 'The Future' on the stereo, skipped the title track, cranked up the volume on 'Waiting for the Miracle'. My heart almost stopped. Leonard's voice in big bass sound. The lyrics, new once more, pushed, moved, beat - and drummed:

When you've fallen on the highway
and you're lying in the rain
And they ask you 'how you doing'?
of course you say 'I can't complain'
If you're squeezed for information
that's when you've got to play it dumb
You just say 'I'm out there waiting, waiting
Waiting for the miracle to come'.

A lot of the sexual imagery we've come to know and love Leonard for, is also in this fabulous song. But, what a return. A return to Leonard and his beautiful, enviable and innate sense of what it's like to be human.

A quick nod to 'Be For Real's romance:-), but if you really want to hear the silk hit the floor, 'Light as a Breeze' is all a girl could ask for. And more. More!!! MORE!!!

What a fabulous album. How I lost sight of this man, I don't know. Couldn't see the tree for the forest, in a sense, I guess. To those new, please check it out, in the dark, and at high volume. To those not so new, Sail on, Sail on, O Mighty Ship of State!

It's Closing Time. Thanks.

[Diane]

Fantastic post, Linda!!!

You have inspired me to put on The Future. The words to Waiting for the Miracle are incredible, and erotic, and so is Leonard's voice. I have it on high volume now as I write.

A return to Leonard and his beautiful, enviable and innate sense of what it's like to be human.

Sometimes we have to leave, in order to return. At some point we have to stop thinking about Leonard and just listen, and be moved.

Thanks much for sharing your passionate return. If we don't get passionate about life, we are partly dead, and soon enough we will be wholly so. Sail on!

Diane

[linda_lakeside]

At some point we have to stop thinking about Leonard and just listen, and be moved.

Oh, yes, Diane. So true, so very true. I don't care if it's 'politically correct' or not, but no-one, and I mean 'no-one', can say 'Baby', like Leonard. I don't give a damn about the truth, unless it's the naked truth. Oh yeah!

Even at only 6AM, last night's lovefest is still ringing in my ears. Hmm...it's so quiet in here...

[Fljotsdale]

Hi, Linda.

Yes, I love Waiting for the Miracle, too. Although I have to say I think it is one of the saddest, loneliest songs he has ever given to us.

I am fond of the The Future album as a whole. I used not to be - some of the tracks - 'The Future' and 'Democracy' (to a lesser extent), in particular - are savage. But there is truth in the savagery. And for that reason I have grown to love the whole album.

Thanks for reminding me of it. I played it last about 2 months ago, but I have just put it on again.

[linda_lakeside]

Hi Fljots!!!

Good to see you - I'm glad you're 'still around'. It's been such a long time away for me, it seems (for me, at least).

But there is truth in the savagery.

Absolutely. Which is why I picked that particular stanza to post. There is truth in savagery. There is truth in loneliness. All these things Leonard has shown us, such as 'there is truth in love'. I don't know why I picked this album for my 'return to LC', (maybe because I couldn't find FCC - with that gorgeous cover!)? But I'm glad I did. Light as the Breeze is such a tune, such a tune... .

I then played Cohen Live for that great version of Bird on the Wire, and If It Be Your Will. Each one brought back to me something special. Master Poems had its turn as well. Speaking or singing ... that voice and poetry cannot be compared to anyone. His work and his life have been such a wild and pleasurable ride.

I'm so glad that you, too, have resurrected it. Some older albums fall by the wayside for no good reason, but there's just so much more to listen to. Still, it's almost like coming home when I hear his voice. Can you imagine 'coming home' to that voice??? I also love the artwork on that one. I've a nice little collection of Future memorabilia.

We'll be seeing you around! Don't be shy, now.

Linda.

PS: And I swore to myself, I wouldn't use any more than one emoticon!

[Diane]

Fljots! Nice to see you. How you doin? I still have that yellow post-it note in my car telling me to slow down. (Unfortunately, it has not stopped me getting speeding tickets, but I don't want to talk about that.)

I love Waiting for the Miracle, too. Although I have to say I think it is one of the saddest, loneliest songs he has ever given to us.

That's true, isn't it? But when you can enter into how sad and lonely life is at the times when it is that way, rather than pretending it's not, it isn't so sad and lonely any more, it's simply your own experience, nothing unbearable. That's what I have found, anyway. I sometimes wonder why a lot of effort is spent in defending Leonard's work as not being sorrowful, when clearly much of it is (at least I think so). Sadness is as valid a human emotion as euphoria.

I think the only hope in The Future lies in our angry resistance to letting things slide in all directions:

But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay

Mostly I just like to listen without dissecting and discussing. I have a brain very resistant to analysing.

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum

Linda, your enthusiasm really is catching, and you are so right in all you say about Leonard's work and how it is extraordinary, how he is extraordinary. I have More Best of ready to play in the car tomorrow. I'm not sure I have ever listened to that .

Light as the Breeze. Quite a tune indeed.

I don't care if it's 'politically correct' or not, but no-one, and I mean 'no-one', can say 'Baby', like Leonard. I don't give a damn about the truth, unless it's the naked truth. Oh yeah!

*Added after listening to Leonard in Helsinki 1993 this morning: You're right, Linda; no-one does...

Thanks for getting me back to the future,

Good night,

Diane

[Fljotsdale]

Hi Fljots!!!

Good to see you - I'm glad you're 'still around'. It's been such a long time away for me, it seems (for me, at least).

Oh, I'm still here! I just do more lurking than posting, lol!

But there is truth in the savagery.

Absolutely. Which is why I picked that particular stanza to post. There is truth in savagery. There is truth in loneliness. All these things Leonard has shown us, such as 'there is truth in love'. I don't know why I picked this album for my 'return to LC', (maybe because I couldn't find FCC - with that gorgeous cover!)? But I'm glad I did. Light as the Breeze is such a tune, such a tune... .

Yes.
But the lyrics are full of just as much savagery as The Future, though on a more personal level. Don't you think?

I then played Cohen Live for that great version of Bird on the Wire, and If It Be Your Will. Each one brought back to me something special. Master Poems had its turn as well. Speaking or singing ... that voice and poetry cannot be compared to anyone.

Ohhhhhh! Yes!

His work and his life have been such a wild and pleasurable ride.

For us. Not so sure how pleasurable it has been for him.

I'm so glad that you, too, have resurrected it. Some older albums fall by the wayside for no good reason, but there's just so much more to listen to. Still, it's almost like coming home when I hear his voice. Can you imagine 'coming home' to that voice??? I also love the artwork on that one. I've a nice little collection of Future memorabilia.

Gosh I wish I were a romantic soul!

We'll be seeing you around! Don't be shy, now.

Linda.

Shy? Me!? heheheheheh!

PS: And I swore to myself, I wouldn't use any more than one emoticon!

Emoticons are good.

[Fljotsdale]

Fljots! Nice to see you. How you doin? I still have that yellow post-it note in my car telling me to slow down. (Unfortunately, it has not stopped me getting speeding tickets, but I don't want to talk about that.)

LOL!

Hiya, Diane!

I love Waiting for the Miracle, too. Although I have to say I think it is one of the saddest, loneliest songs he has ever given to us.

That's true, isn't it? But when you can enter into how sad and lonely life is at the times when it is that way, rather than pretending it's not, it isn't so sad and lonely any more, it's simply your own experience, nothing unbearable. That's what I have found, anyway. I sometimes wonder why a lot of effort is spent in defending Leonard's work as not being sorrowful, when clearly much of it is (at least I think so). Sadness is as valid a human emotion as euphoria.

Yes. I often have tears running down my face for him. He seems so lonely.

But I love most his humour. Some of it is wry Jewish humour, some is savage humour, some is just clever - but I love the lot. He makes me cry, yes - but he makes me laugh even more!

I think the only hope in The Future lies in our angry resistance to letting things slide in all directions:

But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that Time cannot decay

Oh yes! Angry, stubborn resistance. Brits are good at that. But I think it needs angry insurrection to make a difference to our damned governments and industrialists. Sorry. I'm a bloodyminded old woman. And I brought up my kids the same, bless 'em!

Mostly I just like to listen without dissecting and discussing. I have a brain very resistant to analysing.

That makes 2 of us.

[lizzytysh]

Speaking or singing ... that voice and poetry cannot be compared to anyone. His work and his life have been such a wild and pleasurable ride.

Perfect ... the latter for us, if not always him.

~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

nostomania (nos-tuh-MAY-nee-uh, -mayn-yuh) noun

An overwhelming desire to return home or to go back to familiar places.

[From Greek nostos (a return home) + -mania (excessive enthusiasm or
madness).]

You can consider nostomania to be an extreme form of nostalgia (literally, pain for home). For school kids, receiving a bad report card might induce nostophobia. A synonym for geriatrics is nostology.

-Anu Garg (gargATwordsmith.org)

"Out of ignorance or out of nostomania for a Norman Rockwell vision of
the American family, the public sector has retreated from day care."
Andrew Ward; Child-care Centers Can Fulfill Mission; The New York Times;
Jul 13, 1986.

I found today's word from Wordsmith interesting in its timing and application with this post... not necessarily as extreme as indicated in the discussion of the word; yet, it certainly hearkens to 'coming home' ~ the feeling I've always had with Leonard's voice, my former husband's, and my Dad's... ahhhh, home at last.

~ Lizzy

[Diane]

Hi Fljots, it's nice to have you and your good humour back around .

Angry, stubborn resistance

I was talking about The Future the album, and not the actual future, if there's a difference. But, anyway, I will join your insurrection.

But I love most his humour...

I must be a very dour person, as I don't think Leonard's songs or poems have ever made me laugh (listening to him speak often has, though). I think a lot of the humour in his work is quite dark. Everybody Knows, for example, is compelling and humorous, but it is not joyful. And his singing voice is richly mournful, and it dominates my perception of his music.

Sorrow, reverence, subtlety, complexity, depth, truth, spirituality, gentleness, acceptance, and, yes, humour; all those things are there. But if sorrow and joy are on a continuum, I find most of Leonard's work far closer to the sad end of the spectrum than the joyful.

For joyful exuberance, I would read Rumi, or listen to something far more up-tempo.

Anyway, now Blue Alert has arrived, and an email from Amazon says BoL is on it's way. About time. Time to climb on these things and be silent .

See you later,

Diane

[Fljotsdale]

Hi Fljots, it's nice to have you and your good humour back around .

Angry, stubborn resistance

I was talking about The Future the album, and not the actual future, if there's a difference. But, anyway, I will join your insurrection.

I think Cohen meant the literal future. Apocalypse was in his mind, I think, and he saw it as already almost upon us.

But I love most his humour...

I must be a very dour person, as I don't think Leonard's songs or poems have ever made me laugh (listening to him speak often has, though). I think a lot of the humour in his work is quite dark. Everybody Knows, for example, is compelling and humorous, but it is not joyful. And his singing voice is richly mournful, and it dominates my perception of his music.

Sorrow, reverence, subtlety, complexity, depth, truth, spirituality, gentleness, acceptance, and, yes, humour; all those things are there. But if sorrow and joy are on a continuum, I find most of Leonard's work far closer to the sad end of the spectrum than the joyful.

Well... I don't disagree with you. What you say is exactly true... but do you never get the impression, sometimes, that he is laughing inside? I do, quite a lot.

And besides... some of his lyrics are hysterically funny! If dark, as you said. Everybody Knows always has me in stitches - not just for the dark humour, but because it is SO hypocritical! Here is a man who goes from one woman's bed to another, being sarcastic about a woman who does the same! It creases me up every time I hear it.

And then I laugh from pure pleasure in the clever use of words - which has nothing to do with humour, I suppose, but more a joy in the wordplay.

For joyful exuberance, I would read Rumi, or listen to something far more up-tempo.

Anyway, now Blue Alert has arrived, and an email from Amazon says BoL is on it's way. About time. Time to climb on these things and be silent .

See you later,

Diane

Enjoy!

[Diane]

I think Cohen meant the literal future. Apocalypse was in his mind, I think, and he saw it as already almost upon us.

Yes, and you only need to pick up a newspaper to see that in Darfur, and plenty of other other places, it is apocalypse in the present... .

Well... I don't disagree with you. What you say is exactly true... but do you never get the impression, sometimes, that he is laughing inside? I do, quite a lot.

Not really. I get the feeling he has always been mostly expressing (in his art) the anguish of being human, (and defining the joys against this painful backdrop).

And besides... some of his lyrics are hysterically funny! If dark, as you said. Everybody Knows always has me in stitches - not just for the dark humour, but because it is SO hypocritical! Here is a man who goes from one woman's bed to another, being sarcastic about a woman who does the same! It creases me up every time I hear it.

Yes, I see what you mean. I tend to listen to LC when I am in a serious mood, I suppose. To me, that song has a bitter irony about it. I see it now for a moment as you do - as Leonard laughing at himself. I also thought the other night, after my reply to you, how things are often funny and painful at the same time, and that humour is not preserved for 'happy' things, and that laughter often resolves difficult emotions... It's all so complicaaaated, and now I getting too much into that analysis thing I try to avoid .

Here is some joy:

Go firmly to the window. Drink it in.
Exquisite music. Alexandra laughing.

Mostly, though, I think Leonard's output is dripping in sadness and longing, at least up until TNS. Nobody does this sadness and introspection like Leonard does.

And then I laugh from pure pleasure in the clever use of words - which has nothing to do with humour, I suppose, but more a joy in the wordplay.

Yes, I can see what you mean about that too. It is very interesting how we each have a different perspective. But my brain hurts, now . I don't know about Leonard, but you have made me laugh.

Cheers,

Diane

[Fljotsdale]

I think Cohen meant the literal future. Apocalypse was in his mind, I think, and he saw it as already almost upon us.

Yes, and you only need to pick up a newspaper to see that in Darfur, and plenty of other other places, it is apocalypse in the present... .

Oh yes. I fully see why our Leonard is so savage in some of his lyrics. I get savage too - I just don't express it so well.

Well... I don't disagree with you. What you say is exactly true... but do you never get the impression, sometimes, that he is laughing inside? I do, quite a lot.

Not really. I get the feeling he has always been mostly expressing (in his art) the anguish of being human, (and defining the joys against this painful backdrop).

Let's agree to disagree, shall we? Though I do agree with what you say, I also, sometimes, can hear him laughing inside himself. I think he laughs at his own sadness, sometimes. Sometimes... I think he laughs at us as well. I don't mind, though, you know.

And besides... some of his lyrics are hysterically funny! If dark, as you said. Everybody Knows always has me in stitches - not just for the dark humour, but because it is SO hypocritical! Here is a man who goes from one woman's bed to another, being sarcastic about a woman who does the same! It creases me up every time I hear it.

Yes, I see what you mean. I tend to listen to LC when I am in a serious mood, I suppose. To me, that song has a bitter irony about it. I see it now for a moment as you do - as Leonard laughing at himself. I also thought the other night, after my reply to you, how things are often funny and painful at the same time, and that humour is not preserved for 'happy' things, and that laughter often resolves difficult emotions... It's all so complicaaaated, and now I getting too much into that analysis thing I try to avoid .

Yes. Funny and painful at the same time. Both equally valid.
And this isn't so much analysing his songs individually, which I tend to avoid as well, as expressing individual viewpoints on his songs as a whole.

Here is some joy:

Go firmly to the window. Drink it in.
Exquisite music. Alexandra laughing.

Mostly, though, I think Leonard's output is dripping in sadness and longing, at least up until TNS. Nobody does this sadness and introspection like Leonard does.

Hmmmm... Alexandra Leaving is one of the songs that make me cry buckets.

And then I laugh from pure pleasure in the clever use of words - which has nothing to do with humour, I suppose, but more a joy in the wordplay.

Yes, I can see what you mean about that too. It is very interesting how we each have a different perspective. But my brain hurts, now . I don't know about Leonard, but you have made me laugh.

Cheers,

Diane

Heheh! Glad to know I make you laugh!

I hope your brain has stopped hurting!

Warm hug
Fljots

[Diane]

Hi Flottie,

My brain hurts from thinking and reading too much about Leonard lately. Whatever it is we are arguing about, I'm sure I must be right.

I am checking out of here until after the weekend. Hope you have a good one.

Big hug back you .

Diane