Looking for the YOUNGEST first-time listener to LC

[KjeXXXer]

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard? I'd say about seven/eight would be when I noticed what Mum was playing all the time, and that it was pretty cool. It started with First We Take Manhatten.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?

Not A shite. I felt an attraction to the line "I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons" and the like, but just cause it was easy to coreograph ( I wanted to participate in a school talent show, adliping and dancing to "Manhatten")

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?

See above.

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?

Within three weeks of conception.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?

Nah. Sex is a very natural and a very, very important part of life, it is not to be supressed, however we may loathe to think of our offspring as sexual beings.
I don't think that children should be shielded from the referances in Cohens lyrics (I myself was not, and I turned out allright, allthough I had a ten year period in my life where I never listened to Cohen), I find his approach much more healthy than what you see in porn and on MTV.

Allthough I have yet to hear anything off of Death Of A Ladies Man

[Mark A. Murphy]

Hi KjeXXXer,

Blonde Madonna and myself may be alone on this site in our liking for Death Of A Ladies Man, but really, try not to listen to the dissenters too much! Leonard's lyrics on Ladies man are as good as ever. Take 'Paper Thin Hotel' as a starting point...

The walls of this hotel are paper-thin
Last night I heard you making love to him
The struggle mouth to mouth and limb to limb
The grunt of unity when he came in
I stood there with my ear against the wall
I was not seized by jealousy at all
In fact a burden lifted from my soul
I learned that love was out of my control
A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control

I listened to your kisses at the door
I never heard the world so clear before
You ran your bath and you began to sing
I felt so good I couldn't feel a thing

I stood there with my ear against the wall ...

And I can't wait to tell you to your face
And I can't wait for you to take my place
You are The Naked Angel In My Heart
You are The Woman With Her Legs Apart
It's written on the walls of this hotel
You go to heaven once you've been to hell

A heavy burden lifted from my soul
I heard that love was out of my control


I challenge anyone to tell me why this is not Leonard at his best. I love the album and heartily recommend it to you. You are so lucky to have had the privelidge of listening to Leonard at such a young age. I was 18 before I came to him.

[blonde madonna]

Yes Mark, 'Paper Thin Hotel' captures bitter-end-of-relationship-jealousy like nothing else.

But what about 'Death of a Ladies Man'?
Doesn't anyone else appreciate what the mad genius Spector added to Cohen's world weary lyrics?
IMO the huge mental space he created with his wall of sound was a perfect match for the cavernous mythological world created by Cohen's words.

I tell you, it is his masterpiece and one day the world will know.

(and she takes every opportunity to campaign for her cause)

[KjeXXXer]

OH, don't worry, I intend to get every Cohen product upon the face of the earth.
Actaually though, I myself was on the brink of 19 before the grandour of Cohens music truly dawned on me. I was never able to connect with it until last fall I saw the lyrics in corelation with my lovelife.

And those are great lyrics. But I get the feeling that it'll only shine brighter once I can hear them spoken on the record.

[swirling sands]

So ... here comes my first post .

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
I can't remember if i listened to Cohen in my early childhood , when everything i heard came from the records of my parents . Anyway , consciously , it was not untill one year ago that i first listened to cohen , at 14 . I think the first song i heard was the future ... but it may as well have been so long marianne .
(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
Well , I was 14 ( only one year smaller than i am now ) so i guess i understood most of it .

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
I instantly fell in love with "the future" and , since then , i kept explorating cohen's albums without ever geting bored of him .

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
I think any age would be appropiate . In fact , i would have prefered to get into Cohen at an earlyer age , as I did with Dylan ( whom i am continually listening , and , in the mean time , redescovering , since the age of ... four i think ) .
(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
Not necessarily .

[misty_blue]

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?
I was 14,six years ago.I remember listening to radio and stumbled upon one radio show,you know,that kind of show where people can call and ask for songs...and one guy caller requested a song,and a show host laughed and said "Oh,it's you again,I see you're asking this same song every single day".And when I heard that song I was immediately captured by it and realized why this guy kept asking for it It was so different from all other songs I've ever heard.The song was called "In my Secret Life" and I soon got known with all other songs of Leonard Cohen which were only more amazing.And after six years they are getting more and more beautiful.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?
Well,now in 21st century kids can understand very much of it.

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?
I was happy that something beautiful as that exists

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?
As soon as possible I think it's good for children to be exposed to Leonard Cohen,there is no music I would rather have my children listen to.They don't have to understand it to be able to appreciate the magic

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?
No,I don't think so.One will gradually become aware of what that lyrics actually talks about.It comes naturally.

[poster on the wire]

If you could answer these questions and add whatever you like, it'd be really appreciated.

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?


Thanks to anyone/everyone who answers these.


~ Lizzy

1.17 years old, which was last year for me.

2.Most of it.

3.connected.

4.when they realise that music is not what they hear on mtv, but what hits their heart elsewhere.

5.No.

[Mark A. Murphy]

All these young people listening to Leonard fills me with optimism. Leonard said on the radio recently that it would be a great thing for a writer of popular music to touch the hearts of a single generation. I think great songs join themselves to the collective consciousness and become part of our popular heritage. Take the lovely songs from the Renaissance, they are as fresh today as when they were written 500 years ago. I have a hunch that Leonard's songs will survive all of us and will still be played on the radio (if such things still exist) in hundreds of years to come. When most of todays popular music has been long forgotten, Leonard's words will speak to future generations with a freshness and vitality that can never be lost. Have no doubts about it, Leonard is a 'canonical writer'.

Lizzy has started a great thread here, but has anyone thought of asking, 'who is the oldest listener of Leonard's songs?'

If I live to be a hundred I will still be listening to Leonard and re-reading Beautiful Losers!

[KjeXXXer]

'who is the oldest listener of Leonard's songs?'

Cohen?

[lizzytysh]

Funny to see you say that, KjeXXXer. That was my first thought, as well. Then, I recalled some older than Leonard listeners, so left it alone. Leonard is certainly the longest listener, though. Now, I'm wondering who is the oldest first-time listener.


~ Lizzy

[Astra]

(1) How old were you when you first listened to Leonard?

I was 3 months old when my grandparents took me in. This was in June of 1968. My grandmother loved LC (she passed on 2-11-2003 and - at her request - the entire album was played at her memorial service) and had his "Songs of Leonard Cohen" which she played on a daily basis. I knew the words to "Suzanne" and "So Long Marianne" when most children were learning nursery-rhyme type songs.

(2) How much did you understand of the sexual/violence references?

I was only aware of the meaning of the lyrics when I hit the age of puberty.

(3) How did hearing these lyrics cause you to feel?

Once I realized the lyrical content, I felt that they were very artistic and well-written

(4) What age do you feel would be the most age-appropriate for children to first listen to Leonard?

As young as possible. LC has honesty in his songs that has made him an icon and given him 40 years worth of devoted fans.

(5) Should parental- or adult-guidance be a part of these initial listening experiences?

It was not an issue in my childhood as the lyrics are so poetic. There are so many songs nowadays that just come out an say it rudely, crudely and bluntly. I would much rather have a child listen to LC than most of the crap readily-available today.

[lizzytysh]

Welcome to the Forum, Astra. Thanks for your lovely reply. Your grandmother sounds like she was an amazing woman. Her memorial service was surely memorable, as well. It's difficult for me to imagine otherwise, but I know it happens... so, I can still say I'm happy to see the nature of your childhood and that Leonard's music stuck with you. Your grandmother would be so pleased to know that you're here. I'm guessing that she wasn't aware of this site?


~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

Hi Mark ~

All these young people listening to Leonard fills me with optimism. Leonard said on the radio recently that it would be a great thing for a writer of popular music to touch the hearts of a single generation. I think great songs join themselves to the collective consciousness and become part of our popular heritage.

I know what you mean about the optimism you're feeling. I met a young woman/girl on Hydra... Nathalie. I wished that Henning's daughter and her friend had been there, as I believe they'd have gotten along great. As it was, Nathalie [the same as Megan two years before] did super great with the adults and it feels good knowing that younger people are embracing Leonard's world the same as we do. As Leonard has speculated what a great thing would be, he is accomplishing that very thing. I share your belief that his songs will become a part of the collective consciousness and our popular heritage, as well. We can witness our own collective consciousness in that regard, as songs and lyrics resonate with us in response to particular situations in our own lives and the world out there. I believe "Hallelujah" is fast becoming the forerunner in the popular heritage realm.


~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

Hi Poster on the Wire ~

"Connected" is right. I know that feeling well. I hope you, too, will find a way to come to one of our Events or gatherings. It would be so great to see a group of young people at them, just hanging out together and getting to know each other. Your age is perfect for becoming acquainted with Leonard's songs. It's going to get you through some difficult times.


~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

Hi Misty Blue ~

Your landscape, art-piece avatar is intriguing and pretty.

I was happy that something beautiful as that exists

I remember that specific feeling, too. I feel the same way now; yet, at the time, it was astonishing and groundbreaking for me.

The same as with you and Astra ["As young as possible. LC has honesty in his songs that has made him an icon and given him 40 years worth of devoted fans."], I agree that Leonard has the honesty and the class that have brought the truth in such a way as to have made him an icon. The magic precedes the meaning and as the child/person becomes aware, the layers will reveal themselves.

Thanks for answering. I'd love to see you come to one of the Events/gatherings.


~ Lizzy