leonardcohenforum.com

memories!!!!!!!!!!!!

i would have to say it's "dress rehearsal rag"...it just makes me so happy every time i hear it!another one would be "gypsy wife"

Hi all,
it depends on what you mean by "uplifting".
Jazz Police (b t w his most avantgardistic song, musically speaking) is very rebellious. I love it.
The same is true for the Master Song, concerning the poetry.
Anthem is very comforting.
Tonight will be fine tells us of the joys of life, love - and that they might pass too fast, so we should hold the moment.
But in which way those (sorry, can't recall all his songs I know, they are numerous) are "uplifting"?
May we feel uplifted by L.C.s poetry in a shallow optimistic way?
Then his lines "your Mozart sounds like bubbegum" would turn to a self criticism.
Which I do not really think to be true. Sorry again: I do not think we can grasp his poetry and music (and is not his music a continuation of his poetry by other means?)
by simple categories like "uplifting" or "depressing".
Blessed are the Memories! Yes, see the topic in this site, then you know how I come to say that one is profoundly uplifting in a certain way.
This is to say that one has really to read, analyse L.C.s texts to get a vision of his mastery.
My apologies for disturbing.
Bye
Mad Musicologist

I'd say Heart with no Comapnion is the obvious one to name in this thread!

Anthem - especially the version by Julie Christensen and Perla Batalla in the "I'm Your Man" soundtrack and/or movie.

opendoor

... and in person, Opendoor.


~ Lizzy

If it be your will. I can't really explain why, but I am sure you will know.

Hi Lizzy -

Unfortunately, I have not experienced Anthem live My omission was not intentional.

opendoor

Stranger wrote:If it be your will. I can't really explain why, but I am sure you will know.

Yes, Stranger. Whenever that song comes on my tapes in the car, I notice my grip on the the steering wheel loosens a little. It is one of Leonard's most powerful songs. It helps you let go of wanting things to be other-than, and once you let go of that weight, you are uplifted all right.

Diane, you described it perfectly. That is exactly how I experience it.

WeEll... I can tell you I'm being Uplifted right this very minute! It's Halloween Eve, and I've just found my cat Leo [who was outside and I've been calling him for an hour-and-a-half]. I came back in, saying "Praise G~d" in a slightly out loud voice, holding Leo, and then sat down, contentedly, at the computer... and I heard the faintest strains ~ yet, always SO recognizable ~ of Leonard's voice! I had the radio turned waaaaay down. As I neared it, sure enough... not just ANYONE singing it, but LEONARD himself singing "Hallelujah"!!! So rare these days to hear that. I've no idea why NPR is doing it; hopefully, they'll comment.

Nope. No comment. Straight into someone singing with a reggae beat. It's still enough that Leonard celebrated 'with' me on my finding Leo safe and sound [crucial to be careful with your animals around here, even if they're NOT a black cat, on Halloween]. It sounds so wonderful to hear Leonard singing his song.

Ahhh... at least for tonite, Leonard's own, original "Hallelujah" is the most uplifting for me.


~ Lizzy


~ Lizzy

Another "Anthem" lover.

Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.

There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

The song to me acknowledges the darker side of today's world but moves us past that, to a place where for the present, we should focus on searching for that often elusive "crack". I get renewed strength every time I listen to this beautiful song.
Ken Kurzweil

I agree completely with Opendoor's comment especially about the tribute performance from Julie and Perla. Ultimately I usually prefer Leonard's renditions, and I am not easily moved, but I was extremely moved by that rendition of Anthem. I believe they know Leonard and his work better than most people as they have been deeply involved with Leonard and his work for many years.

Two parts of Anthem for me are uplifting:

"Forget your perfect offering" .. we are obsessed with having everything and everyone and every experience perfect and flawless, and this obsession tortures us throughout our existence, because the "world" does not cooperate. Leonard encourages us to temper this attitude, this insistent expectation of the unattainable, this recipe for suffering, he gives us permission to practice contentment with everyone and everything, understanding that the nature of all phenomena is imperfection and impermanence. He shows us one of the doors to liberation. (I know that obsession all too well as I lived with it for many years, and it's imprints are still with me)

"There is a crack, a crack in everything.. that's how the light gets in". For me the imperfection and impermanence of all phenomena is very good news. I realized a few years ago that if someone gave me a pill to take which would permit me to live forever... but in this world, and in this body and in this mind I would destroy it. That hypothetical pill would send me to a permanent "hell realm".

Imagine the opposite, a song that said there are no bells left that can ring, ...only make perfect offerings, there is no crack in anything and no light can ever get in.... If Leonard sang this he would live up to the undeserved and mistaken reputation of singing "music to suicide by".

The cracks are good news....Anthem is a most uplifting song for me

Daka

Imagine the opposite, a song that said there are no bells left that can ring, ...only make perfect offerings, there is no crack in anything and no light can ever get in.... If Leonard sang this he would live up to the undeserved and mistaken reputation of singing "music to suicide by".

Ha. I never considered the opposites. You make an excellent point with it. The element of hope is simply inclusive with his lyrics.

Thanks for pointing out these possibilities, Daka.


~ Lizzy

daka wrote:Anthem is a most uplifting song for me

I think the same Daka but not totally. If there were such a word as inlifting , I would prefer to use it.