Depression/melancholia in LC's work

elazar · Post by **elazar** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 10:05 am

next time someone says "oh, l.c.? isnt he depressing?" ask them what song of l.c. they are reffering to , and at that, any l.c. song they know...
i think the response will set things in order.

ciao
el

Insanitor · Post by **Insanitor** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 10:33 am

Witty Owl

I must ask - was it a deliberate typo when you wrote "homo soapiens"??

either way, it gave me a good laugh - how perfect

starshaped · Post by **starshaped** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 6:42 pm

i HATE it when people say hes depressing. id say it good chill out music...my aunty said "Ooo his music used to make me cry" stupid bitch!

greenfeld69 · Post by **greenfeld69** » Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:48 pm

Some people have accused me of writing depressing music. I don't think it is but, hey, maybe you guys could tell me? I have four songs for download at http://www.stevemccormick.co.uk

When I'm depressed, Len lifts me out of it in a way. I don't know, I just don't find him depressing...even Dress Rehearsal Rag, etc.

lightning · Post by **lightning** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 4:43 am

Other performers who have covered Cohen have taken the depressive zonk out of his work. At the 2004 event and at the Hal Wilner Cohen evening it was clear that Cohen's songs were not depressive, they were entertaining, soothing and healing. However at times in his life he was depressed and this permeated his performances. Some feel this mood was his signature and what gave his songs their unique character. The cover versions, though non-depressive, were less effective than the originals, however morose.

witty_owl · Post by **witty_owl** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:19 pm

Insanitor, I am pleased to see you got the yolk.

Cheers, Witty Owl.

songbird · Post by **songbird** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:13 am

I started writing when I was five year olds...
Leonard Cohen once said, he was quoting some one else, but that writers write to help them work out things.
I think that is very true...like most people...I did not have an easy child hood...my parents got divorced when I was five and I suffered trauma at a young age. I think I wrote to help me cope. I used to write stories and poems some funny and some were sad but all of them had some of me in them even the stories I write now do. I too sufffered from depresssion most of my life and now anxiety disorder..okay I am telling you guys way too much about me sorry.
But I feel that we writers do write because we want to escape. Some people use drugs, some people watch tv, some people drink booze, and I write. It helps me put things in my own life in perspective and explore who I am and thus gain a better understand of who I am and how I have become that person who I am...I am sure that most people who suffer from depression and write do so for the ssmae reason.

annaedith · Post by **annaedith** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 6:32 pm

i also wouldn't talk of depresion, but of a calm, colourful world full of feelings coming out of LC's songs. it goes deeper than the usual fast, loud music, and that's what i love him for.
escaping - did anyone of you read a book by Aldous Huxley, sth like "the frontiers ofperception"? a very interesting book about transcending one's live, he does it with drugs, but also talks about meditation. i think this it what LC's music allows us as well.

Andrew (Darby) · Post by **Andrew (Darby)** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:11 pm

I thought this article about a survey conducted in Canberra (our national capital) would be of interest here.

http://www.abc.net.au/canberra/stories/s1407087.htm

As you can see, LC not only made the "blues" list with 'Famous Blue Raincoat' (of course), but was also the most mentioned in this category!

Be this as it may, I also think he would be close to the top of any "most misunderstood" or "most misconstrued " lists!

It's interesting that in this little LC Forum poll above, only one person unequivocally thought he was depressing! I would reiterate my statement made elsewhere here, that for LC fans, whilst he may sing about sad and serious matters (of love, life and death etc.), this does not translate into depression for us! In fact the wonderful paradox is that acknowledging these realities of the human condition can be quite uplifting!

Cheers

Andrew (Darby)

Tom Elson · Post by **Tom Elson** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 10:31 pm

I had a conversation about Leonard's work in this context with a friend a couple of months ago. We both agreed that the extent of Cohen's work being "depressing" is true but at the same time we agreed its one of the key elements to singing and writing about something "real". For something to be true it has to incorparate the depressing nature in our life. It also has to include the happy moments, the brutal moments and all the moments inbetween. Leonard's work being labelled out right depressing is overlooking everything else that makes his work beautiful. As far as Cohen's style goes perhaps its a collage of melancoly and sadness but thats just him being the individual human artist he is but that doesn't mean its depressing work and deserves a 2 demensional label. Nothing is black and white people!

Tri-me · Post by **Tri-me** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 4:12 pm

UMMM this is big. I was talking with a friend two weeks ago. He is a Micmac Aboriginal man and half Italian, he calls himself a Micwop. He was reading Beautiful Loosers. I said, wow hope you are in a good mood and grabbed his wrist to "look" for scrape marks. I found that book very depressing when I read it 17 yrs ago. It took me to a very dark place. I know I was not very happy back then. Leonard's work is like a mirror. Like a good friend, it is impossible to hide your feelings. With a good friend you can have a good laugh and a good cry. Portrait of a Girl almost always makes me cry. I was thinking of you....I made a pass at myself, makes me chuckle. I think this is why his art is very powerful it brings up emotions. If I am feeling sad he can break the dam, but he does not depress me no sometimes my life makes me depressed. Good thing he has a great sense of humour to go with his open heart.

davideo · Post by **davideo** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:34 pm

Leonard's music is like a garden for morose bees. This has got to be true. It is for me.
But it occurs to me that bees have a right to be morose. One doesn't aspire to morosity, but when it is one's reality, whose is the crime?
Thank God it's not phony f---g pseudo- happy bubble gum. In the old days, before rap crap dominated the streets, there was a lot of absurd pseudo romantic garbage around. It has been around for decades, designed to make lies and drugs all the more fun. But with Leonard's sad stuff, no drugs are needed. Just lay back and bawl! If a sad person (I know that 'sad' isn't very clinical, but it is the appropriate term) hears Leonard's stuff, they can empathize and feel and know they're not the only ones oppressed.
It is not up-lifting to me- but who wants to be up-lifted by lies? I think Leonard's sad stuff makes Love necessary. It is halfway between death and life Itself. Sadness and/or self-pity bottoms out. It is limited, and potentially lethal. Leonard's work will hold your hand when you're down on your knees, but it won't pull the sun down through the cloud cover.
Like an alcoholic avoids booze- I must avoid Leonard's music in sustained doses. I am too prone to it.
So- better than bubble gum, but dangerous...

Tri-me · Post by **Tri-me** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:02 pm

Thanks Davideo. After reading The Favourite Gane I have to give Leonard Cohen a break, but it lead me to discover, well face, some issues that have been weighing me down. He is a heart opener a teacher. There is a saying that the teacher that is hardest on you loves you, Leonard Cohen must be madly in love with me

Depression/melancholia in LC's work

Dou you feel Leonard Cohen's music is depressive?

Thoughts on writers and reality

depressed