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Leonard has now played 5 shows in Europe with a short first set ending with band introductions at the end of Lover Lover Lover.

I do like it when he shakes the set list up a bit - but oh how I miss Anthem. It is such an important, uplifting song with such an important message: there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

Surely I'm not the only one who rues Anthem's apparent passing??

Please bring back Anthem Leonard. Pretty please ....

Wendy

I'm with you on this Wendy. This is such an integral part of him. He put so much into making this song come into fruition. Why would he consider not including this in his repertoire? I never get enough of this song coupled with the impact of the lighting - perfection!

I agree, Anthem is one of the most important songs. But I'm so happy that Lover Lover Lover came back to us, and in such unusual manner...

That's another thing related to the ending of the first set.
Last night I watched several videos:
Anthem from NA 2010 (that one with the Saga of Rafael Bernardo Gayol),
Lover Lover Lover from Berlin 2010 (I like it, clapping hands make me think about marching Israel soldiers to whom the song was written)

and then - Lover Lover Lover from Hamburg 2013.
I was surprised by the introduction of the band: a) after the song, b) it sounds and looks like a fast forward video.
City - profession - name. City - profession - name. Rapidly. I don't mean that I know how to introduce the Leonard Cohen Band better than Leonard Cohen does, but that was such a vivid contrast with The Saga introduction, so I was a bit dissapointed.

Thank you Wendy, for starting this thread (I hope the message finds its way to Leonard!)

and thanks Mary and Roman for your comments,
I am in total agreement with all of you! I've said it before on one of the concert threads. It's a core product. It is like leaving out Hallelujah! Besides, Anthem is the perfect song for the band intros. I love the new arrangement of Lover Lover Lover but move it to another position.

I desperately hope that by the time Leonard gets to Australia Anthem is re-instated.

I agree with you all and was dismayed when Anthem was dropped. I love when Leonard changes things as is his right to do so but that song was instrumental in helping me through a rough patch in my life and its message is never lost on me. It always seemed to me to be the perfect song for that place in the concert set list, and worked so well with the band introductions. I had really hoped when it was first dropped it was due to that shortened set list so I was very saddened to see it still hasn't reappeared.

I do really like Lover, Lover, Lover and the new arrangement at the start of the song. but I do confess to preferring the previous slower tempo version. Given a choice at hearing this or Anthem, Anthem for me would win every time.

I think the length of the band intros is determined by time, i.e if there is a strict curfew Leonard will have a quicker one, of course the pace of Lover, Lover, Lover could have changed the pace of the intros too. I haven't watched that video yet.

Hopefully Leonard will start missing Anthem and it will return to the set list soon. My next concerts aren't until September but fingers crossed it returns asap for everyone else.

Desperately missing Anthem.....checking setlists and feeling sad; imho the last song to be left out...
What could be the reason for excluding Anthem? Leonard was working many years on this song (first recording 1985, only 1992 on the Future), maybe a new version in progress - not a very likely idea, I know.... but why?

Leonard himself about Anthem (quote from The Lyrics of Leonard Cohen):
"ONE OF THE BEST SONGS I'VE WRITTEN, MAYBE THE BEST"............

Jarmila,
hoping and keeping the faith

surrender wrote: maybe a new version in progress - not a very likely idea, I know.... but why?

Hmmm, I remember reading in one of Leif's recent blog entries about a very familiar song getting some new treatment. I mightn't have the exact wording there but it is something along those lines. Leif didn't mention which song but maybe it is Anthem.

I too deeply miss Anthem...
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore the new arrangements of Lover, Lover, Lover, my favorite version (so far) but to me it's more a song for the encores

oh, to be standing in front of Javier and Alessandru for their tadadada-tadadada....

Goldin wrote:Lover Lover Lover from Hamburg 2013.
I was surprised by the introduction of the band: a) after the song, b) it sounds and looks like a fast forward video.
City - profession - name. City - profession - name. Rapidly. I don't mean that I know how to introduce the Leonard Cohen Band better than Leonard Cohen does, but that was such a vivid contrast with The Saga introduction, so I was a bit dissapointed.

Now, when I've watched the same video for several times, I want to take my words back (please let me start again).
The introduction fits the new arrangement and its rhythm. The song is even more perfect perfect perfect than ever (arguable, I know). LC is so young and full of life. Thanks to Marc Roed for the video.

And for those who think that a concert is cracked without Anthem - yes. There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.

Please don't blame me for making such a joke, I'm offline for a while.

Sorry, but I don´t miss "Anthem", for me it´s too long and musically just boring.
But I would be delighted, if he would do it in a new arrangement, maybe as a spoken rap-poem.

Btw. this is my favorite presentation of the band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0atZhEFM-k

(presentation starts at 4.00)

Why don´t you try this again, Leonard?

musicmania wrote:

surrender wrote: maybe a new version in progress - not a very likely idea, I know.... but why?

Hmmm, I remember reading in one of Leif's recent blog entries about a very familiar song getting some new treatment. I mightn't have the exact wording there but it is something along those lines. Leif didn't mention which song but maybe it is Anthem.

I think we may have had the new version of a very familiar song that Leif was referring to with the pan pipes version of Tower of Song that made its debut in Berlin!

Wendy

I love Anthem and think it is the perfect end to the first half of the concert. I love Dance me.... to begin the show and also Tower of Song to begin the second half. In between there is room for any changes to the lineup. IMHO.

Please keep Anthem though....

Anthem is back, reappeared in Odense, the last song of the concert - perfect seal of the night!
I hope that the return of Anthem is permanent; looking forward to hear it again.

Jarmila,
happy and grateful

Hope it's still in for Brighton, definitely one of my favourites, not just for the sentiments but for the musical arrangement too. Looking forward to the 28th........whatever Mr C sings will be just brilliant I'm sure!

It's odd - back at my first concert in 2008, Anthem was the song that first made my eyes go wet. Completely unexpected as it had not been a particular favourite of mine. Somehow seeing it live moved it to the first league of Cohen songs for me, and it has always remained special. So I am looking forward to it being reinstated in the setlist - I think that moment of peace and harmony brings everyone down gently for the interval.