It’s like I need to go back in time 15 years, and grab my teenage self by the scruff of the neck, and berate him, waving a Leonard Cohen CD in his face. "This! This! You need to listen to this!
-FrL-
(Sorry, I’m all excited at my “discovery” of this incredible musician.
Specifically, I just heard “The Captain” and “First we Take Manhattan.”)
He’s amazing, isn’t he? My Mom had a couple of his early albums so even though I am in my mid-40’s, I can say that I’ve been a Cohen fan since the late 60’s.
I hear individual songs occasionally - “Suzanne”, “Hallelujah”, and the aforementioned “Manhattan” - and often think I should check him out more thoroughly. Can you a recommend a good disc to start with?
thwartme
I dicovered Leonard Cohen around 1970. He really is good, isn’t he?
What I want and never have found is a good compilation of Cohen covers (since he can’t sing). I saw one tribute album (with Springsteen on it IIRC) but the pre-listen didn’t seem promising so I didn’t pick it up.
I went through similar feelings in 1994. After seeing Natural Born Killers, I became obsessed with him.
You probably have already discovered this CD, but if you haven’t, check out “I’m You Fan”. A bunch of band cover Cohen, including The Pixies, REM and John Cale.
I like the man himself, but the I’m Your Man Soundtrack CD is pretty good. Especially Everybody Knows, Famous Blue raincoat, I’m Your Man and Chelsea Hotel. Here’s the track list:
Has Leonard Cohen ever written a bad lyric or a predictable rhyme?
The Essential Leonard Cohen is, well, an essential retrospective of his career, covering almost all of the highlights. Once you’ve devoured this, just go back and buy all of his releases to fill in the gaps.
He’s no great technician but I love his deep, gravelly tone. One of the all-time best “bad” singers. Regardless, you should give a listen to Famous Blue Raincoat by Jennifer Warnes which is, by far, the best set of Cohen covers I’ve ever heard.
Mum spent a lot of time in the car listening to a tape of his stuff when we were kids. We seemed to listen to “The Sister’s Of Mercy” quite a bit at our insistence, after Mum told us it was about prostitutes :rolleyes:
I would suggest you rent Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs. Miller, a lyrical western film which uses Cohen’s songs exclusively on the soundtrack. That should give you an idea of whether or not you want to continue exploring Leonard Cohen. After you’ve been blown away by that, you should start with Songs from a Room, Songs of Love and Hate, and Songs.
Listening to this guy is almost a religious experience for me.
Whether or not he can sing is debatable, but man do I wish I had his voice!
A stunning CD, and brilliantly recorded. I heartily second the recommendation.
Jonathon Coulton also did a fine cover of Famous Blue Raincoat.
His latest album Ten New Songs is simply amazing.
The only good thing to come out of that shit movie was my discovery of Leonard Cohen.
coughjazzpolicecough
I was oblivious to Leonard Cohen until Concrete Blonde opened my eyes.
Tower of Song is another album of covers. It’s OK, I guess, but I’ve come to like Cohen’s own versions of most of the songs better.
Thirded.
Let me be somebody I admire
Let me be that muscle down the street
Stick another turtle on the fire
Guys like me are mad for turtle meat *
C’mon, Jophiel, it’s unusual, it’s in your face, it’s …
*wtf?
I like Cohen’s versions of his own songs, but if you don’t, you might want to try Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen. Collins has a clear, incisive soprano voice that is the opposite of Cohen’s growly basso, and yet oddly right for the songs.
Funny, my wife and I were just talking about Leonard Cohen last night. I had a teacher who was fanatical about him. He gave me one of his albums and I quite like it. I haven’t listened to it in awhile but ‘Democracy’ and ‘Closing Time’ were standout tracks IIRC. I just found out he wrote ‘Hallelujah’, another great song.