# Leonard Cohen -- Holy crap! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463 "2008-03-07T17:31:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/1 "2008-03-07T17:31:51Z")
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.”) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/2 "2008-03-07T17:34:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/3 "2008-03-07T18:31:22Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/4 "2008-03-07T18:37:26Z")
I dicovered Leonard Cohen around 1970. He really is good, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/5 "2008-03-07T18:38:42Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![cinehead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@cinehead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cinehead)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/6 "2008-03-07T18:41:45Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/7 "2008-03-07T18:50:53Z")
I like the man himself, but the [I’m Your Man Soundtrack CD](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7227963/a/Leonard+Cohen:+I'm+Your+Man.htm) is pretty good. Especially _Everybody Knows_, _Famous Blue raincoat_, _I’m Your Man_ and _Chelsea Hotel_. Here’s the track list: 1. Tower Of Song - Martha Wainwright 2. Tonight Will Be Fine - Teddy Thompson 3. I’m Your Man - Nick Cave 4. Winter Lady - Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle 5. Sisters Of Mercy - Beth Orton 6. Chelsea Hotel No.2 - Rufus Wainwright 7. If It Be Your Will - Antony 8. I Can’t Forget - Jarvis Cocker 9. Famous Blue Raincoat - The Handsome Family 10. Bird On A Wire - Perla Batalla 11. Everybody Knows - Rufus Wainwright 12. The Traitor - Martha Wainwright 13. Suzanne - Perla Batalla, Nick Cave & Julie Christensen 14. The Future - Teddy Thompson 15. Anthem - Perla Batalla, Julie Christensen 16. Tower Of Song - Leonard Cohen & U2 Has Leonard Cohen _ever_ written a bad lyric or a predictable rhyme? ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/8 "2008-03-07T18:53:52Z")
[QUOTE=thwartme] 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 [/QUOTE] [The Essential Leonard Cohen](http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Leonard-Cohen/dp/B00006NSH8/ref=pd_sim_m_img_5) 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. [QUOTE=Ludovic] What I want and never have found is a good compilation of Cohen covers (since he can’t sing). [/QUOTE] 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](http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Blue-Raincoat-Jennifer-Warnes/dp/B000024QBF/ref=m_art_li_1) by Jennifer Warnes which is, by far, the best set of Cohen covers I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/9 "2008-03-07T18:57:59Z")
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: ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/10 "2008-03-07T18:58:14Z")
[QUOTE=thwartme] 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 [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/11 "2008-03-07T19:11:03Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] 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. [/QUOTE] Whether or not he can sing is debatable, but man do I wish I had his voice! ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/12 "2008-03-07T19:15:35Z")
[QUOTE=Hodge] . Regardless, you should give a listen to [Famous Blue Raincoat](http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Blue-Raincoat-Jennifer-Warnes/dp/B000024QBF/ref=m_art_li_1) by Jennifer Warnes which is, by far, the best set of Cohen covers I’ve ever heard. [/QUOTE] A stunning CD, and brilliantly recorded. I heartily second the recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/13 "2008-03-07T19:42:48Z")
Jonathon Coulton also did a fine cover of Famous Blue Raincoat. His latest album Ten New Songs is simply amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/14 "2008-03-07T19:43:30Z")
[QUOTE=cinehead] I went through similar feelings in 1994. After seeing Natural Born Killers, I became obsessed with him. [/QUOTE] The _only_ good thing to come out of that shit movie was my discovery of Leonard Cohen. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/15 "2008-03-07T19:46:16Z")
[QUOTE=koeeoaddi] Has Leonard Cohen _ever_ written a bad lyric or a predictable rhyme? [/QUOTE] _cough_jazzpolice_cough_ ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/16 "2008-03-07T20:01:59Z")
I was oblivious to Leonard Cohen until [Concrete Blonde](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axnCMV-on9Q) opened my eyes. [Tower of Song](http://www.amazon.com/Tower-Song-Songs-Leonard-Cohen/dp/B000001EZK) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/17 "2008-03-07T20:05:01Z")
[QUOTE=Hodge] …you should give a listen to [Famous Blue Raincoat](http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Blue-Raincoat-Jennifer-Warnes/dp/B000024QBF/ref=m_art_li_1) by Jennifer Warnes which is, by far, the best set of Cohen covers I’ve ever heard. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Contrapuntal] A stunning CD, and brilliantly recorded. I heartily second the recommendation. [/QUOTE] Thirded. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/18 "2008-03-07T20:06:27Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] _cough_jazzpolice_cough_ [/QUOTE] _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? ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/19 "2008-03-07T20:26:26Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] 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. [/QUOTE] I like Cohen’s versions of his own songs, but if you don’t, you might want to try [Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen](http://www.amazon.com/Judy-Collins-Sings-Leonard-Cohen/dp/B0002M5TE8). Collins has a clear, incisive soprano voice that is the opposite of Cohen’s growly basso, and yet oddly right for the songs. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/20 "2008-03-07T20:28:59Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463.md?page=2)