# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/21 "2008-03-07T20:32:06Z")
I’ve loved Leonard Cohen’s work for about 20 years now. His poetry, books, and music. However: > [@Jophiel](#): > > _cough_jazzpolice_cough_ is spot on. Just…_gawd!_ ---
**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, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/22 "2008-03-07T20:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=koeeoaddi] C’mon, **Jophiel** , it’s unusual, it’s in your face, it’s …😕 [/QUOTE] I’ll grant you that it was unpredictable 😃 ---
**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, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/23 "2008-03-07T20:34:01Z")
[QUOTE=pinkfreud] 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. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard her version of Bird on a Wire, and while most of her covers aren’t nearly as good as the original this one was pretty good, I might check that out, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/24 "2008-03-07T20:35:51Z")
Though I still think “The Partisan” deserved a higher placement, the old [SDMB 6@6 poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144868) results are a fairly decent indicator of his essentials…[ol][li]Suzanne[/li][li]Bird On a Wire[/li][li]Hallelujah[/li][li]Everybody Knows[/li][li]First We Take Manhattan[/li][li]Famous Blue Raincoat[/li][li]Who By Fire[/li][li]The Partisan[/li][li]I’m Your Man[/li][li]Sister Of Mercy[/li][li]Closing Time[/li][li]Avalanche[/li][\*]Joan of Arc[/ol] ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/25 "2008-03-07T20:44:18Z")
[More than you ever wanted to know about Hallelujah and the covers it spawned.](http://www.clapclap.org/2007/04/hallelujah.html) (via kottke) ---
**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, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/26 "2008-03-07T20:47:45Z")
The gravelly and growly comments make me wonder if some people might be judging Cohen’s voice based on his more recent recordings. Some of his earlier songs sound like a completely different person (still no Caruso, just different). His delivery on [Famous Blue Raincoat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aRKZFR5imM) is simple and straightforward - no fancy American Idol vocalese - but I find it incredibly effective, whereas Tori Amos’ cover version sounds affected, even though she has a “better” voice. Somehow I feel like he’s singing about my life, until the song ends and I realize that my life is nothing like that. ETA: I’m sorry, any poll that doesn’t put “Famous Blue Raincoat” at the top is automatically null and void. (I know, it’s not even one of L. Cohen’s favorite Cohen songs, but what does he know?) ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/27 "2008-03-07T20:51:36Z")
“Leonard Cohen can’t sing.” How many times have I heard that? If you listen to him from about 1970, I’d agree – but try him in the '90s, four hundred thousand cigarettes later, and his voice has aged to match the lyrics. He sounds like a man who’s been through it all. The only thing worthwhile about sitting through _Natural Born Killers_ was being introduced to Leonard Cohen via the song at the end (“The Future”; _I’ve seen the future, Brother: it is murder_.) My favorite Cohen album is _Leonard Cohen Live_; second favorite is _The Future_. ---
**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, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/28 "2008-03-07T20:55:08Z")
[QUOTE=JohnBckWLD] Though I still think “The Partisan” deserved a higher placement, the old [SDMB 6@6 poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=144868) results are a fairly decent indicator of his essentials…[list=1] [/QUOTE] That’s an awesome thread. I guess they stopped right before I joined …? I’m doing a search to see what other artists are covered. Thanks. thwartme ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/29 "2008-03-07T21:01:00Z")
Y’know, Leonard Cohen can’t sing the same way Bob Dylan and Tom Waits can’t sing. Sure wish I couldn’t sing like that! ---
**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, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/30 "2008-03-07T21:07:02Z")
Sorry to open up that can of worms! Never having heard Tom Waits, I’d have to say that Bob Dylan has a voice that suits many of his songs, (such as Like a Rolling Stone,) but is inappropriate for most of his others. Cohen, while his voice does suit his songs, it’s _so_ bad in my particular opinion that it cannot possibly redeem itself (and that’s from listening to excerpts from his greatest hits compilation.) ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/31 "2008-03-07T21:07:23Z")
[QUOTE=ShadowFacts] Whether or not he can sing is debatable, but man do I wish I had his voice! [/QUOTE] One year, Leonard Cohen won a best male vocalist Juno (like a Canadian version of the Grammies) award. During his acceptance speech, he observed, “only in Canada could somebody with a voice like mine win Vocalist of the Year.” ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/32 "2008-03-07T21:07:34Z")
duplicate. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/33 "2008-03-07T21:29:24Z")
The most painfully beautiful [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIdZ-rRnUkg&feature=related) ever made. ---
**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, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/34 "2008-03-07T21:38:03Z")
Jeff Buckley’s _Grace_, while a wonderful CD in it’s own right, is worth having for his cover of _Hallelujah_. It is truly a beautiful piece of music. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/35 "2008-03-07T23:25:30Z")
I came to be aware of him via The Pogues _Thousands are Sailing_: “Tipped our hats to Mister Cohen Dear old Times Square’s favorite bard” But then I learned that the person referred to in the song may not be Leonard Cohen, but George Cohan. _shrug_ No matter, I like Leonard’s stuff far better. ---
**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, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/36 "2008-03-07T23:38:56Z")
I was going to point out that “Cohan” and “Cohen” are not pronounced the same, but then I remembered you’re talking about the Pogues, so I’ll just point out that Leonard Cohen is not Irish. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/37 "2008-03-07T23:58:28Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] “Leonard Cohen can’t sing.” How many times have I heard that? If you listen to him from about 1970, I’d agree – but try him in the '90s, four hundred thousand cigarettes later, and his voice has aged to match the lyrics. [/QUOTE] I agree with this comment. The roughness his voice has picked up over the years transforms him into a singer, to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/38 "2008-03-08T01:12:05Z")
Other faves, not yet listed -Everybody Knows (immortalized to a certain generation in “Pump Up the Volume”) -Take This Waltz -Alexandra Leaving -Who By Fire I also wanted to second the recommendation for the “The Essential Leonard Cohen.” LC picked the songs himself, and he is the rare artist who knows his best work. There are literally no duds in the collection, and no major omissions. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/39 "2008-03-08T01:31:51Z")
[QUOTE=koeeoaddi] 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? [/QUOTE] As a longtime Leonard Cohen fan, I was really disappointed in almost all of these covers. I thought _I’m Your Man_ was going to be more of a documentary about LC, not crappy musicians doing bad covers of his work. It would have been far better if they had just filmed him doing his own songs. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463/40 "2008-03-08T03:06:17Z")
I just discovered him a bit ago-- love it. Obvious favorites, plus guilty pleasures like “So Long Marianne” which I love. I also recall the (recent) first time I hear The Partisan and thought “OMG, it’s the basis of Eliott Smith’s whole career!” (I mean that in a nice, loving way) Oh, and Who By Fire, which I knew, strangely, very well via COIL’s Horserotorvator. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leonard-cohen-holy-crap/440463.md?page=3)