Can we link to some of our favorite Leonard Cohen songs in his honor?

There is an entire book written about Hallelujah

I always liked Closing Time
Looks like freedom, but it feels like death
Its something in between I guess

I learned about Leonard Cohen from my (late, my mom’s sister) Aunt. Really amazing guy.

Oh, no. I will come back to this thread in a bit, but right now it’s just—oh, no. That blow seemed to come out of nowhere, from a side I didn’t even know was exposed.

@Jeruba Yes, a very sad one.

@josie – Is that a young James Franco in that video? At about 0:43

@Seek
Couldn’t tell you, but it definitely looks like him doesn’t it?

Oh no. This is sad. My parents and I love him.

It’s a very dark song but my favorite of his is The Future.
I also love Famous Blue Raincoat and Suzanne.

And I have heard The Future all the way from Somalia to Iraq to Afghanistan
As stated, pretty dark, but also occasionally apropos.
The link is edited for explicit language by the way. I couldn’t find the unedited version to link to

The lyrics make my skin crawl. It is not nice in many ways. I love the music, and I think it is a very dark piece of poetry depicting one point of view.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in

Here’s an amazing version of Hallelujah — a scene of people coming together, for a change.

I still love Suzanne and Bird on the Wire, but I think this one’s my favorite: Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye.

Goodbye, Leonard.

I’ve loved Suzanne since I was a teenager.

I also love I’m your man

Suzanne is the song I remember best. I also thought the letter he wrote earlier this year to Marianne Ihlen, his dying lover, was very poignant.

Goodbye Leonard, thanks for the memories:

Everybody Knows

I don’t usually go for cover versions but here is Tori Amos doing Famous Blue Raincoat and the original version

My personal favorite Avalanche

And one for these troubled times Democracy

I’d never heard of him til now, seems he was more of a “talk singer” better than Lee Marvin & Telly Savalas hahaha, but not a patch on Johnny Cash, in my humble opinion that is.

Been listening to him since finding his “Songs of Love and Hate” album in college during the 70’;s

I saw Cohen once, in early 2013, and despite his age it was enthralling.

And never really heard another song as sensuous as Dance Me to The End of Love.

An anthem of love to conquer the world, First We Take Manhattan

@ucme surprised you didn’t mention Lonnie Donegan in there somewhere.

Passing Through

I was with franklin roosevelt’s side on the night before he died.
He said, “one world must come out of world war two” (ah, the fool)
“yankee, russian, white or tan,” he said, “a man is still a man.
We’re all on one road, and we’re only passing through.”

Do forgive me, but who the fuck is Lonnie Donegan? :D

Your kidding right? Only the singer of one of the greatest songs of all time – My Old Man’s A Dustman

I know of that song, but it’s a cockney ditty, he sounds Irish surely…ah well.

@ucme it’s a cockney ditty
There’s many a cockney ditty that shares its heritage with many an Irish tune!

Good songs, all!

In addition, I have always liked Sisters of Mercy.

I once met him at a gig in a small club in Chicago.

@Yetanotheruser Aye ya not wrang there marra, good point well made

The lyrics to Sisters of Mercy roll through my head at the strangest of times, and have been doing so for 50 years, along with Dylan’s Just like a woman. Cohen had a straight up genius for getting to the point, and for my money, the power and beauty of what he could weave with English will probably remain unmatched. This time it’s a very bright light that’s “winked out”.

Let us not forget Diamonds in the Mine

Chelsea Hotel
Everybody Knows (Some one already got this)

I lift my glass to the awful truth
Which you can’t reveal to the ears of youth
Except to say it isn’t worth a dime….