Yes, I’ve always like Leonard Cohen
June 24th, 2006 by Bill
Damn that guy over at Living the Romantic Comedy (Billy Mernit). He posted Rebirth of a Ladies’ Man and now I’m back into one of my Leonard Cohen phases.
His post has actually been there a few days but I’ve been too busy to read it. Yes, I could have scanned it quickly but his posts are usually worth more than a gander and this one was about Leonard Cohen.
Cohen pops up on my iPod with regularity. I’ve lost track of which albums I’ve put in there but I do know there are quite a few. Coincidentally, before reading the post earlier today, I had just downloaded I’m Your Man from iTunes. That’s my second purchase of that one. I use to have it on a CD or cassette but lost it in my travels somewhere. While it’s difficult to think of Cohen’s albums in terms of “best,” it may be the best - at least in terms of being most cohesive and also in terms of Cohen’s performance.
Blah blah blah … My point in this post is that my Cohen phases occur with some regularity. And I seem to be in one now so don’t be surprised to see numerous references to him in posts of over the next little while. I’ve also picked up Book of Longing, so don’t be surprised if I start making a number of references to that as well.
I’ve rambled but before I stop I should quickly mention why I like Leonard Cohen. To begin with, he uses language and imagery in ways I find astonishing. At the same time, when I read or listen to him, I think, “Of course. Why has no else put it that way before?”
His humor is also wonderful - wonderfully dry, wonderfully witty. He’s a man you really need to listen to - not just hear, listen. If you only hear, you may think he means one thing. But if you listen you realize, “Oh, he means that.”
Finally, he seems to have a perspective on things, such as politics (private and public), relationships, spirituality and so on that seems to have the marvelous clarity of dispassion - though I’m sure he would say, and probably rightly so, he is anything but dispassionate.
Anyway … I’m a big fan of Leonard Cohen. I have been for many, many years. His is one of the voices that threads through my life.
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