Saturday, June 23

Leonard Cohen
Famous Blue Raincoat - Live Germany 1979

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8lQJCCWxNk

5 comments:

Hans said...

I'm so glad you introduced me to L. Cohen, sincerely.........he's so honest in his writing, his singing, his expressions. He and his music seem like one. Great song lyrics....with a nice chorus, but never too much of anything. The sax, which I'm not wild about as a solo instrument was done with good taste and not brassy. Good one !!! He has great eyes - his truth shines right through them.

Metamatician said...

Yeah! Glad you like him. You can thank Heath for getting ME into him. Well sort of. I knew who he was since about Junior High, probably way before Heath did, but he actually got into his music first and then got me too, so I give him the credit. And Stenger too, independently.

He is very sincere, even in these old videos, he never looks like he's "putting on a show" ... just looks engrossed in the song.

Sara said...

Oh my God! My all time favourite Cohen song, and on video too. It's also the only song I used to be able to play on piano without sheet music. Just had a right good cry along to this one. Funny how that old forgiveness theme just keeps coming up again and again...

Metamatician said...

No kidding? It's my favourite Cohen song as well. It's the one that really hooked me. I like his whole first album ("The Stranger Song" is excellent), and the second and third not quite as much but for moments like "Raincoat." The rest of his albums vary so much it's hard to even try to sum them up. His voice dropped about 400 octaves, he used more deliberate female backing vocals, and a lot of synth instead of that lovely acoustic guitar. And yet he still made good songs and it still sharp as a tack today! What an extraordinary man. But nothing will beat the first couple albums.

There was another video which had him "altering" his singing timing much less, to the extent it almost sounded just like the album. But we can just listen to the album version; I thought this version was interesting precisely FOR the different phrasing rhythms he uses while his "girls" sing the original melodies. And the sax interlude I didn't care for at first but now I think it adds a welcome break to a song that was always too short for me. I hated reaching the end of the song, I'd have to play it right from the beginning again!!

Sara said...

I never understood the old cliche that would come out whenever Leonard Cohen was mentioned; "Music to commit suicide by." How ignorant is that? I have The Future somewhere too. I must dig it out and have a listen, but I think the acoustic stuff is generally a better medium for his voice and lyrics.

I used to have a couple of his poetry books too, 'The Spice box of Earth' and another untitled collection. Unfortunately they're long gone after too many house moves. Such a pity, I liked his work so much. Here's one of my favourites, because I love Haiku poetry.

'Summer Haiku.'
Silence
And a deeper silence
When the crickets hesitate.

It's not strictly haiku, because it only has 15 syllables and doesn't follow the 5,7,5 rule. (There are other forms apparently) but nonetheless captures a season so perfectly, like putting a butterfly momentarily in a jar..

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