Comments on: 'Songs From the Life of Leonard Cohen' 1988 BBC doc

'Songs From the Life of Leonard Cohen' 1988 BBC doc

Item — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:59:23 -0800

"Songs From the Life of Leonard Cohen. More a biographical documentary than a concert, the 70-minute program combines live performances--some complete, many abridged--mainly from Cohen's 1988 show at Carnegie Hall, in support of his then-current album, I'm Your Man, with interviews with Cohen himself, his original musical patron Judy Collins and protege Jennifer Warnes." Parts: one two three four five six seven eight nine

torrent
Full songs from the soundtrack follow this (leonard) colon: First We Take Manhattan Suzanne Chelsea Hotel #(1) 2 Take This Waltz Hallelujah Who By Fire Bird on a Wire Red River Valley So Long Marianne Famous Blue Raincoat The Partisan Joan of Arc live at Burning Man it ain't, Austin City limits it is Ain't No Cure for Love Tower of Song ...in which our hero reads Tower of Song's lyrics at his Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Dance Me to the End of Love

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:40:54 -0800

And hey, y'all, don't forget! This month's Metafilter Music Challenge is to record and post, to Metafilter Music, your own cover version of Leonard Cohen's... HALLELUJAH! That's right! The idea was to come up with a song that's already been covered umpteen-gajillion times, so why not a few more? Whadda ya know about that? And check it out: it's still early in the month, but there's one in already, from some guy calls himself "cortex". I dunno, maybe you've heard of him... here it is. So, check in from time to time this month, to hear what your fellow Mefiers are doing with ol' Leonard's tune. They'll be collected here, all month long. And thanks for the great post, Item.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:55:22 -0800

so there is another diamond in the mine, after all.

By: selton

selton — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:22:59 -0800

I haven't watched the video yet, but I will do when I get the chance. Thanks Item

By: Item

Item — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:40:04 -0800

so there is another diamond in the mine, after all. I have no idea what's going on here, but it suits.

By: wheelieman

wheelieman — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:04:36 -0800

I will wait for the google video version

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:11:43 -0800

Nice post - thanks for a nice way to start the weekend, Item.

By: Danf

Danf — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:50:56 -0800

Oh gosh. . .I wonder if this will be available on dvd. . .or maybe just in an IV bag so I can lay back and die happy.

By: Artful Codger

Artful Codger — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:11:40 -0800

Leonard Cohen is a guy that I have no choice but to hate. I can point to some obvious things, in particular the sappy arrangements of his later albums; his droning, lethargic baritone set against a frothy disco track complete with chirpy background vocals, like a turd in a punchbowl. Or for inflicting his recording of "Suzanne" on us, one of the most lethal earworms I've ever experienced. Going deeper, he is nearly my complete opposite - he's tall, dark, poised, relaxed, sensitive and (I'm told) attractive. But, to be honest, I hate him mainly because he can melt panties at 50 yards using only his eyes. It's unspeakable what he can do to a roomful of women with only an old guitar and a couple of poems. And, damn, he's a good poet. Stop encouraging him, guys. Unless you've found a way to make 20 minutes of a Leonard Cohen CD a dependable substitute for foreplay, he's just making things more difficult for the rest of us average guys.

By: Midnight Rambler

Midnight Rambler — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:16:24 -0800

"I studied deeply in the philosophies of the religions, but cheerfulness came breaking through." I love this man.

By: Houyhnhnm

Houyhnhnm — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:36:55 -0800

Thank you for posting this! I am a casual fan of his first three albums. This documentary was my first introduction to his later material, and I was a little shocked, to say the least!

By: drhydro

drhydro — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:44:09 -0800

Absolutely ditto what Artful Codger said..... and despite all that, I'll suck these puppies down and watch them endlessly. Especially Joan of Arc. With Julie. Ooooh.... Enough said.

By: Tenuki

Tenuki — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:06:43 -0800

"I heard of a man who says words so beautifully that if he only speaks their name women give themselves to him."

By: pointilist

pointilist — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:58:20 -0800

Just want to say that one of my favorite Leaonard Cohen albums is Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat. Her soaring vocals transform his poetry. I hardly feel like slitting my wrists at all.

By: pointilist

pointilist — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:59:56 -0800

Some tracks.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:11:44 -0800

*obligatory link to Famous Blue Cheese*

By: ethnomethodologist

ethnomethodologist — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:33:23 -0800

he's tall, dark, poised, relaxed, sensitive and (I'm told) attractive. Codger, you won't catch TEH GAY by admitting that you find another man attractive. I hate how straight guys do this. "My wife tells me that George Clooney is attractive." Jesus. Oh, and Leonard Cohen isn't attractive. But he is a Canadian icon, so there's that.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:34:37 -0800

Sisters of Mercy - Cohen Tribute with Beth Orton.

By: Artful Codger

Artful Codger — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:51:00 -0800

> Codger, you won't catch TEH GAY by admitting that you find another man attractive....Oh, and Leonard Cohen isn't attractive. That's where I was going, too. Makes the fact of his appeal to women that much more remarkable.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:33:21 -0800

Oh, and Leonard Cohen isn't attractive. I think he's very attractive. Although I'm told he's not. ;-)

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:35:29 -0800

Sisters of Mercy - Cohen Tribute with Beth Orton. damn, and for a second there, i parsed that as a tribute show by The Sisters of Mercy.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:42:37 -0800

i parsed that as a tribute show by The Sisters of Mercy. No, no, Ubu. They're departed. Or gone.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:12:10 -0800

shame; i got stuck into Doktor Avalanche.

By: Sassenach

Sassenach — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:01:31 -0800

Oh, and Leonard Cohen isn't attractive. Ha. LC is attractiveness personified.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:19:12 -0800

he's ugly, but he has the music.

By: blucevalo

blucevalo — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:39:01 -0800

Now that would be quite something. A Sisters of Mercy album of Leonard Cohen covers. Or even a Leonard Cohen album of Sisters of Mercy covers. "Hey now, hey now now, sing this corrosion to me ... "

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:36 -0800

and i can totally hear leonard singing: i've got nothing to say i ain't said before i've bled all i can i can't bleed no more

By: adamvasco

adamvasco — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:36:58 -0800

Thanks for this. Here is a 2005 Interview with Marianne Ihlen