[art by Bill Sienkiewicz]
As I've mentioned before on this blog, I've adored Leonard Cohen's poetry and music ever since I was a teenager in the 1970s. People who say he's depressing, negative or can't sing just don't understand! The man was a genius.
And of course, death can't hold him down. Recently, there have been two big announcements about Canada's beloved bard --
(1) Commemorative Stamps!
As announced in The Globe and Mail last week, "[t]hree new stamps from Canada Post celebrate the late laureate of existential despair, with portraits displaying him in different stages of his life."
The first stamp shows him as a young man in 1967 at the start of his musical career. Leonard Cohen was already a noted poet and novelist in Canada at this point. He is squatting, as if poised to stand and grow upwards to reach his full potential.
The second stamp reproduces a 1988 photograph. Here Leonard Cohen is standing upright, tall and confident. having come into the full power of his musical career as a singer-songwriter. This is the period during which he wrote Hallelujah, for example, which is probably his most famous and most covered song.
The final stamp shows an elderly Leonard Cohen in 2012, whimsically perched at the top of the image, looking upward to heaven. Always a spiritual seeker who wrestled with the Divine, he died in 2016, still grappling.
(2) Posthumous New Album!
At the time of his death, Leonard Cohen left a number of unfinished poems and songs which his son, Adam Cohen (also a singer-songwriter), promised to complete and release for him. This final album, entitled Thanks for the Dance, will be available for purchase in November. One short spoken-word song, The Goal, has just been made available --
Oh, that line -- "the neighbour returns my smile of defeat" -- classic Cohen! The art in the video is Leonard Cohen's work as well -- he often doodled little sketches in the margins of his manuscripts.
This album will be going on my Christmas list for sure this year!
This is worth listening to more than once ... more than twice.
ReplyDeleteThe stamps are perfect, as is the illustration at top. The man was a genius. And some people whose “can’t sing” are still a pleasure to listen to. Cohen was one of those. He was always on key.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of him, but love the stamps.....a chic guy with some swagger.
ReplyDeleteLots of great singer/songwriters didn't have great voices, but it was the emotion and the lyric that pulled you in.Cohen is like that.
ReplyDeleteAhhh...a favourite! Wow! Love The goal!
ReplyDeletea man of multiple talents and skills dear Debra :)
ReplyDeletei just checked his one song while reading you and liked it a lot !
this is so nice to know him through your post ,loved this video ,beautiful poetry indeed!
he deserve such tribute
blessings!
I really appreciate many of his songs, though I prefer many of the covers if his songs. My favorite is, That's no way to say goodbye, sung by Roberta Flack. It is one of the few songs I know all the words to, found that out when I had to put my dog done, I sang the song to my furbaby as she slipped away. I must had been not too bad....the vet didn't charge me for the service!
ReplyDeleteThere's no greater honor than being placed on a stamp, and it's also very cool. Hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteHe was a great song writer and more. Even if people never heard of him, I can guarantee they heard his songs.
ReplyDeleteWho?? Sorry I do know Hallelujah. I hope you get what you want for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your good introduction of Leonard Cohen whom I have not heard of. I will read his poems and listen to his songs.
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving comments on my blog. I am glad to know you have visited the castle, too.
Excellent - a lovely tribute to a brilliant artist.
ReplyDeleteWasn't he a Buddhist monk for a while? Maybe they should have put that on a stamp as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I know any of his songs! I think they should've put that first art on the stamps!
ReplyDeleteOMG I love him. I'd almost move to Canada just to get those stamps! (And also because of the Orange Menace...) This album will be my birthday present to myself.
ReplyDeletedamn...you got my hopes up for a minute there. if anyone could come back, it would be leonard. i guess i will settle for his last album but i'd rather have leonard back. i have days that it hits me that he is really gone and i feel awful all over again. i love him.
ReplyDeleteStill miss him and always will, friend D. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteDid not know about this album...!@@@
ReplyDelete@ Kirk -- Yes, Leonard Cohen was an ordained Buddhist monk and lived in a zen monastery in the USA for several years in the 1990s, I believe. He remained an observant Jew as well.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonder. Such a beautiful communicator. I love his voice. Like you, I've loved his work since I was a teenager. A friend sat me down to listen to Bird on a Wire and I've been a fan ever since. I'm so glad that a new album is coming out!
ReplyDeleteHallelujah - the song of my discovery of Leonard Cohen. Good poem. Sad but good.
ReplyDeleteOh I need to listen to that now!
ReplyDeleteSo short. So poignant.
ReplyDeleteOh my God, more Leonard Cohen? Yes PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteoh I can't wait..I love Leonard Cohen..I still remember the first time I heard him..on Austin City Limits..he was amazing..and still is..
ReplyDeleteLove the stamps and Cohen.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had those instead of the American Flag.
Hello Debra, It is nice to see Leonard Cohen getting this official recognition. When I bought a lot of stamps, I always used to get the commemoratives--sometimes they honored a favorite character, and sometimes I learned about someone new to me.
ReplyDelete--Jim
I say why wait for Christmas! You deserve the gift. Cool stamps!
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with him.
ReplyDeleteLove the 1988 stamp...I'm a fan..Thanks for sharing thesnipet of new album...wonderful
ReplyDeleteYou inspired my last post: https://vraiefiction.blogspot.com/2019/09/posthumous-cohen.html
ReplyDeleteAn amazing talent, certainly missed. The last CD "You Want It Darker" was just stunning. I'm glad to know there will be more. He's one of several musical geniuses whose many interviews on YouTube are well worth watching, for the depth of knowledge he shared. Patti Smith and John Trudell are others in that rare category.
ReplyDeleteAlways wonderful. His was the perfect voice.
ReplyDeleteHusband likes Leonard Cohen but I'm not convinced. Great stamps though. But I didn't know he wrote Hallelujah.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved Leonard Cohen's music. His "Hallelujah" is amazing. Canada sure publishes great stamps!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check that out on Spotify. Thanks for the heads up on the posthumous album.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful post Debra! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough to meet him in Montreal. He was leaning against a lamp post. I kid you not. His tour bus had to stop to let the Stanley Cup parade, going down Sherbrooke, go by. I was coming out of a metro stop and was late for a tutoring session. As I came out onto the street I looked across for oncoming cars and locked eyes with Mr. Cohen. I had seen him in concert the night before at the Montreal Forum. What a magic moment! I mean we locked eyes as I was rushing up the street worrying about being late. And then my inner voice was like, "turn around, you idiot!" So, I did.
ReplyDeleteI walked up to him...trying to be calm. I asked him if I could shake his hand and told him how much I enjoyed his concert. He shook my hand. A few more words were exchanged and then he was ushered on to his bus. As he was getting on he turned and said, "We'll be in Ottawa tonight." "I know," I said, "Good luck!"
Such a magic moment.