RIP Leonard Cohen and Leon Russell

[passedpawn]

Dead age 82. What a songwriter. My favorite is bird on a wire, but this I think is his best known:

 

[Yooper]

He was one of my all-time favorites. I'm not sure what I liked the best- I liked it all. He was probably the most famous Canadian songwriter ever, and had a gift with words.

 

[passedpawn]

My brother and I (we are both fans of this kind of stuff) are going back and forth right now on fave songs and versions (let's face it, the guy wasn't a good singer, so his remarkable melodies and lyrics were improved by others).

 

[passedpawn]

My brother likes the first here, I am a yuge Buckley fan, so I like the second.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Bummer.

My favorite was;

 

[DU99]

Don't make them like this anymore...

 

[jafo28]

Love this cover.

 

[Yooper]

I am also a huge Jeff Buckley fan, so I lean towards that version as my favorite- but Rufus Wainright also did an amazing version of Hallelujah.

I think Cohen is Canada's version of Bob Dylan as far as poetry and painting a picture with metaphors.

 

[Setsumi]

Just heard the news in South Africa. My favourite: Dance me to the end of love. And , no cure for love. Sad news

 

[Maylar]

Bummer indeed. My buddy saw him in concert just a couple years ago and even at that age he was incredible.

My favorite of his is First We Take Manhattan -



One of his greatest interpreters is Jennifer Warnes. Her "Famous Blue Raincoat" album is called "Jenny does Lenny". Cohen appears on it in a song about Joan of Arc. I think they toured together a while back too.

RIP to a master poet.

 

[Homercidal]

I have heard his name, but am not familiar with is catalog of songs. I'll have to pull him up on Spotify this weekend and check them out. From what I read, he sounds like someone I could enjoy. I like a good crooner tune.

 

[jmark]

RIP... I practically wore out his "I'm Your Man" album in college. Just amazing.

 

[BendOrnewbie]

We listen to a wide variety of music, but some evenings we just listen to Cohen. My wife and I really liked his later, gravelly-voiced singing.

 

[JuanMoore]

He just released his final album, You Want it Darker, just a couple weeks ago.

 

[Homercidal]

Man, I don't know. Wife and I listened in the car the other day and I just can't get into it. She described it as "torture". She likes his biggest hit done by some American Idol dude. I preferred that version too.

 

[jcav]

My brother likes the first here, I am a yuge Buckley fan, so I like the second.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdyTXBT5CQE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4

Yes sir, the Buckley version is the one I have on my iPod! Speaks to me every time I hear it!

John

 

[passedpawn]

When I created this thread, I considered the song Stranger in a Strange Land one of his best songs, but then I realized that singer was Leon Russell, not Leonard Cohen - and Russell was still alive! So, I didn't post that song. However, Leon Russel just died yesterday, so this thread's a 2fer.

Here's my favorite of his by far, then one of his hits.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

RIP, Leon. Best song ever!



However, I think Ray Charles gave it a soul.

 

[DU99]