Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame

Subject: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: bobad
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 01:15 PM

Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen will be inducted into the U.S.-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday by Lou Reed, the gravel-voiced singer who was once the Velvet Underground's guitarist.

Story Here

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Peace
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 01:17 PM

He deserves it. Way ta go, Leonard.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Maryrrf
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 01:22 PM

I heard this and wondered! I'm a fan of Leonard Cohen but never thought of his music as rock and roll.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Peace
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 01:23 PM

Well, Mary, if I have learned nothing else on Mudcat, it is this: Leonard Cohen ain't folk!

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: bobad
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 02:21 PM

"Cohen, 73, is being hailed as the "folk rock icon of the singer-songwriter movement."

There ya go, the bases are covered.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:06 PM

"Well, Mary, if I have learned nothing else on Mudcat, it is this: Leonard Cohen ain't folk!"

and everything on Mudcat is the gospel truth right?

Charlotte (the view from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:10 PM

Well, their are lots of gospels and so lots of version of the "Truth". Leonard is himself and has written some wonderful words but neither folk, rock nor folk rock if we go by generally accepted understanding of any of these categories.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Beer
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:15 PM

Met Mr Cohen a while back when I had him perform at the Psychiatric hospital I worked at. He hadn't released his second album as yet but he sang some of his new material for us. His audience was more than grateful, as I was. Leonard deserves all the glory that is befitting. He was a gentleman then and still is. Glad you pointed this out Bobad.
Thanks,
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:28 PM

Good for Laughing Len ! And no one will ever convince me that songs like Suzanne dont qualify as contemporary folk !

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Peace
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:31 PM

'"Well, Mary, if I have learned nothing else on Mudcat, it is this: Leonard Cohen ain't folk!"

and everything on Mudcat is the gospel truth right?

Charlotte (the view from Ma and Pa's piano stool)'

Don't be so damned stupid. Of course!

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:41 PM

"Don't be so damned stupid. Of course! "

My, but it is so easy to wind some people up *LOL*

Charlotte (but at the same time detests rude people)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Peace
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:45 PM

Not even half as much as I detest snide folks like you. Piss off.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 03:46 PM

Hallelujah
(which will become a folk song in years to come)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,ALBERT
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 04:44 PM

I thought his version of the second world war song of resistance The Partisan was so moving...
albert

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 04:56 PM

Good news and well deserved too; I'm a fan.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:05 PM

Peace, Peace, so to speak

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: The Mole Catcher's Apprentice (inactive)
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:13 PM

actually Les, you're right, once more people try to pigeon-hole Leonard Cohen, and once more they can't. He is who he is.

Charlotte (the view from ma and Pa's piano stool

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Greengal
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:26 PM

I agree he couldn't really be pigeon holed, but since he was more or less a singer songwriter, (I personally enjoyed his writing a lot more than his singing) I think 'folk'is as good a category as any.

I was interested to hear from Beer that he was generous in giving his time as he did to people in hospital.

I also loved his song"Bird On The Wire" as performed by Judy Collins.A classic

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Gene Burton
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:28 PM

Cohen's written some real gems, and much of his early work certainly qhalifies as folk songs in my book. Am I alone in thinking his wit and great self-deprecating sense of humour are often (and very unfairly) overlooked? (Just to throw another pigeonhole into the fray, I kind of see him as the Canadian Morrissey, in this and a number of other senses. :))

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Peace
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:28 PM

Have you heard it by the Neville Brothers? Beautiful. If you go to Youtube, it's there.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:38 PM

Turn up the amps and he's "Rock." Turn the amps off, and give him an acoustic guitar, then he's "Folk," Let him quietly recite the words, then he becomes... a Poet!

Make a gumbo of all of that, and he turns into...A Great Artist...

Leonard, if you're reading this, congrats...
bob

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:43 PM

"I was interested to hear from Beer that he was generous in giving his time as he did to people in hospital."

Doesn't surprise me - I've heard a number of anecdotes concerning instances of gracious and generous behaviour on the part of LC.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Greengal
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:44 PM

Thanks Peace. I did enjoy that very different arrangement by the Neville Bros, but still like the Judy Collins version best.

I also went to see/hear Leonard/Judy's duet on You Tube of Suzanne. I realized something about Leonard. He was a handsome dude. Am I crazy (dare I ask that question on Mudcat ?)to think that he was really cool lookin' guy back then -esp. because when I was in school and first saw him, I thought he was sort of a gangly ungainly fellow. Ah..maybe it's just that I'm getting to an age where any fellow under sixty with a full head of hair and a belt at his waist( as opposed to under his armpits) looks good- but dang, if I don't find him an attractive hunk.

Any other gals have the same reaction?

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:54 PM

The performance is what makes the 'genre', or more accurately, the style. You can rock up Leonard Cohen, or Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Jean Ritchie, or even 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' with the right instruments. Add rhythm-driven accordion, double-stopped fiddle and maybe a triangle, and it's Cajun.

He's being recognized for being a great songwriter. The songs alone have made him a huge influence on modern music.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:57 PM

".....if I don't find him an attractive hunk.

Any other gals have the same reaction?"

I just see him as the great song writer he is

Charlotte (the view from Ma and Pa's piano stool)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 05:59 PM

Memories from Montreal...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFBKV0zVXSE

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 06:01 PM

Greengal - I think it's safe to say that several other gals have indeed had the same reaction. In fact, one of our (Candians') better known female poets once read a poem on national radio in which she expressed the desire to perform - on second thought,never mind; I found it rather embarrassing -

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 06:25 PM

One for the ladies. Just for fun...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrPEM2qc-j8&feature=related
"The place is dead as Heaven on a Saturday Night..."

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 06:33 PM

Look, if you think he is folk and rock these labels mean nothing. As does singer songwriter = folk. Nearly all(?) effective rock bands write their own stuff.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 06:38 PM

No doubt a great creator.

But what genius let him loose in a mental hospital?

What was the suicide rate after that?

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,ks
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 07:06 PM

the dude has saved my life on many an occasion...
why dontcha join the rosicrucians?
they will give you back your hope

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Mike B,
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 08:25 PM

He's being inducted along with Madonna among others.

(Wouldn't mind eavesdropping on a conversation between those two.)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Beer
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 08:59 PM

A caring one Richard.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Midchuck
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:07 PM

"Hallelujah" performed by k. d. lang.

Incredible, IMO.

Peter

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: meself
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:07 PM

Just heard Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive) on the radio grumbling about LC's induction ... "He's not a rocker", says Randy ...

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:14 PM

Fab songwriter AND bloomin' gorgeous to boot. One can be both. :)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Beer
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:19 PM

Randy (in my opinion) puts on a great show. Love to listen to him. He should join Mudcat and get some good advice on Leonard.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: C. Ham
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:55 PM

ust heard Randy Bachman (Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive) on the radio grumbling about LC's induction ... "He's not a rocker", says Randy ...


Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Miles Davis, Chet Atkins, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Bob Wills, Jelly Roll Morton, Bill Monroe, Mahalia Jackson, Charlie Christian, Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, Hank Williams and Robert Johnson are all in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and none of them were rockers either.

But all of them, and Leonard Cohen too, have been incredibly influential on music.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 09:55 PM

The Port of (Vieux) Montreal, St. Lawrence River, Chinatown, Spanish Restos up Ave. du Parc,
pitchers of Sangria. The French flavor of a Soup du Jour of Folksingers, Gypsies, Circus Performers, Poets, Priests, Pagans, and beautiful women...It's the early 70's, and a lot of people are singing this song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czQoGSYBeHU&feature=related

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Beer
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 10:07 PM

Thanks Bob.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 10:35 PM

I am the hugest fan. Started by someone playing me Suzanne when I was about 21 and buying his first LP and never looking back. His stuff is ageless, timeless - wonderful -- all the songs mentioned here are classics in their own way......; there is a wonderful dvd of a concert with mostly Canadian artists doing Leonard Cohen songs -- U2 are on it and they sing along with him and you just just FEEL that they are thinking - dear God - we are playing with Leonard Cohen. And yes he is / was totally gorgeous.......congrats Leonard.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: meself
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 11:30 PM

"But all of them, and Leonard Cohen too, have been incredibly influential on music."

Yeah, but who could beat who in a thumb-wrestle, that's what I wanna know ...

(Smart money's on Randy).

Seriously, though - that R&R Hall of Fame seems to be a pretty wide-open club ...

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Neil D
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 11:56 PM

The DVD TRUBRIT refers to is titled "Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" and is available for sale on Amazon and for rent on Netflix.

Cohen will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008 for his status among the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".[1]

    I've been a fan since I saw "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" on late night TV when I was about 15. I'm still a huge fan. His songs have been covered by over 1000 artists in a wide variety of genres. Not a lot of songwriters can say that. Congratulations Mr. Cohen and also to the Rock Hall for continuing to honor influential artists from preceding and parallel musical genres. Excellent choice Rock Hall!
    Now on the other hand, could we discuss this Madonna thing a bit more.(;<)

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Bob Ryszkiewicz
Date: 10 Mar 08 - 11:58 PM

Chelsea Hotel: Sung by Rufus Wainwright(son of Kate McGarrigle & Loudon Wainwright III)..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvqvAUqIqOU&feature=related

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Slag
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 12:50 AM

Perhaps, in the deepest sense of the term, Leonard Cohen IS a folk artist. More than that he is a poet extraordinaire. If you truly want to honor him in a "Hall of Fame" his would be sui generis, that is, a unique category. His earliest roots are in Rock so why not the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I wouldn't walk from here to my bathroom door to see Madonna but Leonard Cohen, I wish I could afford to go.

Cohen writes from a great depth of heart. He uses points of view that most of us can readily relate to but we never knew it could be shown with words and music. Cohen's work ARRESTS you attention, grabs you and makes you look at the tragedy and the beauty which IS life. Yes, Hallelujah!* Just a broken Hallelujah, life in the minor key which begs resolution but is denied the same.


* The word "Hallelujah" appears in the Bible only four times, all in the Book of the Revealtion of John, the Divine and it means "Praise ye the Lord (Jah, short for Yahweh, the God of the Jews).

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Beer
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:17 AM

Leonard as he is giving his acceptance speech. So and so (I do apologize for not remember the name that Leonard gave.) said. " I have seen the future of Rock and Roll and it is not Leonard Cohen".
Great line and good to hear Leonard voicing it.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:33 AM

Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Tina Turner ........... Leonard Cohen

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: fat B****rd
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:35 AM

More power to him, way to go etcetc, Personally I love "The Guests" and "Bird On The Wire" Beautiful Winners.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: meself
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:46 AM

"His earliest roots are in Rock so why not the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Actually, his 'earliest roots' are in Country & Western. Seriously.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:56 AM

I was more excited to see the Dave Clark Five inducted. But Leonard belongs there too.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 11:00 AM

Their is a danger that the R&RHoF will end up like Wallmart in reverse

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 12:36 PM

From: meself
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 09:46 AM

"His earliest roots are in Rock so why not the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Actually, his 'earliest roots' are in Country & Western. Seriously.

   meself, you are pretty close. Leonard did have a C&W band called "The Buckskin Boys" while a student at McGill in the early 50's, but I recall him mentioning in some liner notes that he and a friend had sang there way through "The Little Red Songbook" while they worked in a lumber camp as teenagers in the late 40's. He said they had the somewhat naive idea that the Nazis were defeated by song. This was where he learned "The Partisan" that he then recorded some twenty years later. His EARLIEST roots probably include some Jewish music from his boyhood in Montreal's Jewish community.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Jeri
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 12:43 PM

It was right before Christmas in - I think it was 1973. I was getting ready to leave for home the next day, but that day, I was stuck in the dorm after a blizzard with about 5 other people including a friend's brother who had brought what I shall refer to as 'some really good shit' and it went along with passed around bottles. That night, we sat in the day room (accidental pun) and someone (me, I think) dragged their stereo speakers out onto the balcony that circled (squared?) the floor above us. We had Leonard Cohen's 'Songs of Love and Hate' cranked up, and I understood every word. I understood the meaning of the words, the meaning of the meaning, and I'm pretty sure I was just a tad away from grasping the meaning of life.

Anyway, I woke up the next day and didn't remember any of it except that I had understood it all. To this day, I wish I could remember what I was thinking, although it would probably be more funny than insightful. I did come away with the belief that although Cohen is the darkest of the dark, that darkness, warmed by humor and gentleness is what makes some things shine so bright.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 05:55 PM

Slag wrote,

    The word "Hallelujah" appears in the Bible only four times, all in the Book
    of the Revealtion of John, the Divine

I'm no biblical scholar, but this seems unlikely to me. Psalms 113 through 118 are referred to in the Jewish liturgy as The Hallel, and I think you'll find Hallelujah written several times in those psalms, in the Hebrew if not in the King James.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 11 Mar 08 - 11:00 PM

Yeah Jeri.......sounds like a wonderful memory.

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Slag
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 02:07 AM

Footnote to the footnote. Apologies as my reference was to the KJV of the Bible. The primitive Hebrew root "halal" meant to be clear of sound or tone or even of color according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (it been many years since I studied Hebrew so I am relying heavily on Strong's). It can also mean to rave, to be wild, to give glory or be beside one's self or to shine. It is used throughout Scripture and when coupled with the clipped version of Yahweh, Yahh it means praise of Yahh or Jah. Yah or -iah often occurs on ends of names denoting some aspect, relationship or deed of God in that person's life. Same with -el which is short for Elohim a more generic term for God meaning "The Strong One". So you get names like Isaiah (Salvation of Yahweh) and Ezekiel (Whom God Will Strengthen). Why the translators of Ps 113 KJV did not use "Hallelujah" when they might have I can only guess (King James is purported to have used 72 anonymous translators as did the Alexandrian Jews (as tradition would have it) in translating the Hebrew to the Greek in the version known as the Septuagint (the Seventy-two[but abbreviate The LXX erroneously as LXX = 70]). This, of course, has to be one of the worst cases of thread drift ever but what the hey! I wonder If Mr. Cohen went to such lengths to analyze the word he chose for that song?

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 03:53 AM

Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Tina Turner .......... L Cohen?

Subject: RE: Leonard Cohen To R&R Hall Of Fame
From: gnu
Date: 12 Mar 08 - 06:17 AM

Well, I have read a lot of the above. What really matters is the first post... and LC's works.