Lyr Req: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 10:24 AM

Well, at least it gave Dylan and Cohen a benchmark to aim for, right? Even if they could never quite attain such lyrical majesty! ;-D Joni Mitchell was so blown away by the brilliantly subtle lyrics in "Honey" that she went off in a huff and sat around for hours glowering and smoking one cigarette after another, knowing she could never match it.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 10:51 AM

Spaw,

How do you do it?

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 11:06 AM

The Songs of Leonard Cohen sleeve says 1966, CBS album label 1967.
Advertised on the sleeve are albums by Barbra Streisand, Andy Williams, Blood Sweat & Tears, Tony Bennett, Marmalade, Tim Hardin, Mike Bloomfield, Gun, Johnny Cash, Dr Byrds, Georgie Fame, Johnny Mathis, The Peddlars, The Tremeloes, Love Affair, Bob Dylan (Nashville Skyline)

You've just proved my point, Nashville Skyline was released in March 1969! So how can an album released in 1966 be advertising an album from 3 years in the futue? This must have been printed in early 1969 and purchased sometime after that! The item on the sleeve note could well have been written at an earlier date than the actual album release date which was Dec 27th 1967 in US and sometime later in 1968 in UK.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Nick
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 03:17 PM

You don't think they printed the covers (full colour - cost savings on bigger runs) less often than the sleeves (cheap black and white and current)

How clever were they?

If you are up for it come and join the Opposable Thumbs Brigade.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 04:29 PM

Geez! That's asking a lot, Nick! ;-)

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 04:39 PM

Tell ya' Russ.....Most folks never seem to care much about the "how." They all seem to be a lot more troubled about the "why."

Spaw

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: gnu
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 05:45 PM

I know why. And I appreciate it.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 07:33 PM

It's "when" that troubles me... ;-) You just never know when it's going to happen next, and that gets hard on the nerves.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Slag
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 10:54 PM

Yes Spaw, LH, KV, I and a couple of the others were fish, hook line and chum!

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Slag
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 10:55 PM

Now I'm thinking, "Sisters of Misery"??

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 16 Oct 10 - 11:40 PM

Spaw,

You not only keep us coming back for more, but some of the more benighted catters actually beg you for more.

Russ (Permanent GUEST who can quit any time)

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 02:37 AM

I dunno Russ......Now I was never of big fan of Cohen but Suzaanne was not so bad. I found though that he had written a companion piece that went unfinished when Judy Collins found it to true to life and said she would never record it. I was lucky to acquire this remnant, just one verse, for your perusal..........

Roxanne will go down
On her knees and she'll blow you
And when she has finished
She'll rise up tall and go to
The kitchen where you tell her
She has pleased you to the utmost
So she gets out eggs and honey
As if to make you French Toast
But she stuffs the eggs inside her
Like a large pair of Ben-Wa Balls
Then she drizzles honey on your dick
Til it slowly flows and then falls
In a puddle....On the tile floor

Well, you get the idea of how that might be insulting to Collins and all but still, it might have sold.................




Spaw

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 02:41 AM

"too" true......geeziz.......I need two pruufreed mor.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 11:50 AM

Spaw,
I am appalled.
Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Slag
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 07:12 PM

Yeah, Spaw! That sure scrambled my eggs. Ben wobbles, does he?

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 09:05 AM

Yeah.......I can see where Judy Collins had a problem with it. She had that song about cooking with honey and this one would have put her in a bad light......or a good light, depending on your tastes.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: gnu
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 04:54 PM

Spaw... I am taken aback. That is gross, man. Honey? On French toast? Yer sick.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: GUEST,Marie
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 06:17 PM

Sisters of Mercy is a Cohen classic. Just beautiful. Leonard performed the song early in his 2008-2010 tour. Cohen's World Tour comes to an end December 12. Tell him what his concerts have meant to you. Please sign the Thank You card that will be presented to Leonard on December 12. Details at the Speaking Cohen website: Thank You Card

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 06:53 PM

So Marie.....Since you stopped..........I assume you're a Cohen follower/fan and as the partial lyrics to the "Suzanne" follow-up were unearthed, perhaps you could check and see if he ever completed them.

BTW.......I also found some other partial lyrics to something I figure is also a follow-up from him named "Cousins of Percy."


Spaw

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Janie
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 06:59 PM

His voice and singing have, imho, improved with age.

I came to his music kinda backwards. I discovered his poetry before I understood he was a song writer, when a beloved teacher/mentor died and I stumbled across his poem, "There Are Some Men." I was such a hick I didn't know he also wrote songs. Not long afterward I was listening to Judy Collins sing his songs, but wasn't one to pay attention to who wrote the songs on an album. It was 2 or 3 years before I finally read the liner notes.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 01:12 AM

Last month, I became an associate member of the Sisters of Mercy. I've heard this song is actually about prostitutes, but it holds true for much of the work of the sisters - giving comfort to the afflicted.

I know there are Mudcatters who will find fault with the sisters, and I know there were some sisters who did wrong. I believe that bishop-accountability.org has only one American nun listed on its list of American Catholic Church child molesters - and she was a Sister of Mercy.

The Sisters of Mercy were founded by Catherine McAuley in 1831, to serve the poor of Dublin. I'm sure they have failed at times, but many Sisters of Mercy have done wonderful things to bring comfort to the afflicted.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Slag
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 03:33 AM

You know Joe, that is one of the things that is so misunderstood by some critics of the church, various affiliated organizations and members at large. Once someone has espoused faith these critics narrow their view and watch and wait to see if they stumble and should they well, to them, that is some kind of confirmation that it is all bogus. They've missed the point entirely.

Yes the person has changed. They are re-oriented towards God and that which is good but they are still human beings, imperfect. All stumble and fall but they get back up and continue on in the right direction, forgiven, under grace.

The ones who give, in the broadest sense of the word, religion, a black eye are the ones who are hiding out in a religion, using it for their own wrong purposes. And sad to say, religion is not the only place these type are hanging out. Every organizatin has klnown them.

Subject: RE: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: JHW
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 10:52 AM

GUEST Woodsie that is curious about the album date. I can only say that the usual orange CBS label does say (P)1967
I guess I didn't keep the receipt

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 03:56 AM

'Guest Eliza/eliza

"Woodsie
You may be right about the exact date. I started Uni in the autumn of '67, and I'm almost sure I was still in my first year when I heard the songs. But memory plays tricks!"


This isn't Eliza Carthy...as she wasn't born until 1975....but in some posts (not in this thread) this poster has signed as 'ec x'

Confusin', huh? ;0)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sisters of Mercy (Leonard Cohen)
From: meself
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 01:38 PM

"I've heard this song is actually about prostitutes"

Of course - isn't that the sort of thing a person hears about EVERY song that is discussed (here or elsewhere)? (See the "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain" thread).

(Okay, I don't know if anyone actually mentions prostitutes in that thread, but why not? A great opportunity there for some aspiring intellectual.)