Leonard Cohen has been one of the most influential names in the music circuit for his work. However, it was the lyrics that made him the man that he was.
There are very few people in the music industry that are known to be as great of a lyricist, as of a musician. However, it was not always like this. Much before it became cool to sing a song written by someone else, artists used to express themselves through their lyrics. No one can forget the bygone era of The Beatles and Bob Dylan, one from somewhat similar times, was Leonard Cohen.
Cohen had always been a man of words much before he actually even started singing and songwriting. Cohen decided to abandon his promising literary career in order to become a musician, and all of this was done out of his sole love for Rock’n’Roll. His novel – Beautiful Losers (1966) was a great success and many even believed that he could become as big as James Joyce in the literary world.
However, Cohen’s successful music career never made him look back to his literary days. His work was widely acclaimed and people simply loved what Cohen was writing and singing. There’s a thing about his voice that words simply fail to express. You can immediately feel what he was feeling while singing it and it was just amazing.
Leonard Cohen’s career spanned nearly 5 decades and when the world lost him last year, his fans were mourning for a very long time. At the age of 82, Cohen died in his sleep. While his death was unexpected, it was definitely was also peaceful. Adam Cohen, his son, admitted his father was writing until his very last moments with his unique brand of humour, something that many who knew anything about Cohen would admit to.
Some 3 decades ago, it seemed that Cohen’s career was on the verge of finishing. His label wasn’t ready to release his album (the same one that had Hallelujah) and when it finally came out, it failed to get the same response as what Cohen’s work usually gets. Then came the “I’m Your Man” album and things changed for Cohen. Eventually, this very album went to produce some of the classics by Leonard Cohen. Many believed “I’m Your Man” album gave Cohen the creative rebirth he had longed for.
On his 83rd birth anniversary, we decided to gather the best of Leonard Cohen for all his fans and audience.
10. So Long, Marianne
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
9. First We Take Manhattan
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
8. Chelsea Hotel #2
source: Jordan-Lily Voss
7. Anthem
source: tubedweller5
6. Tower Of Song
source: majorsnag
5. Everybody Knows
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
4. I’m Your Man
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
3. Hallelujah
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
2. Suzanne
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
1. Famous Blue Raincoat
source: LeonardCohenVEVO
Every lyric of Leonard Cohen has a beautiful story of its own.
21st September 2017
Jyotsna Amla