Posted on 11/10/2016 6:24:24 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee
Leonard Cohen, the Canadian poet and novelist who became a singular international presence as a singer-songwriter, has died. He was 82.
A statement on his official Facebook page read, “It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away. We have lost one of music’s most revered and prolific visionaries. A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date. The family requests privacy during their time of grief.”
Only last month, Cohen released his final album, “You Want It Darker,” a deeply introspective work that focused thematically on mortality.
His elegantly penned songs, authored during a musical career that spanned six decades, won him comparison with such other songwriters of his era as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. His best-known song, “Hallelujah,” has been recorded more than 200 times. Cohen never recorded a chart single and didn’t place an album in the top 10 until he was in his 70s, but his ardent fans and musical peers viewed him as a musical craftsman with few equals.
As a songwriter, his themes encompassed love in all its manifestations, religion, faith and the tenuous state of the world. Like “Hallelujah,” many of his tunes — his breakthrough composition “Suzanne,” “Bird on the Wire,” “Tower of Song” — became much-covered keystones of the popular songbook. His longtime accompanist Jennifer Warnes recorded several of his best-known works on her 1987 Cohen recital “Famous Blue Raincoat. . ."
(Excerpt) Read more at variety.com ...
Sad news. I really like his music. his lyrics.
Definitely an under-appreciated songwriter and performer. Many others have done covers of his songs.
Famous Blue Raincoat was the first CD I ever brought. The song Joan of Arc brings chills every time I hear it.
He was unique. I’ll say that much about him.
Didn’t realize he was that old.
Great talent.
RIP
Ballad of the Runaway Horse by Jennifer Warnes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BD7CFwiIsI
(WTF is wrong with FR today? Slow, slow, slow)
ping
Love his music. Rip.
At the end of life when all’s gone wrong,
A man can sing a victory song,
when the Lord of Lords says...I always knew ya!
Welcome home to this your place,
I’ll put a smile upon your face,
Because your heart was full of Hallelujah’s
Halleluhah, Halleluhjah...........
Good bye Leonard Cohen, thanks for a beautiful song of life. May you rest in peace!
Love “Everybody Knows”.
BTW, is FR under attack? I’ve had a hard time accessing the past few hours. Takes forever to load and also get error messages.
Oh,no !
A genius.
“Who by Fire?” is my favorite.
An old friend of mine played pedal steel and guitar for LC for many years. RIP LC
Love ‘Bird on a Wire’!
A revealingly silly liberal tweet:
“Michael Ian Black ;@michaelianblack · 1h1 hour ago
Now Leonard Cohen is dead. This is taking the whole “I’m leaving if Trump wins” thing too far. “
Leonard Cohen has been the background music of my life. His new album, “You Want it Darker”, has been playing here daily since its release on oct 21st. It was obvious it would be his last. RIP, Mr. Cohen. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.