Leonard Cohen dead at 82

[dapaterson]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/leonard-cohen-dead-1.3846669

Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen has died at the age of 82, according to a Facebook post on his official fan page. His music label Sony Music Canada has also confirmed the news.

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In late July this year, Cohen received an e-mail from Jan Christian Mollestad, a close friend of Marianne’s, saying that she was suffering from cancer. In their last communication, Marianne had told Cohen that she had sold her beach house to help insure that Axel would be taken care of, but she never mentioned that she was sick. Now, it appeared, she had only a few days left. Cohen wrote back immediately:

Well Marianne, it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine. And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.
(http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker)

 

[GK .Dundas]

Well Damn ..... [

 

[cavalryman]

2016 officially sucks  [:'(

So many music legends shuffling off this mortal coil, and now Leonard Cohen joins the heavenly combo
I guess it's Closing Time.
RIP

 

[dimsum]

My favourite song of his, covered by an amazing a capella group:

http://www.faithtap.com/7030/pentatonix-beautifully-covers-hallelujah/

Crazy to think that while he wrote it and performed it, it never really took off until others covered it.

 

[larry Strong]

It's "Closing Time" I will miss him

RIP Leonard Cohen


Larry

 

[cupper]

My favourite song of his, covered by an amazing a capella group:

http://www.faithtap.com/7030/pentatonix-beautifully-covers-hallelujah/

Crazy to think that while he wrote it and performed it, it never really took off until others covered it.

Another version I think is well done. My personal favorite is Rufus Wainright's version.

It's one of those iconic songs you hear everywhere in movies and television, for dramatic effect, but yet it still seems unfamiliar.

 

[dapaterson]

How about Bon Jovi's cover of Hallelujah?

 

[cupper]

How about Bon Jovi's cover of Hallelujah?

They also do an excellent unplugged version.

https://youtu.be/Yq24uoejwHQ

 

[cupper]

Jann Arden has an amazing story about the first time she met Leonard Cohen.

https://www.facebook.com/JannArden/posts/1286767241360512

 

[Journeyman]

Yesterday, CBC radio had a Leonard Cohen tribute afternoon, playing his songs and telling the stories behind him. 

I never would have guessed that "Dance Me To The End Of Love" was inspired by a small group of Jewish musicians playing for the concentration camp prisoners as they were marched off to the gas chambers....  :'(

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Only in Montreal would an Army band soak in the creative atmosphere and live to the heartbeat of the city:

With less than 24 hours notice, the band that played at the Cenotaph ceremony yesterday at Place du Canada substituted in Leonard's Alleluia for one of the discretionary songs they play during the wreath laying portion of the ceremony.

BZ: Two commemorations, in appropriate tone, in one shot. 

 

[dapaterson]

And naturally, it's already on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW5ivjBGOVc

 

[captloadie]

Yesterday, CBC radio had a Leonard Cohen tribute afternoon, playing his songs and telling the stories behind him. 

To be honest, because they did this, I turned off the radio. Yes, Leonard Cohen's passing deserved special attention, but I got the feeling all the Remembrance Day programming they had set up was bumped because of his death. Remembrance Day got an hour during the noon phone in show (at least on the Kingston/Toronto/Ottawa Radio 1 stations).