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Encyclopedia > Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen
Cohen in 2007
Cohen in 2007
Background information
Birth name Leonard Norman Cohen
Born September 21, 1934 (1934-09-21) (age 73)
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genre(s) Folk , Folk Rock , Pop , World Music
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Poet
Novelist
Instrument(s) Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 1956 - Present
Label(s) Columbia

Leonard Norman Cohen, CC, (born September 21, 1934 in Westmount, Quebec) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Folk song redirects here. ... Bob Dylans folk-rock album, Blonde on Blonde Folk-rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... World music is, most generally, all the music in the world. ... The term singer-songwriter refers to performers who both write and sing their own material. ... A poet is a person who writes poetry. ... For other uses, see Novel (disambiguation). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making music. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Pianoforte redirects here. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Seal of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means (those) desiring a better country (Hebrews 11. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Westmount redirects here. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... The term singer-songwriter refers to performers who both write and sing their own material. ... A poet is a person who writes poetry. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ...


Cohen's earliest songs (many of which appeared on the 1967 album Songs of Leonard Cohen) were rooted in European folk music melodies[citation needed] and instrumentation, sung in a high baritone. The 1970s were a musically restless period in which his influences broadened to encompass pop, cabaret and world music. Since the 1980s he has typically sung in lower registers (bass baritone and bass), with accompaniment from electronic synthesizers and female backing singers. The album Songs of Leonard Cohen was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens debut into the world of popular music. ... Folk song redirects here. ... Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Baritone (disambiguation). ... For the music genre, see Pop music. ... Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting around the tables (often dining or drinking) watching the performance. ... World music is, most generally, all the music in the world. ... A bass-baritone is a singing voice that shares certain qualities of both the baritone and the bass. ... This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. ... The term synthesiser is also used to mean frequency synthesiser, an electronic system found in communications. ...


His work often explores the themes of religion, isolation, sexuality, and complex interpersonal relationships. For other uses, see Solitude (disambiguation). ... This article is about human sexual perceptions. ...


Cohen's songs and poetry have influenced many other singer-songwriters, and more than a thousand renditions of his work have been recorded. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. Cohen was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a speech by Lou Reed on March 10, 2008 for his status among the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".[1] The Canadian Music Hall of Fame honors Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. ... The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (French: Panthéon des Auteurs et Compositeurs Canadiens) is a Canadian non-profit organisation, founded in 1998, that honours the best [[songwriters}} of Canada. ... Seal of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means (those) desiring a better country (Hebrews 11. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... Lou Reed (born March 2, 1942) is an influential American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. ...

Contents

Biography

Early life

Cohen was born to a middle-class Jewish family to a father of Polish ancestry and Lithuanian Jewish[2] mother, immigrant from Kaunas, in 1934 in Montreal, Quebec. He grew up in Westmount on the Island of Montreal. His father, Nathan Cohen, was the owner of a substantial Montreal clothing store, and died when Leonard was nine years old. Like many other Jews named Cohen, Katz, Kagan, etc., his family made a claim of descent from the Kohanim: "I had a very Messianic childhood," he told Richard Goldstein in 1967. "I was told I was a descendant of Aaron, the high priest."[3] He attended Herzliah High School, where he studied with poet Irving Layton. As a teenager he learned to play the guitar, subsequently forming a country-folk group called the Buckskin Boys. His father's will provided Leonard with a modest trust income, sufficient to allow him to pursue his literary ambitions. For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Location Ethnographic region AukÅ¡taitija County Kaunas County Municipality Geographic coordinate system Number of elderates 11 General Information Capital of Kaunas County Kaunas city municipality Kaunas district municipality Population 361,274 in 2005 (2nd) First mentioned 1361 Granted city rights 1408 Kaunas ( (help· info), approximate English transcription [ˈkəʊ.nÉ™s... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs cleanup. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Westmount City Hall Some typical homes in Westmount Westmount is a former (and future) city in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the Island of Montreal, an enclave of the city of Montreal; pop. ... The Island of Montreal (in French, île de Montréal), in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. ... Cohen (disambiguation) Position of the kohens hands and fingers during the Priestly Blessing A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן, priest, pl. ... The Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin Aaron (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ), or Aaron the Levite (flourished about 1200 B.C.), was, according to biblical accounts, one of two brothers who play a unique part in the history of the Hebrew people. ... United Talmud Torahs of Montreal is a private Jewish elementary and high school with two campuses located in Montreal, Quebec. ... Irving Layton OC (March 12, 1912 – January 4, 2006) was a Canadian poet. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship in which a person or entity (the trustee) has legal control over certain property (the trust property or trust corpus), but is bound by a fiduciary duty to exercise that legal control for the benefit of someone else (the beneficiary...


Development as a poet

In 1951, Cohen enrolled at McGill University, where he was president of the McGill Debating Union. His literary influences during this time included Yeats, Whitman and Henry Miller.[4] His first poetry book, Let Us Compare Mythologies (1956), was published under Louis Dudek as the first book in the McGill Poetry Series, while Cohen was an undergraduate. The Spice-Box of Earth (1961) made him well known in poetry circles, especially in his native Canada. McGill University is a public co-educational research university located in Montréal, Québec, Canada. ... The Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID) is the national organization which governs and represents university debating in Canada. ... This article is about the art form. ... Let Us Compare Mythologies is the first poetry book by Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen. ... Louis Dudek (February 6, 1918 - March 23, 2001) was a Canadian poet. ... The Spice-Box of Earth, issued in 1961, was Canadian poet (and future folk music star) Leonard Cohens second collection of poetry. ...


After graduation, Cohen spent a term in McGill's law school and a year (1956-7) at Columbia University, from which he dropped out. Alma Mater Columbia University is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. ...


Cohen applied a strong work ethic to his early and keen literary ambitions. He wrote poetry and fiction through much of the 1960s, and preferred to live in quasi-reclusive circumstances. After moving to Hydra, a Greek island, Cohen published the poetry collection Flowers for Hitler (1964), and the novels The Favourite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966). The Favourite Game is an autobiographical bildungsroman about a young man finding his identity in writing. For other uses, see Hydra. ... Flowers for Hitler is Canadian poet Leonard Cohens third collection of poetry, first published by McClelland And Stewart Ltd. ... The Favourite Game is the first novel by Leonard Cohen. ... A paperback edition of Beautiful Losers Beautiful Losers is a novel by Leonard Cohen. ... A Bildungsroman (IPA: /, German: novel of self-cultivation) is a novelistic variation of the monomyth that concentrates on the spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development and growth of the protagonist usually from childhood to maturity. ...


Music

1960s and 1970s

Leonard Cohen in 1969
Leonard Cohen in 1969

In 1967, Cohen relocated to the United States to pursue a career as a folk singer-songwriter. His song "Suzanne" became a hit for Judy Collins. After performing at a few folk festivals, he came to the attention of Columbia Records representative John H. Hammond (who signed artists such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Billie Holiday). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (984x964, 296 KB) [edit] Summary Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Look Magazine Photograph Collection. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (984x964, 296 KB) [edit] Summary Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Look Magazine Photograph Collection. ... Suzanne is a song written by Canadian poet and musician Leonard Cohen. ... Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939 in Seattle, Washington) is an American folk and standards singer and songwriter, known for the stunning purity of her soprano; for her eclectic tastes in the material she records (which has included folk, showtunes, pop, and rock and roll); and for her social... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... John Henry Hammond (December 15, 1910–July 10, 1987) was a record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Springsteen redirects here. ... Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. ...


The sound of Cohen's first album Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967) was too dark to be a commercial success, but was widely acclaimed by folk music buffs. He became a cult name in the UK, where the album spent over a year on the album charts. He followed up with Songs from a Room (1969) (featuring the often recorded "Bird on the Wire"), Songs of Love and Hate (1971), Live Songs (1973), and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). The album Songs of Leonard Cohen was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens debut into the world of popular music. ... The year 1967 was an important year for psychedelic music, with releases from Small Faces Itchycoo Park,The Doors (The Doors, Strange Days), Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxters), the Beatles Sgt. ... Songs from a Room was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens second album. ... // Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. ... Bird on the Wire is one of Leonard Cohens signature songs. ... For the Godflesh album, see Songs of Love and Hate (Godflesh album). ... // February 8 - Bob Dylans hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ... Live Songs was the Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohens fourth album, released during the three-year silence between Songs of Love and Hate and New Skin For the Old Ceremony. ... // January 9 - Mick Jaggers request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug bust, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones plans to tour Asia. ... New Skin for the Old Ceremony was the Canadian poet, novelist, and songwriter Leonard Cohens fourth studio album. ... // January - The Ramones form. ...


In 1971, Cohen's music was used to great effect in the soundtrack to Robert Altman's film McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Though pulled from the existing Cohen catalog, the songs melded so seamlessly with the story that many believed they had been written for the film. For other persons named Robert Altman, see Robert Altman (disambiguation). ... McCabe & Mrs. ...


Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cohen toured the United States, Canada and Europe. In 1973, Cohen toured Israel and performed at army bases during the Yom Kippur War. Beginning around 1974, his collaboration with pianist/arranger John Lissauer created a live sound praised by the critics, but which was never really captured on record. During this time, Cohen often toured with Jennifer Warnes as a back-up singer. Warnes would become a fixture on Cohen's future albums and she recorded an album of Cohen songs in 1987, Famous Blue Raincoat. Laura Branigan also sang back-up vocals with his band in the 1970s, but she never recorded with him. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... // January 9 - Mick Jaggers request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug bust, putting an abrupt end to The Rolling Stones plans to tour Asia. ... Combatants  Israel  Egypt,  Syria,  Iraq Commanders Moshe Dayan, David Elazar, Ariel Sharon, Shmuel Gonen, Benjamin Peled, Israel Tal, Rehavam Zeevi, Aharon Yariv, Yitzhak Hofi, Rafael Eitan, Abraham Adan, Yanush Ben Gal Saad El Shazly, Ahmad Ismail Ali, Hosni Mubarak, Mohammed Aly Fahmy, Anwar Sadat, Abdel Ghani el-Gammasy, Abdul Munim... Drawing of Jennifer Warnes on the cover of her 1982 collection The Best of Jennifer Warnes Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter. ... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Famous Blue Raincoat is the 6th album by Jennifer Warnes, and her first with the Private Music label. ... Laura Branigan (July 3, 1957 – August 26, 2004) was a popular American singer/actress from Brewster, New York, best known in the U.S. for the song Gloria (1982). ...


In 1977, Cohen released Death of a Ladies' Man (note the plural possessive case; one year later in 1978, Cohen released a volume of poetry with the coyly revised title, Death of a Lady's Man). The album was produced by Phil Spector, well known as the inventor of the "wall of sound" technique, in which pop music is backed with thick layers of instrumentation, an approach very different from Cohen's usually minimalist instrumentation. The recording of the album was fraught with difficulty; Spector reportedly mixed the album in secret studio sessions and Cohen said Spector once threatened him with a crossbow. Cohen thinks the end result is "grotesque",[5] but also "semi-virtuous".[6] See also: 1970s in music. ... Death of a Ladies Man is the fifth and most controversial of Leonard Cohens albums. ... Harvey Philip Spector (born December 26, 1939) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. ... This article is about the music production effect. ...


In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional Recent Songs. Produced by Cohen himself and Henry Lewy (Joni Mitchell's sound engineer) the album included performances by a jazz-fusion band introduced to Cohen by Mitchell and oriental instruments (oud, Gypsy violin and mandolin). In 2001 Cohen released the live version of songs from his 1979 tour, Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979. See also: Musical groups established in 1979 Record labels established in 1979 1979 in music (UK) // Stevie Wonder uses digital audio recording technology in recording his album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants. ... Recent Songs was the sixth studio album by Leonard Cohen, released in 1979. ... Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943) is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and painter. ... Front and rear views of an oud. ... For the Anne Rice novel, see Violin (novel). ... This article is about the musical instrument. ...


1980s

In 1984, Cohen released Various Positions, including the often recorded "Hallelujah". Columbia declined to release the album in the United States, where Cohen's popularity had declined in previous years. Throughout his career, Cohen's music has sold better in Europe and Canada than in the U.S.; he once satirically expressed how touched he is at the modesty the American company has shown in promoting his records. See also: // January 21 - Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart: it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40. ... Various Positions, the seventh studio album by Leonard Cohen, was released in December 1984 (and February 1985). ...


In 1986 he made a guest appearance in the episode French Twist of the TV series Miami Vice. In 1987, Jennifer Warnes' tribute album Famous Blue Raincoat helped restore Cohen's career in the U.S., and the following year he released I'm Your Man, which marked a drastic change in his music. Synthesizers ruled the album and Cohen's lyrics included more social commentary and dark humour. It was Cohen's most acclaimed and popular since Songs of Leonard Cohen, and "First We Take Manhattan" and the title song became two of his most popular songs. See also: Musical groups established in 1986 Record labels established in 1986 // 1986 - Goo Goo Dolls are formed in Buffalo, New York. ... For the 2006 movie, see Miami Vice (film). ... See also: Musical groups established in 1987 Record labels established in 1987 // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Drawing of Jennifer Warnes on the cover of her 1982 collection The Best of Jennifer Warnes Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter. ... Synth redirects here. ... First We Take Manhattan is a 1988 song by Leonard Cohen. ...


1990s

The use of the album track "Everybody Knows" (co-written by Sharon Robinson) in the 1990 film Pump Up the Volume helped to expose Cohen's music to a younger audience. In 1992, Cohen released The Future, which urges, (often in terms of biblical prophecy) perseverance, reformation, and hope in the face of grim prospects. Three tracks from the album - "Waiting for the Miracle", "The Future" and "Anthem" - were featured in the controversial and violent movie Natural Born Killers. Sharon Robinson is an American songwriter, record producer, and vocalist. ... Pump Up the Volume (1990) is a dramedy written and directed by Allan Moyle and starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis. ... See also: 1992 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1992 Record labels established in 1992 // 1992 was a pivotal year in the development of music. ... The Future is one of the most popular Leonard Cohen albums, and has come to be recognized as his essential film-score album. ... The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ... The Future is one of the most popular Leonard Cohen albums, and has come to be recognized as his essential film-score album. ... For the song, see Natural Born Killaz. ...


In the title track, Cohen prophesies impending political and social collapse, reportedly as his response to the L.A. unrest of 1992: "I've seen the future, brother: It is murder." In "Democracy," Cohen, criticizes America but says he loves it: "I love the country but I can't stand the scene." Further, he criticizes the American public's lack of interest in politics and addiction to television: "I'm neither left or right/I'm just staying home tonight/getting lost in that hopeless little screen." For other uses, see Los Angeles riots (disambiguation). ...


Nanni Moretti's film Caro Diario (1993) features "I'm Your Man", as Moretti himself rides his Vespa along the streets of Rome. This article is about the Italian motor scooter. ...


In 1994, following a tour to promote The Future, Cohen retreated to the Mount Baldy Zen Centre near Los Angeles, beginning what would become five years of seclusion at the center. In 1996, Cohen was ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk and took the Dharma name Jikhan, meaning 'silence'. He left Mount Baldy in 1999. For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... The dry garden at Ryōan-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Kyoto. ... Buddhism is a variety of teachings, sometimes described as a religion[1] or way of life that attempts to identify the causes of human suffering and offer various ways that are claimed to end, or ease suffering. ... For other uses, see Dharma (disambiguation). ...


2000s

Portrait 2008
Portrait 2008

In 2001, following the five years' seclusion as a Zen Buddhist monk at the Mt. Baldy Zen Center (where he served as personal assistant to Kyozan Joshu Sasaki Roshi), Cohen returned to music with Ten New Songs, featuring a heavy influence from producer and co-composer Sharon Robinson. With this album, Cohen shed the relatively extroverted, engaged, and even optimistic outlook of The Future (the sole political track, “The Land of Plenty,” abandoning stern commandment for yearning but helpless prayer) to lament and seek acceptance of varieties of personal loss: the approach of death and the departure of love, romantic and even divine. Ten New Songs' cohesive musical style (perhaps absent from Cohen's albums since Recent Songs) owes much to Robinson’s involvement. The album includes the song "Alexandra Leaving," which is a striking transformation of the poem "The God Abandons Antony" by the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy. Although not Cohen’s bitterest album, it may rank as his most melancholic. See also: 2001 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2001 Record labels established in 2001 // January 1 Comeback of Guns N Roses in House of Blues Hum disbands. ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... Debating bhikkhu in Tibet A bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... Kyozan Joshu Sasaki, Roshi (born April 1, 1907) is a Japanese Rinzai Zen teacher who has lived in the United States since 1962. ... Ten New Songs is an album by Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson, released in 2001. ... Sharon Robinson is an American songwriter, record producer, and vocalist. ... The God Abandons Anthony is a poem by Constantine P. Cavafy, published in 1911. ... Constantine P. Cavafy, also known as Konstantin or Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis, or Kavaphes (Greek Κωνσταντίνος Π. Καβάφης) (April 29, 1863 – April 29, 1933) was a major Alexandrine poet who worked as a journalist and civil servant. ...


In October 2004, he released Dear Heather, largely a musical collaboration with jazz chanteuse (and current romantic partner) Anjani Thomas, although Sharon Robinson returns to collaborate on three tracks (including a duet). As light as the previous album was dark, Dear Heather reflects Cohen's own change of mood - he has said in a number of interviews that his depression has lifted in recent years, which he attributes to the neurological processes of aging. Dear Heather is perhaps his least cohesive, and most experimental and playful album to date, and the stylings of some of the songs (especially the title track) frustrated many fans. In an interview following his induction into the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame, Cohen explained that the album was intended to be a kind of notebook or scrapbook of themes, and that a more formal record had been planned for release shortly afterwards, but that this was put on ice by his legal battles with his ex-manager. See also: 2004 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2004 Record labels established in 2004 2000s in music. ... Dear Heather is a Leonard Cohen album, released in 2004. ... Anjani Thomas is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist best known for her work with the legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, as well as Carl Anderson, Frank Gambale, Stanley Clarke. ... For other uses, see Depression. ...


On October 8, 2005 Cohen alleged that his longtime former manager, Kelley Lynch, misappropriated over US$5 million from Cohen's retirement fund along with the publishing rights to his songs,[7] leaving Cohen with only $150,000. Cohen was sued in turn by other former business associates. These events placed him in the public spotlight, including a cover feature on him with the headline "Devastated!" in Canada's Maclean's magazine. In March 2006, Cohen won the civil suit and was awarded US$9 million by a Los Angeles County superior court. Lynch, however, ignored the suit and did not respond to a subpoena issued for her financial records.[8] As a result it has been widely reported that Cohen may never be able to collect the cash.[9] Cohen has been under new management since April 2005. A cover of the Canadian magazine Macleans. ... A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in order to recover a right, obtain damages for an injury, obtain an injunction to prevent an injury, or obtain a declaratory judgment to prevent future legal disputes. ...


Blue Alert, an album of songs co-written by Anjani and Cohen, was released on May 23, 2006 to positive reviews. The album is sung by Anjani, who according to one reviewer "sounds like Cohen reincarnated as woman. . . . though Cohen doesn't sing a note on the album, his voice permeates it like smoke."[10] The album includes a recent musical setting of Cohen's "As the mist leaves no scar," a poem originally published in The Spice-Box of Earth in 1961 and adapted by Spector into "True Love Leaves No Traces" on Death of a Ladies' Man. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Spice-Box of Earth, issued in 1961, was Canadian poet (and future folk music star) Leonard Cohens second collection of poetry. ...


Cohen's new book of poetry and drawings, Book of Longing, was published in May 2006; in March a Toronto-based retailer offered signed copies to the first 1500 orders placed online, which saw the entire amount sold within hours. The book quickly topped bestseller lists in Canada. On May 13, 2006, Cohen made his first public appearance for thirteen years, at an in store event at a bookstore in Toronto. Approximately 3000 people turned up for the event, causing the streets surrounding the bookstore to be closed. He sang two of his earliest and best-known songs: "So Long, Marianne" and "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye", accompanied by the Barenaked Ladies and Ron Sexsmith. Also appearing with him was Anjani, the two promoting her new CD, along with his book.[11] is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Barenaked Ladies (often abbreviated BNL or occasionally BnL) is a Canadian alternative rock band currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Steven Page, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, and formerly Andy Creeggan. ... Ronald Eldon Sexsmith (born 8 January 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. ...


2008 promised to be an important year in his career. January 13, 2008, Cohen quietly announced to fans a long-anticipated concert tour [12]. The tour, Cohen's first in 15 years, began May 11th in Fredericton, NB to wide critical acclaim.[13]It will encompass Canada and Europe, including performances at The Big Chill (music festival), [14] the Montreal Jazz Festival, and headlining the 2008 Glastonbury Festival on 29 June 2008.[15] is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Canadian federal electoral district of the same name, see Fredericton (electoral district). ... The Big Chill is a UK festival of alternative and chillout music. ... The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or Glasto, is the largest[1] greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...


On March 7, 2008, Jeff Buckley’s version of Cohen's “Hallelujah”, went to number 1 on the iTunes chart after being performed by Jason Castro on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.[16] is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scotty Moorhead,[1] was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... This article is about the iTunes application. ... Jason René Castro (born March 25, 1987) is a Colombian-American singer and finalist on the seventh season of the television series, American Idol. ... The seventh season of American Idol, which began on January 14, 2008, is the current season of the annual reality show and singing competition. ...


A few days later, Cohen was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of his status among the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters".[17] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ...


Family life

In the 1960s, during his stay at Hydra, Cohen befriended the Scandinavian novelists Axel Jensen and Göran Tunström. He lived there with Axel's wife Marianne Jensen (now: Ihlen Stang) and their son Axel after they broke up. The song "So Long, Marianne" is about her. An alternative theory, however, which may be but a local Montréal urban myth, is that Marianne refers to rue Marie-Anne in the inner core of Montréal, a street on which Cohen lived many years and in whose little park at the corner of Boulevard St. Laurent he was known to sit on occasion. For a long time it was believed that the character Lorenzo in Jensen's novel Joacim (1961) was based on Cohen, but Axel told him it was influenced by Tunström. Axel Jensen by the piano. ... Göran Tunström (1937–February 5, 2000) was a Swedish author from Sunne in Värmland. ...


According to biographer and filmmaker Harry Rasky, Cohen has been married once, to Los Angeles artist Suzanne Elrod, and although the two did have an important relationship in the 1970s, Cohen himself has said that 'cowardice' and 'fear' have prevented him from ever actually marrying [1] [2]. He has two children with Elrod: a son, Adam, was born in 1972 and a daughter, Lorca, named after poet Federico García Lorca, was born in 1974. Adam Cohen began his own career as a singer-songwriter in the mid-1990s and currently fronts a band called Low Millions. Elrod took the cover photograph on Cohen's Live Songs album and is pictured on the cover of the Death of a Ladies' Man album. Harry Rasky, C.M., O.Ont. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Federico García Lorca Federico García Lorca (June 5, 1898 – August 19, 1936) was a Spanish poet and dramatist, also remembered as a painter, pianist, and composer. ... Who are the Low Millions? A simple question - with a couple different answers. ... Death of a Ladies Man is the fifth and most controversial of Leonard Cohens albums. ...


Cohen and Elrod had split by 1979. Contrary to popular belief, "Suzanne", one of his best-known songs, refers to Suzanne Verdal, the former wife of his friend, the Québécois sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, rather than Elrod.[18] In 1990, Cohen was romantically linked to actress Rebecca De Mornay. He is now romantically involved with (and working with) Anjani Thomas. Suzanne is a song written by Canadian poet and musician Leonard Cohen. ... Armand Vaillancourt is a French Canadian sculptor born on September 3, 1929 in the city of Black Lake, Quebec, Canada. ... Rebecca de Mornay (born August 29, 1959) is an American film and television actress. ... Anjani Thomas is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist best known for her work with the legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, as well as Carl Anderson, Frank Gambale, Stanley Clarke. ...


Themes

Recurring themes in Cohen's work include love and sex, religion, psychological depression, and music itself. He has also engaged with certain political themes, though sometimes ambiguously so. Love and sexuality are common themes in popular music, yet Cohen's background as a novelist and poet enabled him to bring a darker, deeper edge to these themes. "Suzanne" mixes a wistful type of love song with a religious meditation, themes that are also mixed in "Joan of Arc." "Famous Blue Raincoat" is from the point of view of a man whose marriage has been broken (in exactly what degree is ambiguous in the song) by his wife's infidelity with his close friend, and is written in the form of a letter to that friend, to whom he writes, "I guess that I miss you/ I guess I forgive you … Know your enemy is sleeping/ And his woman is free", while "Everybody Knows" deals in part with the harsh reality of AIDS: "… the naked man and woman/ Are just a shining artifact of the past." For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ...


"Sisters of Mercy" evokes genuine love found in a hotel room encounter with two Edmonton women. Some[who?] have claimed that "Chelsea Hotel #2" treats his affair with Janis Joplin rather unsentimentally and others that it reveals a much more complicated and mixed set of feelings than straightforward love. Cohen discusses the song in an interview filmed for the tribute-concert movie [[3]]. He confirms that the subject is indeed Janis with some evident embarrassment. "She wouldn't mind," he declares, "but my mother would be appalled." The title of "Don't Go Home with Your Hard-On" speaks for itself. This article is about the city in Alberta, Canada. ... A well-known residence for artists, musicians and writers, the Hotel Chelsea is located in the neighborhood of Chelsea in New York City. ... Janis Lyn Joplin (19 January 1943 – 4 October 1970) was an American singer, songwriter, and music arranger, from Port Arthur, Texas. ...


Cohen comes from a Jewish background, most obviously reflected in his song "Story of Isaac", and also in "Who by Fire," whose words and melody echo the Unetaneh Tokef, an 11th century liturgical poem recited on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Broader Judeo-Christian themes are sounded throughout the album Various Positions: "Hallelujah", which has music as a secondary theme, begins by evoking the biblical king David composing a song that "pleased the Lord," and continues with references to Bathsheba and Samson. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Abraham Sacrificing Isaac by Laurent de LaHire, 1650 Akedah or the Binding of Isaac (‎, Akedát Yitzhák) in Genesis 22, is narration from the Hebrew Bible, in which God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. ... Unetanneh Tokef or U-netanneh Tokef is a piyyut that has been a part of the Rosh Hashanna liturgy in rabbinical Judaism for centuries. ... This article is about the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. ... Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר , IPA: ), also known in English as the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn of the Jewish holidays. ... Jacob wrestling an angel, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), a shared Judeo-Christian story. ... David and Goliath, by Caravaggio, c. ... Bathsheba (בת שבע) is the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of King David in the Hebrew Bible. ... Samson and Delilah, by Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) This article is about Biblical figure. ...


In his early career as a novelist, Beautiful Losers grappled with the mysticism of the Catholic/Iroquois Catherine Tekakwitha. Cohen has also been involved with Buddhism at least since the 1970s and in 1996 he was ordained a Buddhist monk. However, he still considers himself also a Jew: "I'm not looking for a new religion. I'm quite happy with the old one, with Judaism."[19] For other uses, see Iroquois (disambiguation). ... Statue of Kateri Tekakwitha in front of Cathedral of St. ... Buddhism is a variety of teachings, sometimes described as a religion[1] or way of life that attempts to identify the causes of human suffering and offer various ways that are claimed to end, or ease suffering. ...


Having suffered from psychological depression during much of his life (although less so with the onset of old age), Cohen has written much (especially in his early work) about depression and suicide. The wife of the protagonist of Beautiful Losers commits a gory suicide; "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" is about a suicide; suicide is mentioned in the darkly comic "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong"; "Dress Rehearsal Rag" is about a last-minute decision not to kill oneself; a general atmosphere of depression pervades such songs as "Please Don't Pass Me By" and "Tonight Will Be Fine." As in the aforementioned "Hallelujah", music itself is the subject of many songs, including "Tower of Song", "A Singer Must Die", and "Jazz Police". On the Threshold of Eternity. ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ...


Social justice often shows up as a theme in his work, where he seems, especially in later albums, to expound a leftist politics, albeit with culturally conservative elements. In "Democracy" lamenting "the wars against disorder/ … the sirens night and day/ … the fires of the homeless/ … the ashes of the gay," he concludes that the United States is actually not a democracy. This is a specifically (and classically) leftist position, as is his observation (in "Tower of Song") that "the rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor/ And there's a mighty judgment coming." In the title track of The Future he recasts this prophecy on a pacifist note: "I've seen the nations rise and fall/ …/ But love's the only engine of survival." In "Anthem," he promises that "the killers in high places [who] say their prayers out loud/ … [are] gonna hear from me."


In "The Land of Plenty," he characterizes the United States (if not the opulent West in general) of benightedness: "May the lights in The Land of Plenty/ Shine on the truth some day."


War is an enduring theme of Cohen's work which in his earlier songs, as indeed in his early life, he approached ambivalently. In "Field Commander Cohen" he (perhaps metaphorically) imagines himself as a soldier/spy socializing with Fidel Castro in Cuba—where he had actually lived at the height of US-Cuba tensions in 1961, allegedly sporting a Che Guevara-style beard and military fatigues. This song was actually written immediately following Cohen's front-line stint with the Israeli air force, the "fighting in Egypt" documented in an (again perhaps metaphorical) passage of "Night Comes On:"-1... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Lynch (May 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, el Che, or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, political figure, author, military theorist, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas. ...


In 1973, Cohen, who had traveled to Jerusalem to sign up on the Israeli side in the Yom Kippur War, had instead been assigned to a USO-style entertainer tour of front-line tank emplacements in the Sinai Desert, at one of which he both came under fire and reportedly shared cognac with an unlikely self-professed fan, then-General Ariel Sharon. Disillusioned by encounters with dead and wounded Israeli soldiers, and having expressed explicit support for the Israeli side [20] [21], he wrote his song "Lover Lover Lover", where the ending line is: "May it be a shield for you, a shield against the enemy." For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Combatants  Israel  Egypt,  Syria,  Iraq Commanders Moshe Dayan, David Elazar, Ariel Sharon, Shmuel Gonen, Benjamin Peled, Israel Tal, Rehavam Zeevi, Aharon Yariv, Yitzhak Hofi, Rafael Eitan, Abraham Adan, Yanush Ben Gal Saad El Shazly, Ahmad Ismail Ali, Hosni Mubarak, Mohammed Aly Fahmy, Anwar Sadat, Abdel Ghani el-Gammasy, Abdul Munim... The United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. ... Sinai Peninsula, Gulf of Suez (west), Gulf of Aqaba (east) from Space Shuttle STS-40 The Sinai Peninsula (in Arabic, Shibh Jazirat Sina) is a triangle-shaped peninsula lying between the Mediterranean Sea (to the north) and Red Sea (to the south). ...   (Hebrew: , also known by his diminutive Arik אָרִיק) (born February 27, 1928) is a former Israeli politician and general. ...


His recent politics continue a lifelong predilection for the underdog, the "beautiful loser." Whether recording "The Partisan", a French Resistance song by Anna Marly and Emmanuel d'Astier, or singing his own "The Old Revolution", written from the point of view of a defeated royalist, he has throughout his career through his music expressed his sympathy and support for the oppressed. Although Cohen's fascination with war is often as metaphor for more explicitly cultural and personal issues, as in New Skin for the Old Ceremony, by this measure his most "militant" album. The Partisan is a song about the French Resistance in World War II. The song was written in 1943 in London by Anna Marly and Emmanuel dAstier de la Vigerie. ... The Croix de Lorraine, chosen by General de Gaulle as the symbol of the resistance. ... Anna Marly, (October 30, 1917 – February 15, 2006), was a Russian born French singer-songwriter. ... Emmanuel DAstier (1900-1969) was a French journalist, politician and member of the French Resistance. ...


Cohen blends a good deal of pessimism about political/cultural issues with a great deal of humour and (especially in his later work) gentle acceptance. His wit contends with his stark analyses, as his songs are often verbally playful and even cheerful: In "Tower of Song," the famously raw-voiced Cohen sings ironically that he was "… born with the gift/ Of a golden voice"; the generally dark "Is This What You Wanted?" nonetheless contains playful lines "You were the whore at the Feast of Babylon/ I was Rin Tin Tin"; in concert, he often plays around with his lyrics (for example, "If you want a doctor/ I'll examine every inch of you" from "I'm Your Man" will become "If you want a Jewish doctor …"); and he will introduce one song by using a phrase from another song or poem (for example, introducing "Leaving Green Sleeves" by paraphrasing his own "Queen Victoria": "This is a song for those who are not nourished by modern love"). Ironic redirects here. ... A 1800s Russian engraving depicting the Whore of Babylon riding the seven-headed Beast. ... For other uses, see Babylon (disambiguation). ... 1928 movie ad Rin Tin Tin (often billed as Rin-Tin-Tin in the 1920s and 1930s) was the name given to several related German Shepherd dogs in film and television. ...


Cohen has also recorded such love songs as Irving Berlin's "Always" or the more obscure soul number "Be for Real" (originally sung by Marlena Shaw), chosen in part for their unlikely juxtaposition to his own work. Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born naturalized American composer and lyricist, and one of the most prolific American songwriters in history. ... Marlena Shaw is a singer. ...


Titles and honours

The Governor Generals Awards are named in honour of Canadas Governor General, and are presented in a number of fields. ... The Canadian Music Hall of Fame honors Canadian musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. ... The Juno Awards are awards of achievement presented to Canadian musical artists and bands. ... The Juno Awards are awards of achievement presented to Canadian musical artists and bands. ... The dry garden at Ryōan-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple in Kyoto. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Debating bhikkhu in Tibet A bhikkhu (male) or bhikkhuni (female) is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. ... The Syndicat National de lEdition Phonographique (SNEP) is the inter-professional organisation which protects the interests of the French record industry. ... Ten New Songs is an album by Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson, released in 2001. ... Seal of the Order of Canada The Order of Canada is Canadas highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Orders Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means (those) desiring a better country (Hebrews 11. ... Canada Reads is an annual battle of the books competition organized and broadcast by Canadas public broadcaster, the CBC. Overview During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles over a series of five programs. ... Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... Molly Johnson is a Canadian pop and jazz vocalist and songwriter. ... The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (French: Panthéon des Auteurs et Compositeurs Canadiens) is a Canadian non-profit organisation, founded in 1998, that honours the best [[songwriters}} of Canada. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... The Grammy Award for Album of the Year has been awarded since 1959. ... Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Academy Award and Grammy award-winning American jazz pianist and composer. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ...

Discography

All albums released on Columbia Records Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ...


Studio albums

Title Release date
Songs of Leonard Cohen December 27 1967
Songs from a Room April 1969
Songs of Love and Hate March 1971
New Skin for the Old Ceremony August 1974
Death of a Ladies' Man November 1977
Recent Songs September 1979
Various Positions December 1984
I'm Your Man February 1988
The Future November 1992
Ten New Songs October 9 2001
Dear Heather October 26 2004

The album Songs of Leonard Cohen was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens debut into the world of popular music. ... December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... Songs from a Room was the Canadian poet Leonard Cohens second album. ... For the Godflesh album, see Songs of Love and Hate (Godflesh album). ... New Skin for the Old Ceremony was the Canadian poet, novelist, and songwriter Leonard Cohens fourth studio album. ... Death of a Ladies Man is the fifth and most controversial of Leonard Cohens albums. ... Recent Songs was the sixth studio album by Leonard Cohen, released in 1979. ... Various Positions, the seventh studio album by Leonard Cohen, was released in December 1984 (and February 1985). ... The Future is one of the most popular Leonard Cohen albums, and has come to be recognized as his essential film-score album. ... Ten New Songs is an album by Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson, released in 2001. ... is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Dear Heather is a Leonard Cohen album, released in 2004. ... is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Live albums

Title Release date
Live Songs 1973
Cohen Live: Leonard Cohen in Concert 1994
Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 2001

Live Songs was the Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohens fourth album, released during the three-year silence between Songs of Love and Hate and New Skin For the Old Ceremony. ...

Compilation albums

Title Release date
The Best of Leonard Cohen 1975
So Long, Marianne 1991
More Best of Leonard Cohen 1997
The Essential Leonard Cohen 2002

The Best of Leonard Cohen is a greatest hits album by Leonard Cohen, released in 1975. ... More Best of Leonard Cohen is a collection of Leonard Cohen songs released in 1997. ... The Essential Leonard Cohen is a career-spanning collection of Leonard Cohen songs released in 2002. ...

Books