Today is the 2nd Anniversary of Leonard Cohen’s passing, and to celebrated the occasion I’m attending a tribute show in Ballarat tonight.
My post here today is basically a repeat of an article I wrote last year, about Leonard Cohen. Of course there has been many stories written about the great man, and I don’t think I’m qualified to elaborate on his life story. This time last year, Canada held a grand Tribute Concert for Leonard Cohen, in Montreal, I’ll attach a link >> > Here . Another one of favourite’s, Leonard Cohen, Dance Me To The End Of Love, European Tour, Live recorded at Velodromo De Anoeta, Spain, 20th May 1988, a link >>> Here. If you have the time to watch these videos, I’m certain you’ll enjoy, I personally thoroughly recommend both of them.
The featured photo above is of my first two Vinyl LP’s by Leonard. On the right, “Songs Of Leonard Cohen” 1967, and on the left, the famous photo of Marianne on the cover of his second Album, “Songs From A Room” 1969. Marianne died 3 months before Leonard Cohen, and here is a piece of what he wrote to her just before she passed. “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 below the return letter, that was published on The Leonard Cohen Facebook site, after he had passed, November 7th 2019.
*Wikipedia, Leonard Cohen.
And now I’m feeling quite emotional, and all my friends on WordPress will be saying, “Ivor will be crying now”, and yes, they’re right too. Best I move on to a few of my favourite songs(all his songs are my favourites), from his first LP, “One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong”
And I think it’s appropriate that I choose a song from his last Album, which was released only a month before Leonard passed at the age of 83, “You Want It Darker”, and the stand-out track for me is, “If I Didn’t Have Your Love”, the lyrics are superbly sublime.
There’s so much more I would like to write, but I’ll leave that up to the Biographers. I shall mention a favourite poem of mine, also written by Leonard late in his life, a reasonably long poem, but well worth the read, “Happens To The Heart”, a link >>>Here. In closing below is an article, also posted on The Leonard Cohen Facebook site, by his son Adam.
Ivor Steven (c) 2018
