The Song of Leonard Cohen
Posted April 19, 2009 on 3:53 pm | In the category Canada, Uncategorized | by Mackenzie BrothersThe ice has been scraped off the floor of the building, where just yesterday my brother and I witnessed (tickets from friends in high places) the relentless march of the Canucks to the inevitable series with Detroit for the real Stanley Cup (everyone picks the winner of the western division to roll over whoever wins in the anemic eastern division), and the stage is set for tonight’s performance by the most remarkable performer/author of the last half century. Fifty years ago, the young Leonard Cohen won Canada’s highest literary prize for the second of his only two novels, Beautiful Losers, which sold 3,000 copies, thus convincing Leonard to try another field, like poetry and singing.
And what a career that has been. He has also won the GG for poetry – Flowers for Hitler – and made (and lost) a fortune by setting many of his lyrics to music. The quality of his writing and his musical transcriptions is so high that a pure poet of the highest order, Germany’s greatest and most difficult contemporary writer and youngest winner of its highest literary prize, Durs Grünbein, once confided to my brother and me that Cohen was at the top of his list of colleagues worth admiring (and the only Canadian on it), a troubadour who had lived off the public performance of poetry for a lifetime. Durs wanted only one souvenir of his Canadian visit, not maple syrup or Yukon air, but Donald Brittain’s National Film Board documentary about the very young Leonard Cohen before he had even started to sing, not the easiest document to get ahold of at the time, though we managed to eventually get it delivered to Berlin. And now, at 74, Cohen is well into the most triumphant tour of his life, in March playing the 99th concert on the tour in his first performance in the United States (in New York) in 15 years. Though he’s from Montréal, he’ll be on home turf in Vancouver, just like the Canucks in the same building, and the long sold-out house is expecting a similar triumph.
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I agree Mr. Cohen is a great poet and songwriter, praised the world over, but his singing voice is, shall we say “shatneresque”. Mr. Shatner and Mr. Cohen (both Canadian, Montreal born Jews) share another “talent”: the abiltity to take a very good song (by speaking it, rather than singing it) and turning it into a parody of itself. Hopefully (in the near future) Mr. Cohen and Shatner will agree to do a duet at the Stanley cup finals. To have two such titans in one room, would be too much for one audience to handle. I’m sure the youtube video would get more “hits” than Susan Boyle’s.
Comment by Preacherbbb — April 19, 2009 #
The MacKenzies are in for a tremendous treat. We scored tickets to an early concert on the tour in Hamilton and it was a remarkable evening. Over three hours of songs, great supporting musicians, examples of Cohen’s wry sense of humor, but most important – the wonderful lyrics and music sung, actually in a voice that has aged gracefully and is stronger and more musical than in his early years. Watch especially for “Anthem” – a wonderful song done beautifully. And if the MacKenzies are lucky they will see the sublime Webb Sisters turn a cartwheel or two.
As for Lord Stanley – we shall see – it has been a long time since a Canadian team won it (15 years) so perhaps the Canucks are due. Looks like the Bruins will put Les HABS to bed early o Canucks may well be the last chance for our usually friendly neighbors to the North.
Comment by Jeff — April 19, 2009 #
Donald Brittain’s Ladies and Gentlemen…Mr. Leonard Cohen is now easily available, and from anywhere in the world. Lots of other great flicks available for streaming at http://www.nfb.ca, too.
I’m sure the show was incredible.
Comment by Julie — April 20, 2009 #
He was – at the Hamilton concert – as always, sublime. “Anthem” was my personal 2008 anti-Bush campaign song.
Comment by Allison — April 20, 2009 #
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