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Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

1967

Buy At Rough Trade
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Album Summary

Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album by Canadian folk singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on December 27, 1967, on Columbia Records. Less successful in the US than in Europe, Songs of Leonard Cohen foreshadowed the kind of chart success Cohen would go on to achieve. It reached number 83 on the Billboard 200, achieving gold status in the US as a sleeper hit in 1969. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart, spending nearly a year and a half on it.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.38

Votes

11902
Genres
Folk
Rock
Singer Songwriter

Reviews

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Thu Jun 17 2021
1

I wake up each morning and get a bit excited about the album I'm going to get. My mood shrunk instantly seeing my dads judgy face staring back at me. Hey I know; maybe smile if your face is going to be plastered on the album. Or spend less on the flashy font, and more on a photographer. First song made me want to crash into a ditch. The eventual accident report would read. "Poor bastard, another SUICIDE by Cohen."

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Sun Apr 18 2021
5

The vibes are immaculate. I love the blend between singing and storytelling, and how everything feels uncomplicated. Every element in the music contributes to the atmosphere, and it feels like adding or subtracting any part of the songs would ruin them. Overall I really love this album so far, and I definitely need to listen to more Leonard Cohen in the future as it's totally up my alley.

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Sat Feb 06 2021
3

Super chill listen. Not something id reach for all the time, but i wouldn't turn it off if I was like at a dinner party with my in laws or my parents, and we were having like some charcuterie

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Sun Oct 18 2020
5

There are certain albums that are ‘of one.’ There are only a few songs that, separately, I would mention. But as an album, they all become parts of a masterpiece. Sparse but melodic, the focus goes instinctually to the words and the overall ‘feel’ of the album. Great, great album.

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Wed Oct 06 2021
5

Fun drinking game! every time Leonard Cohen references some sort of religious imagery-take a shot. Except don’t cause you’ll die of alcohol poisoning

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Sun Jul 04 2021
1

If you Dylan is too exciting for you, you might love Cohen, who delivers every line on every song in the same whispery tone. Instrumentation was clearly an afterthought, if it was even a thought at all.

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Thu Jun 03 2021
5

Mellow, thoughtful and engaging.

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Mon Mar 15 2021
3

Cohen is an undeniable songwriting powerhouse but his performance on this album is just ... boring. Musically, every song is strikingly similar even while the lyrics are deeply different and, frankly, brilliant. This is also Cohen before his voice went pear-shaped so his singing is pretty dang good for Cohen. I want to like this album more than I do. But I don't.

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Sun Feb 21 2021
2

Day 35 of Albums You Must Hear.. Today’s albums is Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen, released in 1967. Leonard wrote the song Hallelujah, covered by more than 300 artists and is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, however, that song is not on this album. I don’t recognize any of the songs on this offering and I honestly found this to be a pretty boring and dull record. Please share your thoughts, memories and opinions!

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Thu Oct 01 2020
5

So many classic songs, incredible arrangements. A great start to an unbeatable catalogue of albums!

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Fri Feb 12 2021
5

A low 5, and I like it slightly less than You Want it Darker, but also it's a little more chill to listen to which is nice. These albums are hard to judge because I can't get much of a feel for them if I listen to them while I do something else.

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Tue Jun 22 2021
5

So far I've listened and rated almost 50 albums on this website, and this is my first 5 star rating. Everything about this just resonates with me. The lyrics paired with his voice and guitar playing is just .. perfect.

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Sat Jul 10 2021
5

Only one of the best albums from one of the best artists ever

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Mon Jun 06 2022
5

A musician and vocalist before he's a poet and don't you forget it, so can your read-alongs and just listen to the damn music. More often than not, the tone of his voice and the eldritch figures he picks from his guitar are the subjects--the lyrics more like light cast to make them dance and flicker. Many have sacrificed themselves in vain at the altar of songpoetry, with Cohen their misbegotten godhead. If only they'd listened in the first place. RIP to them and RIP to Lenny.

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Sat Aug 19 2023
5

much better than Songs from a Room and I really liked that one... it's a 5

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Tue May 04 2021
5

4.5. I really liked this, will be visiting this again. Great folk.

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Mon Mar 01 2021
5

I remember this album from my youth, my parents loved this albam

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Tue Feb 09 2021
5

as holy as it is human fav track: hey, that's no way to say goodbye

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Sun Jan 17 2021
5

Great imagery and interesting writing.

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Mon Jan 18 2021
5

I heard about Leonard Cohen but to be honest it sonund not so attractive... What an error!!! It is a wonderful album. From the beginning to the end you find quality in capital letters: the music, the voice, Great.

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Fri Jun 18 2021
5

Such good songs and simple staging, and that voice

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Thu Jun 03 2021
5

"have I carved enough, my lord?" "child, you are a bone."

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Mon Jul 05 2021
5

I was a teenager in Montreal in the 70s, but grew up not knowing Leonard Cohen's music, except Suzanne. Then in my 20s Cohen became cool and his cool factor just kept increasing. However I only bought this album about 7 years ago, listened to it a couple of times since, it's a noisy pressing so I never let it grab hold of me. So today was the first time I really listened to this album. It will now be in my regular playlist. I let it grab hold and its doing so with a vengeance. 5 stars

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Mon Jun 28 2021
5

One of my favorite albums of all time. Huge Leonard Cohen fan. Standouts: Suzanne, So Long, Marianne Hey, That's no way to Say Goodbye. Master Song, Store Room (Bonus CD 2007)

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Mon Sep 06 2021
5

Hard to describe the feeling Cohen invokes but it's easy to say that his music transcends the boundaries of typical North American / UK popular music and harkens back to a type of European folk sensibility. As anyone who has watched the 'Marianne and Leonard' documentary will know, Cohen travelled extensively in southern Europe (before living in a Buddhist monastery in Asia for the best part of a decade) and to my mind he somehow manages to capture this essence in his poetry and music.

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Thu Sep 16 2021
5

I'm blown away by the songwriting on this album. The music is understated, yet pleasant, and while it can be kind of same-y, the imagery and turn of phrase overcomes any and all of that. Cohen is one of those artists that I never really got around to, and now I'm wishing I had spent more time with him sooner. Best track: So Long, Marianne

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Mon Sep 27 2021
5

24th September 2021 Started in the morning and finished on Sunday afternoon over my birthday weekend. The man, the poet, the legend. Such a beautiful artist and singer, they're poems come to life.

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Sat Feb 26 2022
5

Classic Album, Classic singer/songwriter/poet, one of my favourite artists of all time. This isn't my favourite Cohen album but has classic songs "Suzanne" "Sisters Of Mercy" and "So Long Marianne" all became staples for his live shows but also for every busker on London Streets from 1968 onwards! I am so happy I luckily got to see him live on one of his last tours of the UK (Which he had to do after being ripped of by his ex manager) He was amazing and had a brilliant band including a flamenco guitarist (Javier Mas) it was one of those nights where music just flows over you. He was and remains one of my musical heroes, maybe because he was primarily a poet, like Dylan and music was the vehicle for his poetry. Oh My Favourite Cohen Album: The Phil Spector Produced "Death of a Ladies Man"

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Sat Mar 26 2022
5

This is an absolute masterpiece. Leonard Cohen’s lyrics are mystical and transport you to another place. His guitar is haunting- to anyone who says he can’t play guitar- maybe he can’t do a jimmy page solo but he achieves a different kind of aura with his circular style. I still remember going ‘oh I heard of this guy’ and putting the CD on and quickly realising this was something special. A genius’ first work and one of my favourites. 10/10

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Thu Jun 09 2022
5

These are more like ballads than songs; you have to pay attention to the lyrics to follow the story. The use of language is fantastic.

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Fri Jul 22 2022
5

Of all days to make me listen to this album again. Leonard Cohen's early songs are inextricably tied up for me with a place and a time. I'm 19, maybe 20, and sitting with others like me on a rusting bridge over a canal whose green scummy surface is dotted with lilies. Someone strikes a match for another to light a cigarette. Lunch break between classes stretched out indefinitely. Mosquitoes buzzing in the late afternoon light, dogs snoozing in the shade. We're telling jokes and stories that people like us have told at that same spot many years before. We feel like we know everything. We think we'll stay this young forever. The romance of that space and time is like the romance of these songs. I revisit it as I age and see how fragile is its beauty. It's all a fantasy really. Leonard's lyrics refer to nothing extrinsic but unravel endlessly, a hypnotic, shimmering meditation on the moment that will pass, on the impossible mysteries of being human. They're so metrically and melodically perfect, so precise in their expression of yearning and loss and wonder, so complete in themselves that you cannot describe to someone after the fact what they felt like, what they were even about. You can't go home again. Every time I listen to this album I'm different, more bent and bumped around. The world is faded because it's larger than you knew. But the gift of memory is precious. Like a mnemonic device, this album takes me back to a time and place that I cannot really revisit, that maybe was never real. You return like a stranger and watch yourself. It's real enough to break your heart, though everything has changed. Songs of homecoming, songs of farewell. It's time that we began to laugh, and cry, and cry, and laugh about it all again.

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Sat Sep 03 2022
5

This album doesn’t just demand the listener’s undivided attention, it ties it down in it’s vice-like grip and consumes it whole. Cohen’s beautiful and poignant poetry have my goosebump muscles working overtime. You feel the pain and emotion on every track. Genius. Highlights: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, So Long, Marianne, Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye Probably the easiest 5/5 to score

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Tue Sep 27 2022
5

Ooooh this is a special album. I think Cohen is a musical genius and a poet. I mean what a stunning debut as well. I have a lot of love for the folky sounds of guitar picking, mandolin and other instruments. The mixture of pure story telling and abstract poetry in the lyrics is very exciting. Suzanne is a perfect opener, it's painfully beautiful, even celestial with the backing vocals and harp. I really love reading about how he wrote some of these songs and his unusual process. So Long Marianne is already a favourite of mine, there's so much variety and innovation between the oompa sounds on that track and the very stripped back songs with guitar picking and his vocals. Cohen's voice is an absolute winner for me, it's so rich and deep it sounds like how mahogany looks to me. This album is perfection!

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Sun Oct 30 2022
5

A brilliant album, lyrically, musically and in its production which is always in service to Cohen's brilliant lyrical expression. The arrangements are spare and basic but never boring,. Accoustic guitar underpins each song with flourishes from horns or percussion or backing vocals providing lovely accents that again serve the lyric. A picker of nits might say that the arrangements and maybe the melody can sound samey from song to song but deeper analysis unveils subtle but musically signficant differences. The Songs of Leonard Cohen is deserving of its legendary status 5 stars.

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Sat Jul 29 2023
5

These songs are devastating in the best way. He has such command of language, I am in awe. Hell of a debut.

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Wed Aug 09 2023
5

Only ever heard the hits here before, he has a command of language unseen in music, with such vivid imagery and apt metaphors. This is the second album I've heard of his, after the ill fated Spector album, and it's clear he's at the strength of his powers here.

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Wed Aug 09 2023
5

I can't believe we were given the Prodigy, then this album! someone up there wants to give me all the albums I like early! Sisters of Mercy is beautiful, and this album is a near perfect nostalgia hit. I just wish I could give it six stars.

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Tue Aug 15 2023
5

A sheer master class in songwriting from a lyrical stance, as well as one of beautiful instrumental work that keep you in tranced in Cohen’s world of love for each of its 10 memorable tracks.

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Thu Sep 07 2023
5

Amused by some of the reviews in this section--weird takes such as "How do people even pretend to like this? He's the music version of Shakespeare: people only say they like him because it makes them feel smart," bla bla bla... Are some folks so insecure in their lives that they let their inferiority complex ruin all sense of measure and caution in their judgments? Can't they just explain what they personally don't like in Cohen's songs and music, and then move on? No, they can't, and that's interesting. Pretty sure such a bitter stance would have amused the misanthropic-yet-tender "dissectionist" of human passions that Cohen was himself. Oh, the irony. I could also take a page out of those disgruntled listeners' book and venture to say that they are the ones at fault here, *objectively* speaking. One can indeed wonder if they're not a little disturbed by the somewhat radical nature of Cohen's debut album--ascetic and dry for sure, yet also hypnotic on a musical level ; a treasure trove when it comes to the lyrics ; and, most of all, a record that leaves you no choice but to actively give your time and attention to it. This record has very few "spectacular" elements in its contents (a voice and an acoustic guitar, basically), and yet in spite of that, it dares you to stop and listen. Which is always a little disturbing at first, and maybe explains why quite a few reviewers are "disturbed" by it. In the end, some of those naysayers just can't help themselves: if they don't get it, that only means that people who do are *lying*. How amusing, as I said. The irony is that it takes no effort to love this record if you're a Leonard Cohen fan. Because loving this album has nothing do with intellectual shenanigans or the utterance of thesis statements, contrary to what those misguided takes say. Loving this album is a matter of emotion--of how you can respond to the traditional-folk-like purity of the music, here set against the lyrics' modern sophistication (and sometimes wry undertones), along with Cohen's sullen voice being a mock-neutral referee between the two. A perfect balance for many, and one you don't necessarily need to overanalyze, in spite of what I've just written (words are always feeble to describe such masterpieces. aren't they?). After all, some people with a very flimsy grasp of the English language have "gotten" Leonard Cohen for decades (I know that for sure, I don't llive in an English-speaking country), and he's not exclusively popular in 'intellectual" circles either. Which kinda proves all the naysayers wrong all by itself, no matter what it is that they subjectively "feel". No harm in disliking Cohen if it's not your thing--just don't overplay your hand by yucking on other people's yum through the bad faith stance of judging fans' character or their honesty, instead of telling us about your own impressions. It's not graceful at all, to say the least. Not that those naysayers are anything new. A lot of people are unaware of this today, but when *Songs Of Leonard Cohen* was released, its reception by critics was a bit lukewarm, actually. The partly-hidden rationale was mostly that Cohen came from literary and poetry circles: he was an outsider and no "real" musician--and most specifically, he was no real "singer" (odd how snubbery can take many forms!). Yet those critics were at fault too, because they didn't "feel" the most important aspects to take away from *Songs Of Leonard Cohen*: its earnestness ; its blunt honesty ; its raw nature. Because whatever technical abilities Cohen lacked as a vocal performer, he made up for them tenfold through the authenticity, earnestness, and unassuming manners in his performance. Fortunately, general audiences were quick to understand the gem that he was, and you can bet your boots that next generations will, too, just as the ones before. Another layer of irony is that those suspicious critics actually did a huge favour for the Canadian folkster. Rejecting him, they unwittingly underlined his status as a constant underdog--a status he would keep on drawing inspiration from during his long career. The typical Leonard Cohen stance is that he watches the world--and even his own romantic escapades!--from the sidelines with a unassuming, stoic air. And his music gracefully underlines this stance, whether it is wisdom or self-delusion. Such hardcore stoicism is still what makes Leonard Cohen unpalatable for some listeners today, I guess... Those more recent naysayers should at least be aware that things could have turned out worse for them. Had Cohen fully had his way with this debut, there would for instance be far less orchestral arrangements in it, and even less female background vocals. We can all be glad that producer John Simon stood his ground, because the compromise the two men eventually found works beautifully here. Later, for other albums, Cohen would oscillate from a "less is more" philosophy for his subsequent LPs during the seventies, to some sort of maximalist layering in the eighties--one that was maybe partly ironic. But it's here, for this debut, that the perfect matrix has been set for the Canadian songwriter. Those women singing background vocals would for instance never really leave him--it's a marital "arrangement" between lush voices and Cohen's own somber timber that started with this album, and made a lasting impression to the world of music at large. See the sheer amount of cover versions of Cohen's songs if you ever doubt about that. As for the orchestral arrangements, listen carefully to "Master Song" and tell me that its minimalistic production values are not one of the most insanely subtle and yet most gorgeous things that has ever graced human ears--each short inflexion of the small orchestra underlining the lyrical proceedings in the exact way it should--whether through strings or a trumpet--and also enhancing the wonderful chords Cohen found for his tune. So called "deep cuts" like that ("Master Song", "The Stranger Song", "Stories Of The Streets", "Teachers"...) all have those sorts of endearing or enlightening details, and as a consequence, they becone immensely pleasurable if you take the time to sit down and listen. And if you add that string of iconic songs to those less famous tunes--"Suzanne", "So Long, Marianne", "Sisters of Mercy"--of which I don't have much to say given how they have seeped through popular consciousness for decades now--what you get is a perfect, perfect record, without a single dud in it. Running out of time to finish this review, so I'm gonna end it here. If you don't know the wonderful works of Leonard Cohen, don't listen to the naysayers. Have an honest go at it. Maybe you are like "Joseph looking for a manger", and you don't know it yet. Rest assured that once you heart finds shelter in those songs, it is just impossible to forget them. Five stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: 447 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 257 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 132 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 167

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Tue Sep 12 2023
5

I had never listened to Leonard Cohen until previously on this journey, I received "You Want It Darker," an album that I don't think should have been my first foray into Cohen's work. Now this, this is the exact kind of album I think should have been my first foray. I have listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen's contemporaries and loved them, and this definitely feels along the same lines as a work of Bob Dylan or Paul Simon. The album feels so familiar, and I was not surprised to find it was produced by John Simon, who had a hand in Simon and Garfunkel's "Bookends" which I adore, and think feels pretty similar to this album in some respects. He also produced many albums by The Band, so now it's all starting to come full circle. This album is soft, pensive, dark. Something that maybe does not feel monumental in a contemporary sense, but at the time definitely had to have been. This is an album I think I will come back to, something about it feels so familiar and lovely and I would love to get lost in it again.

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Fri Nov 17 2023
5

Evocative lyrics. Sublime metaphors. His folk blends a cowboy storyteller style with a little Greenwich Village sensibility. The whole album is solid, but The Master Song, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne are my favorites.

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Fri Nov 24 2023
5

The simplicity of the music allows the words to shine

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Tue Aug 15 2023
4

Like a poetic internal monologue of a dull mans mundane day. Even Leonard sounds pretty apathetic about the whole thing. Could have done with a bit of Chelsea Hotel to spice things up a bit. Nonetheless, I myself am also boring so enjoyed it.

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Tue Sep 05 2023
4

not bad added to the Sunday playlist

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Sun Jan 21 2024
4

Turns out that if you take Bob Dylan's formula and remove the ear-piercingly horrible harmonica, you're left with actually listenable music. Who would have guessed. Good old Lenny writes some swell tunes on this one. Proud of the guy.

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Sat Nov 04 2023
3

Now that I’ve completed 4 of the 5 Leonard Cohen records on the list, I think it’s safe for me to make this statement: This Leonard Cohen dude is a total bummer.

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Fri Aug 27 2021
2

Unpopular opinion - but I think Cohen is whack. His poetry is guff, his music is unlistenable (all eras) and I genuinely believe people pretend to like him for cultural cache. Emperor's new clothes made incarnate. Nonetheless, I gave this another spin to make sure my opinions haven't been coloured by youthful bile, but here we are again, bored out of my skull by Cohen.

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Wed Jul 06 2022
1

Something something something, well renowned, famous, blah blah dear god this is dull and I don't want to listen to any more of it.

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Fri Feb 19 2021
5

Sugar Man? Awesome for the sixties. I am going to listen again in mono.

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Wed Jan 27 2021
5

Very cool. Very easy listening.

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Sat Feb 20 2021
5

Que clase, que delicadeza! Como no querer a Cohen

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Mon Mar 22 2021
5

Leonard Cohen is amazing. This is earlier less noir and gritty, but still exactly what he does best.

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Wed Mar 31 2021
5

Este disco me recordó que, cuando era cachorro, mi perrito se dormía escuchando “Suzanne” <3. No soy muy fan del género, pero sí reconozco qué hay letras muy bellas, y creo que es lo que más rescato

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Thu Jun 10 2021
5

Love Leonard Cohen. Great album.

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Thu Jun 24 2021
5

Leonard Cohens debutalbum från 1967. Fantastiska melodier, men det som gör albumet till ett av de bästa folkalbumen någonsin är främst texterna, poesin. Cohen berättar dystra historier om kärlek på ett extremt vackert och uttrycksfullt sätt. Det är svårt att inte bli påverkad. Om han hade levat idag är han nog i mitt tycke den musikpoet som efter Dylan mest förtjänar Nobelpriset. Jag hade lyssnat mycket på tre låtar tidigare, Suzanne; So Long, Marianne; och Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye, och hade även lyssnat flyktigt på albumet i sin helhet. Förutom dessa tre toppenlåtar är det några andra som sticker ut extra mycket, främst Master Song, The Stranger Song, och One of Us Cannot Be Wrong. Den sista avslutar albumet, och handlar om Nico, som Cohen var förälskad i en period. Hon kallades för "The Ice Queen", och låten visar hur hennes kyla påverkade alla som kom i kontakt med henne. Han sjunger om hur han berättade om sina känslor för en terapeut, som bara genom att höra Cohen berätta om Nico blir kär i henne, och tvinga stänga sin klinik. Då hela albumet kännetecknas av sin poesi, och hur skicklig Cohen är på att använda ord, blir det extra påtagligt att sista låten avslutas med ett ordlöst jämrande från Cohen, efter att han klivit in i Nicos snöstorm. Då albumet är en poetisk uppvisning så kommer här några av mina favoritformuleringar: "And just when you mean to tell her That you have no love to give her Then she gets you on her wavelength And she lets the river answer That you've always been her lover" - Från Suzanne "And while he talks his dreams to sleep You notice there's a highway That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder It's curling just like smoke above his shoulder" "And then leaning on your window sill He'll say one day you caused his will To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter And then taking from his wallet An old schedule of trains, he'll say 'I told you when I came I was a stranger'" - Båda från The Stranger Song "I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me It's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea" - Från Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye. (Den kanske kändaste raden - "Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm" - är också vacker). Bästa låt: Svårt att välja en. Väljer fyra: Suzanne; The Stranger Song; So Long, Marianne; och Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye.

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Tue Jun 08 2021
5

Melancholic and beautiful. I just love it.

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Thu Oct 07 2021
5

What a wondeful album. My acquaintance with Leonard Cohen had been slight (and I've no desire to hear any version of Hallelujah ever again), so tonight was my first real dip into his work. My, what a work! His control of language impresses most; is there a misplaced word, an unrefined phrase on the album? I couldn't find one. Nor could I fault the atmosphere of each song. The wistful and bittersweet fits exactly next to the panicked and chilling. Superb.

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Mon Oct 18 2021
5

Surprisingly interesting, deep, meaningful, multi-layered, emotional, touching, tantalizing. I don't think I've ever actively listened to Leonard Cohen before, but I listened to this one twice already and will certainly listen to more in the future. Favorite song: Teachers

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Thu Nov 11 2021
5

First Cohen album for us and I’m hoping there’s plenty more. Such an iconic and instantly recognizable voice. Cohen was putting out quality material and stellar live shows from the 60’s right up until the year he died. (Most artists go their entire career without putting out something as good as “You Want It Darker” which Cohen did at 82. Fave Tracks “So long Marianne” “Suzanne” “One of us cannot be wrong”

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Mon Nov 15 2021
5

Perfect album start to finish

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Tue Dec 21 2021
5

Un dels millors debuts possibles. Poeta transformat en cantautor sense deixar de ser poeta, aquesta és la casa de 'Suzanne', 'Sisters of Mercy', 'Hey That's Not the Way to Say Goodbye' o 'So Long Marianne'. Totes tonades perfectes, tant lletra com melodia com arranjaments. La resta camina una mica per sota, però amb tanta elegància i sofisticació, en el millor sentit de la paraula, seria injust no donar-li les 5 estrelles

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Mon Jan 03 2022
5

This is a great album. I've never heard Leonard Cohen's earlier work before, just his later work. He's really a talented guitarist and had a nice voice in his early career And his lyrics are so rich.

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Mon Jan 03 2022
5

It was a jump to go from "You Want it Darker" from 2016 to this album 50 years earlier, the first of Leonard Cohen's career. This was clearly poetry from a younger man who still has time to find other loves and pathways. But as I said about that other album, his lyrics here are also inscrutable but always intriguing. I don't know why I've always loved the line, "And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China," from "Suzanne" (I also love what the melody does at that point). I thought of it in "Stories of the Street" with the line, "We will find that farm and grow us grass and apples there." There are too many phrases that catch my ear to satisfactorily list them here. Again the sound is dreamlike: the classical guitars, the backup vocals, a lot of 3/4 time...I enjoy floating along...

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Sun Feb 06 2022
5

I am not familiar with LEONARD COHEN’s SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN. I have THE FUTURE (1992) but it did not make a favorable impression. I know that IAN MCCULLOUGH from ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN thinks highly of Leonard Cohen. After listening to SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN, IU now understand why MCCULLOUGH thinks highly of COHEN. The opening song on this debut album "Suzanne" is absolutely stunning. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, LEONARD COHEN’s SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN Is joined by four subsequent albums: SONGS FROM A ROOM (1969); SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE (1971); I’M YOUR MAN (1988); YOU WANT IT DARKER (2016) Rate Artist: LEONARD COHEN (4.0) Rate Album (Year): SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN (UK 1967 Original) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN (UK 2007 Reissue (2 Bonus)) (4.5) Ranking of LEONARD COHEN - SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN songs No. Title Length Ranking 01. "Suzanne" 3:48 10.0/10 02. "Master Song" 5:55 09.0/10 03. "Winter Lady" 2:15 07.0/10 04. "The Stranger Song" 5:00 08.0/10 05. "Sisters of Mercy" 3:32 08.0/10 06. "So Long, Marianne" 5:38 10.0/10 07. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" 2:55 10.0/10 08. "Stories of the Street" 4:35 09.0/10 09. "Teachers" 3:01 10.0/10 10. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" 4:23 09.0/10 US 1967 Original Release 090.0/100 = 9.00 / 2 = 4.50 Bonus tracks on 2007 reissue 11. "Store Room" 5:06 08.0/10 12. "Blessed Is the Memory" 3:03 08.0/10 US 2007 Reissue (2 Bonus) Release 106.0/120 = 8.83 / 2 = 4.42

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Mon Feb 21 2022
5

Ok, this (unsurprisingly) definitely benefited from a proper listen paying attention to the lyrics! I think the only song I was particularly familiar with was "Suzanne", from Nina Simone's version. Fascinating to learn that goth band The Sisters of Mercy took their name from a track from this album, and titled one of their compilations with a lyric from another song. Fave track - "Teachers" - super bleak and weird, I love it.

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Tue Feb 22 2022
5

Just brilliant. I love this album dearly.

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Sat Mar 05 2022
5

Wasn’t in the mood for this so felt like it was being listened to because it was the only CD player in the car. Still one of the greatest albums of all time however

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Wed Mar 09 2022
5

All his early albums are just perfect!

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Sat Apr 02 2022
5

I LOVE Leonard Cohen. He's always a 5 to me

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Sun Apr 03 2022
5

Absolute whopper. I thought this must have been his greatest hits when in fact it was his debut album. Cover art 4/5

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Wed Apr 06 2022
5

Debut album from Canadian poet Leonard Cohen. Cohen was a poet and novelist since the mid-1950's. He had learned to play guitar years before but his musical career began with this album in 1967. I personally became more familiar with him only in the last ten years with his last few releases. I do remember his song "Everbody Knows" from the 80's though....my loss. He was much more popular in Europe and Canada. The musical style is folk with Cohen's voice, guitar and other various instruments. Each song is a story in and of itself; told in a third-person perspective from either a women or a man, a first-person perspective or sometimes mixed. The songs are unique portraits of love, relationships or romance. Besides Cohen's voice and acoustic guitar, some songs are backed with vocals, flute, harp, violin and other instruments. Each song is unique and the storytelling and music both simple and complex and worth a listen. Song highlights for me include "Suzanne" - the lure of the perfect woman, "So Long, Marianne" - the strong backing female vocals, multiple instruments, a past relationship and the word play with laugh, cry, laugh and "Teachers" - told in the first person about dreaming about teachers, being hospitalized for hatred and finally, not finishing lessons, played with a flamenco-style guitar. All the Leonard Cohen that I've heard is worth a listen. This, his first album, is a strong and good place to start.

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Fri May 13 2022
5

This is Leonard as I like to think of him. I feel guilty at giving 'You want it darker' a bad review. This is a solid 5*****. If you like this sort of thing it's going to hit you between the eyes. It's kinda like the same song with slight variations but the song is a hypnotic soothing affair that takes you away from the everyday hustle and bustle. Storytelling at it's very best.

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Wed May 18 2022
5

Mila niespodzianka jeszcze przed polowa listy kolejny pan Cohen, tym razem mialem okazje posluchac jego debiutanckiego albumu, Songs Of Leonard Cohen z 67 jest tym czego sie spodziewalem podanym jeszcze w bardziej minimalistycznej formie niz na Songs of Love and Hate, wiekszosc 41 minutowego nagrania to sam akustyk Cohenowy z dodatkiem jakiegos harpa czy mandoliny, niektore z trakow jak so long, marianne maja jakies delikatne drumy czy bas, ale wiekszosc to minimalistyczne kompozycje folkowe skupiajace sie na prezentacji liryki, a jak przystalo na pana Cohena jest to najbardziej soczysta strona nagrania, teraz jeszcze lepiej widac, ze sa to poematy przerobione na piosenki, a nic forsowanego, dodatkowo sporo mozna poczytac o orginach kolejnych trakow na geniusie, wiec z takim backgroundem tez inaczej sie patrzy na niektore piosenki, bo pojawia sie znowu motyw pani Nico, czy tez Marianne Jensen ktore byly dla Cohena muzami i obiektami ktore pozwalaly dokonywac tych zreczych fuzji odniesien biblijnych z miloscia wyzsza lub nizsza, bo sa traki traktujace o one night standach czy dziwkowaniu, ale takze piosenki o piosaniu pisanej piosenki, jak ma to miejsce na sisters of mercy, na ktorej pan Cohen pokazuje swoja feministyczna twarz, czy moze nie tyle feministyczna co czleka zadowolonego z samego siebie na wyzszym poziomie, czy to z faktu ze dostal od losu darmowego traka, bo byl to podobno jeden z niewielu utworow napisanych przez Cohena w jednym posiedzeniu, a traktuje on o tym jak przygarnal zablakane turystki do hotelu i pozwolil im sie przespac w jego pokoju gdy on pisal wlasnie ten utwor, wiec pisal tak jak pan Dylan, do ktorego najbardziej go rownam, bo przeciez rowniez ikona folka, chociaz o wiele bardziej mainstreamowego, to jednak widac podobienstwa pomiedzy dwoma artystami, nie tylko przez nawiazania biblijno judaistyczne, ale o to jak wyrazaja na papierze sanych siebie niby w podobny sposob, a jednak na jednego przychodzi kawalek z zaskoczenia, a drugi dziubie w papierze, az otrzyma cos wystarczajaco zadowalajacego i oddajacego to co chcial wyrazic, tutaj bardziej moge utozsamiac sie z panem Cohenem, bo czasem ciezko jest znalezc odpowiednie slowa zeby wyrazic swoje uczucia, odczucia czy nawet mysli przerozne, jestem kupiony tym albumem tak jak poprzednim od tego pana, wiec calosc trafi na poleczke spotifajowa, ale na plejke wrzuce jeszcze trzy utwory szczegolnie sluchalne, dwa z nich to najpopularniejsze nagrania tej plyty, wiec otwierajaca Suzanne i wspomniana juz so long, marianne ktore poza wspomnianymi dodatkowymi instrumentalami posiada takze dodatke chorki od pani Nancy Priddy, kolejny powod do sprawdzenia reszty dyskografii Cohena, chociaz mam nadzieje, ze jeszcze cos sie pojawi na liscie, bo taka plyta to prawdziwy powiew lirycznej bryzy wsrod zaduchu popowej papki

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Tue Jun 14 2022
5

Love this album! This man can do nothing wrong. 5/5.

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Tue Jun 21 2022
5

I love his voice. Such a musical chameleon as well with the different styles of music

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Fri Jul 22 2022
5

One of the most impressive debut albums. Aside from the words, his melodies and guitar playing are quite nice too. Probably my favorite song here is Sisters of Mercy. The only thing I don't like is the wailing at the very end of the album.

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Mon Jul 25 2022
5

CanCon alert🚨 Favourite tracks at the moment are Suzanne, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, & Sisters of Mercy. Took most of my adult life (so far) to appreciate Cohen’s music, but what a great album to drive home to late at night 24/07/22

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Mon Aug 01 2022
5

Perfect. Soulful, Erudite, Introspective. A true poet with a strong voice and beautiful melodies.

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Fri Aug 12 2022
5

Outra obra prima do Leonard Cohen! Tem alguns de seus clássicos. Amei, pena que passa tão rápido. Melhores músicas: minha amada So Long Marianne, Sisters of Mercy e Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.

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Sat Aug 27 2022
5

There are many singer-songwriters who fancy themselves poets, but none have quite the deft touch of Leonard Cohen. He’s not the most talented vocalists, but it doesn’t matter: he weaves a web of words that enchant every time.

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Tue Sep 06 2022
5

notes - absolutely captivating album - his voice and guitar are both fantastic and the focus of every song, with accents added sparingly - beautiful lyrics dealing with religion, love, addiction, fantasy - DEBUT ALBUM fav song - the stranger song - really beautiful guitar playing and a complex compelling story - his voice sounds fantastic least fav - sisters of mercy - didnt have the same impact of some of the other songs but i did like the panning bells/atmosphere

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Thu Sep 15 2022
5

Un super classique . Les mots l’album et l’ambiance general sont parfait. A avoir ecoute une fois dans sa vie .5

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Sat Sep 17 2022
5

Great poet, songwriter, poet and performer. Always nice to listen to.

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Sat Sep 24 2022
5

While this isn't the kind of thing I'd usually reach for, I was very amazed and moved by this album, and after a stressful and mentally iffy day, this brought out quite a bit of emotion which honestly surprised me. I'm very glad that I sat down and just listened to this album with no distractions, so I could appreciate just how lyrically amazing this book of musical stories was. Favourite: Teachers

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Wed Sep 28 2022
5

I think this might have been the first Leonard Cohen I bought...on tape...and just love this.

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