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Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
1967
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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!
So many classic songs, incredible arrangements. A great start to an unbeatable catalogue of albums!
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.
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.
Leonard Cohen is amazing. This is earlier less noir and gritty, but still exactly what he does best.
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
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.
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
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)
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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”
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
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.
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...
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
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.
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"
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
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
Absolute whopper. I thought this must have been his greatest hits when in fact it was his debut album. Cover art 4/5
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.
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.
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
a lot of bible references? master song and the stranger song i like the style and lyrics are very curious
Very similar to the Randy Newman I had a couple days prior. Strong lyrics and melodies, singular voice.
Phenomenal, definitely will come back and listen to. His story telling is great especially with his voice that almost is drained of care
Not bad. I didn't know that "The Stranger Song" was by Cohen, I only knew the version by Guilt Machine.
Flott album! Litt synd at favorittlåt av Cohen everybody knows ikke er med her. Og avslutningen på sistelåt høres ut som noen fulle sjømenn på nachspiel.
Liked it more than I thought I would, had a very cohesive feel to the album as a whole
Leonard Cohen también me intimida porque mucha gente dice que ufff, que wow y no sé qué más, pero a mí nunca me ha llamado mucho. El disco está lindo, me gusta su voz, eso sí y muy buen letrista. Las canciones que me gustaron fueron "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne", "Teachers" y "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong". 7.5/10
Still Leonard Cohen, still good. I like his voice more here but the production quality is obviously lower. He's got some strange lyrics too but that's just Leonard Cohen.
Cohen's quiet intensity, expressed forcefully through his poetic lyrics, clear baritone, simple flamenco-esque fingerpicking guitar, spare production. Beautiful.
Nice. Very cute beautiful nice well made little songs. It's not something I would listen to but if you consider when it was made, it's realllly good. Great debut by Leonard Cohen.
Jamás un disco que escucharía por iniciativa propia, pero me gustó. Tiene una vibra melancolía-wholesome. Creo que la canción que más me gustó fue Master Song, desde la tensión que crea la guitarra hasta lo bien que queda el canto con ello, es hasta un poco dark digamos; me pareció la más interesante del disco en cuestión acústica. En cuanto a letras, no tengo idea. Mood: Sadness trascendental folk
Enjoyed this. A lot simpler than his later work and it benefits because of it. Suzanne and So long Marianne are stone cold classics. Poetic rather than melodic but that his style and it works. 4/5
nice album, i dont know why but i really like this album and i cant really tell why. bit of the same each song but still weirdly good
Apparently I should listen to more Leonard Cohen. I liked the album as a whole, and So Long, Marianne really got me. 4+
It’s good. There are some really beautiful songs on here especially in the second half but as an album it didn’t really hold my attention. 3.5
Laughing Len's debut. Classic. Best Tracks: Suzanne, So Long Marianne, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong
A really really pleasant surprise - great lyrics and melody that sticks - will explore more - could see this getting a better rating after more listens
I really only knew Cohen for Hallelujah which is a bit genre-less in it's ubiquity but really enjoyed this album! I like his story telling melodies and voice. Would like to learn and listen more.
I’m the same as he was when this came out, his debut album. Wild. Obviously, he’s a great songwriter. Not the best singer, but his voice works well for his music. This album kinda seems perfect for a wistful, sunny summer day.
Classic Cohen, Master Song has mesmerizing guitar and Hey, that's no way to say goodbye is one that makes it in my Cohen favorites.
Great lyrics and storytelling, fantastic vocals, deep and personal, introspective yet inviting
Nice chill folk with great lyrics and occasional instrumental flourishes that really bring it together. Another one I should probably pick up on wax.
Mijn moeder draaide dit plaatje altijd grijs. Ik had vooral een hekel aan Suzanne. Blijkt nu toch best een goed nummer en een leuk plaatje. Jezus, wat worden we oud!
One of the greatest folk albums ever. Absolutely beautiful. Suzanne is one of my favorite songs ever. 9/10 1. Suzanne 2. Sisters of Mercy 3. Master Song
Peak singer-songwriter that could only compete with the likes of Van Morrison or Nick Drake. Storytelling technique is engaging and clear, a very difficult skill to master when it comes to songwriting. The highlights are "Suzanne" (my favorite Cohen song that reminds me of Sufjan) and "So Long Marianne" (the most accessible to audiences, and the deepest display of emotion; I love how he diverges from the chorus). "The Master" is a personal favorite due to how mysterious in nature it is. Every time I listen to it I pick it new details piecing together what the song is really about. No poor songs, just some less interesting ones. Now a compilation of Cohen's best songs would surely deserve a perfect score out of me (except his hit "Hallelujah"; I hate that song).
Gimme “The Stranger Song” all day long. Love it. And look at that dude on the cover! He’ll either kill you or sell you a car. Maybe both. Great marketing.
So Long, Marianne is too much of a sentimental favorite for me to be in any way objective about this album. He can be pretty rambly and I wonder if he really wanted to be a singer at all. Maybe he really just wanted to write and this is what started paying first. Regardless, he's one of a kind and I can't fault any of this. I like the whole dark vibe even if I don't get into some of the songs themsevles. But also, the way the Master Song ends, just so suddenly... I love all that.
This is the second Leonard Cohen album I've gotten on this list. I will say I have have trouble distinguishing one Cohen album from another, since they tend to have a similar sound. However, I always enjoy the experience. He's both a gifted singer and a gifted songwriter 4/5
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. Cohen had received positive attention from critics as a poet and novelist but had maintained a keen interest in music, having played guitar in a country and western band called the Buckskin Boys as a teenager. In 1966, Cohen set out for Nashville, where he hoped to become a country songwriter, but instead got caught up in New York City's folk scene. The album received mixed reviews at the time of its release, with Arthur Schmidt of Rolling Stone writing, "There are three brilliant songs, one good one, three qualified bummers, and three flaming shits."
I guess I knew of Leonard Cohen, but I never knew anything about him. This album was an enjoyable introduction, but boy did it feel like a lot to deal with. The lyrics are dense and left me with a sense that I barely had a grasp on how to handle the english language. I was impressed with the elaborate storytelling of every song and I defintely couldn't just passively listen. Rather each song pulled me in and nearly forced me to delve into it's narrative. What I felt the music lacked was an emotional connection that existed on an involuntary level. The connection required work.
cohen was one hell of a poet. i've always thought so but it's been a while since i sat and listened to this cover to cover and it's kind of devastating to be reminded of it
Debut album of Leonard Cohen. Melancholic 1967 folk. The album was more popular in Europe. It spent over a year on the UK album charts.
un álbum muy bueno en general. tiene una vibra particular que llega muy profundo, y sus letras son completas obras maestras. a pesar de que las canciones pueden llegar a sonar repetitivas, creo que cada una tiene su toque especial y en conjunto conforman un muy buen trabajo.
Very graceful/ quaint album. First time hearing his stuff. I did appreciate it, as I found it comforting and definitely peaceful for the ears. Describe him as a combination of Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond. No tracks, I can say, stood out. As they flow fluently amongst each other. Suzana although, sets the mood well. Only issue with this is, it ain't that experimental. All the tracks sound the say, stylistically. Country. Country. Country. Just wish it would've tried something different in terms of instrumentals, as all Cohen uses is a guitar. Still reccomend tho, for those gentle souls out there.
Canada’s Bob Dylan. National Treasure. Icon. This is a wonderful debut album, it’s emotionally driven and poignant music.
he is an acquired taste that took me decades to acquire. his songs are still done better by other artists.
Leonard Cohen is the man. One of the best songwriters who ever lived, and this might be his best album.
Definite shades of 60s folk which made it sound derivative but lyrics and complexity made up for it
I started this album with trepidation because I absolutely loved the album YOU WANT IT DARKER from but really didn’t connect with SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE from 1971. I wasn’t sure where I might fall on an album from 1967… “Suzanne” started and I immediately recognized it. I was familiar with the cover version by Judy Collins. I love this song, and the instrumentation and backup vocals were good. I really liked this song. "Master Song" followed up with a really interesting song that I also liked pretty well. Again it had arrangements that kept the interest level up for me. Great lyrics on this too, as on all the songs on this album. As the album continued it was clear this fell somewhere between the two previous Cohen albums I listened to. Parts of it were a little repetitive, but after listening to the album several times I started to pick up more of the lyrics and that made the repetitive parts more interesting. My favorite song was "So Long, Marianne" but other standouts were "Sisters of Mercy," "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye," and "Stories of the Street." Cohen's delivery of these songs appealed to me much more than "Songs of Love and Hate." Still not quite "You Want It Darker," but I enjoyed this album.
Interesting to listen to Cohen's first album not long after listening to his last. Not a lot of variety in this one --- most of the songs are easy to mistake for Suzanne. But Suzanne is a lovely song so not much harm in that.
I have definitely become more familiar with Leonard Cohen through this 1001 project. I had never listened to this album, although I was familiar with a couple of the songs. I like the album fine, but I found that the tracks lack variety...maybe even hearing similar musical themes on later albums. So, I tended not to love the album.
First time listen - loved the stripped back simplicity of the folk. Will be listening again to really dig deeper into the lyrical content
I don't think any of the songs on this qualify as "flaming shits" as the original Rolling Stone review reportedly said 3 did. Several I think qualify for Chris Knox's lyrical dig at Cohen's tendency to "try to make a song out of speech". The big songs on the album sre of course among the best in any league. Extra star for a debut with such an absolutely distinctive voice.
Songs of Leonard Cohen by Leonard Cohen (1967) Now this is a fine anti-pop record. Leonard Cohen’s debut album contains the mesmerizing “Suzanne” and several other top quality tracks. And there’s nothing here that is uninteresting. It’s helpful to be aware when approaching this album that Cohen was a recognized (if only modestly successful) poet and novelist before he was a singer/songwriter. In fact, he had already been featured on Six Montreal Poets (1957), a spoken word album with Cohen reciting his poetry on eight of the forty-three tracks. And it’s also helpful to keep in mind that Cohen is consciously and unapologetically Jewish, unafraid of expressing both his faith and his doubt in a predominantly Christian environment—he draws freely, imaginatively, and sometimes critically from images in the gospels. So in Songs of Leonard Cohen, the poet picks up the guitar and gives the listener compositions with well-matched chord progressions and near perfect poetic cadences. The album was recorded and released with the encouragement of Judy Collins during a period when Cohen was hanging out with Andy Warhol/Nico/Velvet Underground crowd. So one should be neither surprised nor put off by the surrealism of his songs (although it’s ironic that such an ‘anti-pop’ album would emerge from a community known for ‘pop art’). He is supported by delicate backing vocals (sometimes, as in “So Long, Marianne”, very 60s-ish) and sensitive if sometimes idiosyncratic instrumentals. The opening track “Suzanne” features haunting if perplexing sentiments of the listener’s need for trust, longing for love, and being commensurate with nature. The mysterious, “half crazy”, and entrancing Suzanne is juxtaposed with reflections on the “almost human” Jesus, who “sinks beneath your wisdom like a stone”. Beware of over-confident declarations of the symbolic meanings. It is deliberately opaque and provocatively obscure, but vivid nonetheless. Cohen’s voice provides a soft, pulsing dynamism to his words, but lacks tonal precision. Melodies are a conventional and unenigmatic mismatch with his most enigmatic lyrics. His guitar stylings are unexceptional, and lacking in variety. But these musical weakness serve to drive the listener to the lyrics, always delivered with understated power and authority. These tracks beg for a slow listen, without distraction, perhaps while feeding on “tea and oranges that come all the way from China”. Highly recommended. 4/5
Sounding like a man whose lived and then some, there is an appealing simplicity to the music and a frustrating complexity to the lyrics which renders Cohen a little elusive at times. For a musician where the poetry really matters, there is also something to be said for letting the music wash over you in a mood, although, in truth, if you do this, you may commit the heresy of thinking all the tracks sound alike.
More lovely acoustic singer-songwriter ish stuff. A big gap between the great songs and the good ones though.
Nice, prefer his voice here to his later stuff that I’ve heard, though admittedly I haven’t paid much attention to that yet.
Opuštajući, lagan album od Leonarda poete. ALbum koji više paše na tmurno/kišovito pa čak i noćno vrijeme nego obrnuto (jesenska aura). I da, na coveru izgleda kao Adam Sendler.
Ovi tekstovi jaoo. Suzanne mi je jako lijepa pjesma. I da stvarno izgleda ko Adam Sandler.
Cette version vivante de Leonard Cohen est bien plus convaincante que celle en décomposition entrevue sur l'album You Want It Darker. Un point à prendre en compte pour les futurs artistes décédés.
Wait... Is every Leonard Cohen song the same? Fast triplets on a classical guitar or slow strumming and one of the most monotome voices in the world. 4, for suzanne though And I'm sure it grows on me
+So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, Teachers -The Stranger Song Did I say all singer-songwriters sound pretty much the same? Well, I stand by that, but that's not a bad thing, either. Leonard Cohen takes his expertly-crafted poetry, and wraps it with a loving blanket of audio that effectively conjures up imagery of the story he's telling. So Long Marianne has that psychedelic, folksy, hippy-dippy feel that was prevalent of the era, but none of what's here is that. It's all very melodic and engaging; You can't help but to listen to Cohen's tale.
I'd listened to Leonard Cohen before and not really liked it. I enjoyed this album though.
Yeah I can appreciate Leonard Cohen as a poet and artist but only in small doses. Once song at a time is probably enough for me. That said he was an inspiration to generations of other artists.
Leonard Cohen is obviouslly an overlooked song writer. I just don't know if this is the album that needs to be on this list.
3.5 stars. Lyrically awesome album. Unfortunately it's the type of music I have to be in the mood for. Best to listen with head phones while relaxing to hear the lyrics properly
He is quite the mellow singer/songwriter. There is no urgency in his music, just peacefully goes through the words. I know he inspired many cause I’ve enjoyed covers of some of his songs.
The compositions themselves are beautiful, but often last 1 chorus or verse too long. There's an inherent mystery in the progressions, but repetition wrings out any interest before the tracks have ended.
Melancholic and slow. I love the songs "Suzanne" & "How Long Marianne". Everything blend together otherwise. It made me want to listen to Rodriguez
It's pretty solid. Definitely a folksy introspective Paul Simon vibe with clearly the focus on deeper than average lyrics. Though good, not something I'm likely to revisit.
I shockingly was super into it. His voice was so smooth and his lyrics felt like they really told a story. It was hard not to listen to it
Tres beaux textes. Mon hit: The stranger song. Sur la désire d'être en relation mais la difficulté d'y être heureux.
Mellow and complex. Have to be in the right mood for this. Kind of like how I feel about most Dylan.
Da schweben alle möglichen flüchtigen Aromen vorbei, und keines von denen kann ich so richtig fassen. Ich erinnere Anklänge von/Assoziationen an Reinhard Mey, ABBA, Serge Gainsbourg, Johnny Cash, Tony Marschall. Das bescheuerte ist, ich kann überhaupt nicht einordnen ob ich glaube dass er sich irgendwo in diesen Universen bedient hat, oder die sich in seinem, oder ob das sowieso alles in der allgemein geatmeten Luft lag. Irgendwie ist das Kirmesmusik, dann aber auch wieder hochseriös, und siehe auch sein gottgleicher Status. Man merkt: ich bin verwirrt und mir fehlt der Kompass. Keine Ahnung wonach ich da die Note gebe - gefällt mir supergut? Nein, sicher nicht besser als 3,5. Superschlecht? Auch nicht schlechter als 2. Ok, dann ... 2,8? 2,9? Hm. Na gut: Diese Platte bekommt von mir eine 2,85. Hier und jetzt und for the Ladies.
Ich hör ihn ja immer wieder gern und auch hier wertet dass Herz höher als das Ohr. 2.8
Leonard Cohen and his music are a national treasure. Unfortunately, you need to dig through some dirt muck to get to the gold, and this is it. I was bored, but was also listening through a lame car stereo which probably lost the finer dust of this album. 2.5 stars and rounding up based on the catalog to come. ### side note - I was introduced to Leonard Cohen from the Movie “Pump up the Volume” - when Christian Slater dropped the needle on LEonard’s “Everybody Know” I was hooked for life. Surprisingly, his version doesn’t make the soundtrack, but a solid Concrete Blonde cover does. The soundtrack also has another LC cut - “If it be Your Will” among many other nuggets - I encourage you to listen. This is the second time I’ve referenced it since we started the 1001…
This feels old school, but somehow not in a way that makes me feel nostalgic. I found the recording quality to be a tad bit distracting, and although I don't feel particularly strongly towards the music, I wouldn't mind listening to this again.
- [ ] Production: 9/20 - [ ] Songwriting: 16/20 - [ ] Innovation: 11/20 - [ ] Bangers: 5/20 - [ ] Emotional response: 13/20 - [ ] =54 Lovely stuff
Amazing song writer. Folksy with deep lyrics ala Dylan. Grew on me as the album progressed. A lot of slow, beautiful finger picking songs. Music that makes you think/feel. 3/5
'Suzanne' and 'So long, Marianne' are great. Some songs has beautiful storytelling with understated music. The rest of it is boring.
I love the vibes of the 60s. In general, from the point of view of the lyrics, the songs are beautiful. 6-above average (you can listen to).
It was really good, but not my favorite. He does really interesting things with singing past when a measure or instrument stops it’s primary attack, and that just lends to totally cool vibes. I got bored after a bit, but my attention span also isn’t the best.
I enjoyed this a lot but it didn't really grab me. If I could I'd give it 3.5 stars because it's not wowaweewa to get 4 stars but it's not so average that it deserves only 3.
Its nice is what I can say about it. I appreciate leonard is weaving these fantastic stories and I love the atmosphere they create, but the whole album being the same tempo is just a bit too meh. I still enjoyed it, but I felt like the album was just coasting really, I got very few emotional or energetic highs or lows. All that said so long marianne is fantastic i love it
I read somewhere once that Leonard Cohen was essentially a poet and the music was just a way of releasing his poems. This albums fits with that theory. It's very lyrically dense and musically pared back. It was a decent listen, but not really my kind of thing.
Good ol' Folk music from Canada! Leonard Cohen's voice is so soothing to listen to and it blends perfectly with his music.
"Suzanne" et "So long, Marianne" sont des classiques à juste titre mais je trouve le reste de l'album peu intéressant
Beloved on RYM. Its too soft and samesy for my tastes. I like the brill building backup vocals on So Long Marianne.
Not my favorite style of folk but still an enjoyable album. The often almost spoken word story telling Cohen deploys isn't nearly as effective or engaging to me as his more melodic contemporaries (Nick Drake, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, etc.). That being said he still has some beautiful arrangements throughout and the lyrics can often be really interesting even if their density can make it challenging for me to stayed personally engaged.
Classic Leonard. But... I prefer the more developed voice, varied music. This feels like a preview of the main show.
This is much better than the last Cohen album on this list (Songs Of Love And Hate). More upbeat. I enjoyed most of these ballads quite a bit! I still have not heard much from Cohen that beats Hallelujah. One hit wonder? I remain unconvinced otherwise.
This is a beautiful album. It is very much a mood though. Not as dark as some of his later work, but like a walk on a grey fall day, beautiful but sad. Gorgeous lyrics, spare compositions. Some lovely guitar work on "The Stranger Song" and "Teachers." I dislike the use of the female backup singers. It makes things weirdly bright where they shouldn't be. Fave Songs: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne
Got a little dull after a while but I do like Cohen's voice and the overall atmosphere he creates.
Poet first, musician second. Quite monotonous as it's focus was on lyrics way more than on melodies. Worth a listen but I won't be coming back to this one, Leonard Cohen has made some better material later on.
Just ok. Never really got into Leo, and more familiar with his work via covers. This one's a bit too heavy for workday listening, so I'll have to give it another shot. And he does go by "Leo," right?
So Leonard Cohen is an great songwriter and a phenomenal poet. But for me, it kinda stops there. His singing doesn't do anything for me, and the overall instrumentation and innovation on his tracks leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. Lyrically he can stand toe to toe with anyone, but when you compare his songs to other musician-singer-songwriter-poets like Bob Dylan or Nick Drake especially, I think he gets left in the dust. With the exception of You Want it Darker, which is excellent. But yeah, this album just blurred into the one Leonard Cohen-ism for me. I respect his abilities massively - but I also think the sameyness and forgettability of a lot of this album probably goes under the radar a lot of the time
Folksy Cohen. Fun to go from him much older to this younger version, which definitely does sound '60s. I like a lot of the style here though, it didn't really blow me away or anything but it makes sense that he grew into the legendary singer-songwriter that he was. A very consistent level of craftsmanship. Favorite tracks: Master Song, Stranger Song, Teachers, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. Album art: Al Pacino. 3.5/5
Good ol Cohen. Always nice for an early morning listen. Every song felt like you were driving/walking through a dusty old town long forgotten by time. Apple says this sounded like nothing else at the time so that's pretty cool since it kind of sounds basic now. But for a debut album that is really impressive.
I have never been able to stand the constant drone of leonard cohen - I guess I didn't smoke enough weed in college.
This is basically a darker, more melancholic Bob Dylan. It's very poetic, definitely a lyric-focused record. You will get more out of this record if you pay attention to it, otherwise it will likely bore you. The guitar playing is great, too. I enjoyed the B-Side more than the A-Side.
"Songs of Leonard Cohen", guess whose debut album is this. A clue: he was actually a published poet and novelist. So, while his album titles are too generic for a poet (his second album, which I already heard, was titled "Songs from a Room"), his songwriting is unsurprisingly awesome. Folk, acoustic mellow albums are never my thing, even after listening to this undeniably fine record. It came two years before the personally boring "Songs from a Room", but I enjoyed this one more. Perhaps because it's more raw and sparse sounding than "Songs from a Room". I like the guitars and I felt the emotions in his voice most of the time. It has decent love songs, but still too mellow for my taste. The less "acoustic"/stripped-down tracks such as "So Long, Marianne" are personal highlights. Overall, just another acoustic moody album. Not my vibe, even during a chill, rainy day. Decent, but not for me.
3.5/5 Some good songs on the album. Easy to listen to, but not something special Favourite songs: - Suzanne - Master song - So long, Marianne
Pleasant tales of love and love lost to beautiful acoustic and Spanish guitar. Raw, reflective lyrics throughout but limited vocal range or variety.
Can see why this is on the list great song writing, a few great songs, Suzanne, so long Marianne, but found the rest a bit dull though.
Leonard makes church, gospel music. Idk why but that’s what comes to mind. But, like unorthodox. His lyrics, guitar, even his voice is really beautiful on this album. I like the moments with the female background singers too. My favorites were Suzanne and Master Song. Great album, but I wished I liked it more.
My concentration wavered towards the end. Cohen’s lyrics and narratives are brilliant, but the arrangements end up feeling and sounding repetitive, detracting from what is a worthy record overall.
Alrighty, cant say I know much about this guy other than hallelugia. Master Song is kinda trippy and intriguing. This album was pleasant, but not really my thing.
Suzanne and So Long Marianne are good songs, but the rest are to samey and to depressing
p136. 1968. 3.5 stars Lyrically light years ahead of the competition. Stripped down, sparse sound that still sounds fresh. Overwhelming sense of melancholy though, and if you're not prepared to listen to the lyrics a lot of the tracks can sound the same. You have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate this, and if you're not it can sound like self pitying meandering.
I'll be terribly honest, but Leonard Cohens old music never did it for me. And I've given this album another 4 listens and tried. But even though I really enjoy his poetry/lyrics and know how good of a songwriter he is, most of the songs just leave me feeling... nothing. I know I'm probably alone in this, but I like his later work better
Leonard Cohen is a poet, not a musician. It's interesting to pair this against his later work. This album is like the naive, dough-eyed kid who's finally set foot outside his boyhood home alone for the first time. Whereas, The Future (1992), sounds closer to a Bukowski book, reflecting a jaded folk singer with crushed dreams and regret. This album, SoLC is a wholesome coming-of-age listen on par with a Simon / Garfunkel album. I especially enjoyed So Long, Marrianne, which carries the S&G feel all the way through.
A pretty nice listen. However, it seemed like he was singing the same tune every song, but with different music in the background.
Not bad. Music is nice and mellow. Lyrical structure is quite formulaic throughout, rso can be a little repetitive, but it’s ok overall.
C'est à croire que Leonard Cohen était déjà mort bien avant de devenir son fructueux cadavre tant l'album est dépourvu d'énergie.
Любопытно было послушать раннюю работу Леонарда Коэна. Совершенно иное звучание нежели в современных работах. Даже работа с собственным голосом совсем другая. Master Song понравилась. В остальном, не могу сказать, что что-то зацепило. Но могу понять, кому альбом может понравится и показаться близким. Для меня это 5 из 10.
I've never actually heard this guy outside that annoying song Jeff Buckley covered. Aaaand it's American 60s folk rock, hoorah. I was expecting he'd be able to at least sing but he can't. It's so fucking amateur! I guess the lyrics are what sucks all the wannabe hippies in. Also, for 40min album this goes for a fucking AGE. Legend status denied. 2/5.
Not my jam. The songs were very similar, best one was So Long, Marianne but i didn’t listen to the whole thing
I love the later work of Leonard Cohen, at least the handful of songs I'm familiar with. I don't love this so much though - the songs are vaguely creepy. 2 stars.
Ouin je ne suis pas un gars de texte ça par mal, l’ambiance et la guitare est là mais ....
No thank you Leonard. I didn't like the singing or the music, and I feel like it's bs that he's on this list tbh.
Music and voice alone are not enough to keep me around to listen to the lyrics. Has to do more for me to stick around for long
muy pajero I guess, primera impresión no tan wena pero podría gustarme con más escuchas
Dated; presentations like that don't cut it anymore. Cohen's later albums are way better, IMO, even if they didn't achieve the same cult status.
I mean, it is LITERALLY one song! Again, I've tried Leonard Cohen before - not for me I think.
4/10 It was alright for me, all songs kind of sounded the same, might have to listen again, wasn’t paying much attention while listening through Favs: None
I don't know what to do with Leonard. He's a clever writer, but I never quite feel like I need more of his music. Some of the backing vocals cement this album into a earlier time, and this album has a number of strange songs to women. "So Long, Marianne" and "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" came closest to being a potential repeat listen. This album took some work to get through. I don't feel like rounding up --> 2 stars
-Kind of cool acoustic riff in "The Stranger Song" -ok the fact that Leonard Cohen wrote "Hallelujah" makes this album so much worse -Its basically just guitar and Cohen reciting poetry kind of singing for the entire album -there is like no change of emotion across the entire album -this would be a 3 for a lot of other artists, but it was so boring and Cohen was capable of so much better
This is not the album to listen too when you've just had your second covid jab, you're heading to work feeling awful, and you need a pick-me-up. Inspite of that, its fine, it's Leonard Cohen doing his stuff....2.5
Like his other albums, songwriting is impressive, but it's just a little boring and longwinded. Not anything I look forward to returning to
No es mi tipo de música aunque Suzanne (1) mola. Tendré que leerme las letras para entender a lo mejor. BT: Suzanne (1)
Slow folk music is not really my speed. This was OK, but nothing ever grabbed me enough to listen to it again. 2
Not all poetry benefits from being set to music; the words get lost here amidst samey melodies and finger-picking. I struggled to pay attention.
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.
I only want to hear Leonard Cohen songs when they're Soundtracking a western starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and even then I'm secretly wishing it was Cat Stevens scoring scenes of Beatty and Christie eluding bounty hunters. What I'm trying to say is I prefer McCabe & Mrs. Miller over Harold & Maude, and I'll take the whimsical Cat Stevens over Cohen and his minimalist poetry anytime. I do enjoy Judy Collins' version of "Suzanne", but that cover isn't on this album now, is it?
Hated the style of music and the repetitive monotone sound of each song. Added an extra star for the lyrics though.
Just listen to a greatest hits compilation and get through the funeral dirge vibes all at once, listening to his whole catalogue is just cruel and unusual punishment, some folks are singer song writers , Leonard can write.
2/20/22 I don’t like his talk singy vibe. His songs are just kinda slow and depressing. Not for me, but not total hate.
Listened to on 2/20/21 2.5/5 Favorite song: Suzanne This album was the epitome of storytelling background music - kinda odd and very sad but still beautiful
I probably should like Leonard Cohen... I can't quite work out why I don't. Musically it's all a bit dull and I don't think I have enough time in my life these days to sit and listen to the lyrics in depth
Leonard Cohen’s voice is the worst thing in entertainment…uninteresting. His vocals are bland…boring…and I can’t get past it. So Long, Marianne was the standout song on the album for me. After two albums and knowing there are three more coming, I’m beginning to wonder if I need to call bullshit on the 1001 list because Leonard Cohen should not be on it. One album I can understand, but 5 (!) means there is a deep flaw here.
Morose and monotone, minimalist in composition. A folk style from the Viet Nam era. Vocals and acoustic guitar predominate with garnishes of violin, harpsicord, flute and other uncommon instruments. Percussions are almost entirely absent this album, save the occasional glockenspiel (or whatever that was). The sentiments conveyed are surely nostalgic to the boomer, but this music is inaccessible to later generations.
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.
Not a fan, this could've put me right to sleep if I wasn't actively doing something else.
I find this guy so boring... It's funny how he had this squeaky voice before he got old and went on just talking over a soundtrack
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."
I enjoyed some of Leonard Cohen’s music in the past but this album is HARD to get into for me. Sorry Leonard =‘(
I just cannot get into it. I don't like his voice, and the songs don't do anything for me.
I just don't care for Leonard Cohen. I wanted the album to end much earlier than it did. I was not really entertained by any of the songs.
Well Leonard you are correct “this Suzanne is 😝 crazy. Great strumming on guitar not a fan of the pace and lyrics of his music
chl
I honestly don’t know what the fuss is. Sure Hallelujah is a masterpiece but nothing else of his even comes close.
Too slow and boring for my tastes. A couple of listenable songs mixed with a bunch of throwaways.
trippy, outside expectations even for bowie