Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen raised me. His music, his poetry, his voice, his soul. Everything he’s written is to be studied and absorbed. My heart is full because it devoured everything this man ever recorded. This album is so beautiful and wise. Always happy to revisit it.

Really really good - not for every day but so soothing

poetic masterpiece

How can you not love this album? Third time listening in my life and it just keeps getting better. Such poetry written by Mr. Cohen. Suzanne is such a beautiful song, I remember walking in the snow freshman year across the smaller bridge right by Fresh listening to this song,

5++

pretty songs with lyrics that I really like, in a genre that I love

This man is one of the greatest songwriters to ever put pen to paper. This is his debut album so he sounds much younger but I like him through all the stages of his life. Canada's answer to Bob Dylan.

Flawless

I mostly know Leonard Cohen's later stuff, where he sounds like the saddest old man in the world saying poetically terrifying shit over a beat, so this was very different. It's still poetically terrifying and depressing shit over a beat, but he's not as old, and it's more musicey. Quite a few of these, especially Winter Lady, So Long Marianne, Teachers, and One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong, are amazing. I may just be super into this dude.

such a gorgeous album. leonard cohen’s lyricism is such a big influence for me and the soundcapes he makes are so intimate yet mystifying. i absolutely adore this album.

I love his songs

Easy favorite. Used to be a 10 but alas whatever. Incredible piece of art. “Suzanne” is simply one of the best songs of all time, with some of the best one liners ever, most notably in my opinion being “there are heroes in the seaweed / there are children in the morning / they are leaning out for love / they will lean that way forever while Suzanne holds the mirror.” Another song that continues to blow me away to this day is “Master Song,” a brooding, surreal number, chambery yet minimal, calm but almost snarling. “Winter Lady,” a prettier song, resembling something of a sentimentality, is real good. “Master Song” is another song similar to “Stranger Song,” though in the place of Cohen’s passive anger is an apathetic, conversational mood, with some excellent lyrics to go along with it. Other notables from there are “So Long, Marianne,” which even as I like it less than most, I cannot deny the strength of a chorus as good as this one is. I much prefer, however, “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” which is just all around one of the best songs here, from the chord progression, to the woeful lilt in Cohen’s voice. The rest of the songs don’t leave as much of an impression on me, yet they all stun in their own ways. I suppose the only real criticism I have of this album is the way that it gives away some of its minimalistic intrigue after the first 4 songs. It’s all incredible, but songs like “Sisters of Mercy” and “So Long, Marianne” are much too openly warm and commercial for the rest of the album (and please remember that I love commercial music; I just desire consistency throughout my albums). That being said, whenever Leonard Cohen makes a song, be it depressive, religious, angry, hushed, or loud, it is and always will be completely worth listening to. 9.7/10

I mean, he's the best isn't he.

There's a world before and one after this record.

First and last song are beautiful poems. Very coherent album.

Mitchell. Drake. Simon. Dylan. Young. Stevens. Chapin. A legacy of storytellers and poets with a six-string in their hands. Yet, in my estimation, Mr. Leonard Cohen stands above them all. A true giant of his craft. There are simply not enough adjectives to describe the works of Leonard Cohen. This album is aptly titled, as it provides the listener with Mr. Cohen at his most human -- longing, desperate, woeful, lonely, and doubtful; yet filled with conviction, faith, and hope. This album, like Leonard's collective body of work, taps into an emotional well that few of his contemporaries can so easily do. The second that resounding E chord hits my ears on "Suzanne", I am presented with no choice but to pause whatever it is I am doing and sit in reverence of this man's songwriting. This is an album that I cannot wait to introduce to my future children. Favorite track: Suzanne, which I would argue is one of the best songs of all time

Love him!

He’s definitely in the top three best singer songwriters. This album has some of his most iconic songs and he was just getting warmed up in ‘67.

#356/1001. Songs of Leonard Cohen. Review by Tomi Knuutila.

I sat and listen to every part of this and it is beautiful , it’s like poetry beautiful story telling

What an album. Unbelievable. Such soft tender songs, so moody. So God fearing. They feel like hymns at times. Lyricism at times umatchable. I fucking love this record, one of my prized possessions. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Suzanne

A masterclass in song writing, think this album when it came out made him the greatest song writer on earth. Not saying he had that title forever, but he held it after this album was released for sure. Beauitful and sad and sexy the way all good Leonard Cohen songs should be. Best Track: It's like choosing a favourite child? Maybe So Long, Marianne

Pure magic

Amazing. No notes.

Överjävligt vackert i all sin enkelhet. Elegant utan överdåd. Inte helt opåverkad av att de här låtarna präglade barndomen, inte minst ”Suzanne”, ”hey, thats no way to say goodbye” och ”so long, Marianne”. I synnerhet den sistnämnda är ju för fan otrolig! Nära till bölet när refrängkörerna kommer in.

melankolisk king

An amazing album. Not a single song on here not worth listening to. Easily one of Cohen's best albums. Favorite Songs: Suzanne, Master Song, So Long Marianne, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye

Fantastic

Es mejor que el anterior, la calma, el ritmo suave, las voces femininas como banda sonora y el vocal primero es dorado.

Almost perfect. The lo-fi recording gives the album gravitas. The lyrics tell detailed stories. A master poet and songwriter. I don't think he ever surpassed this debut.

What a beautiful album. Well written (no surpised there with Cohen) and some intricate ear catching guitar playing. "Suzanne" is incredible

Not the voice of Leonard I'm used to, but the beauty and class is incomparable

Most albums I give 5s to are 4.5s. This one is 10.

j'aime quand on me raconte des histoires avec une voix suave

Still, eindringlich, poetisch bis ins Mark. Cohens tiefe, brüchige Stimme trägt jede Zeile wie ein Gebet, die Arrangements bleiben bewusst schlicht und lassen seinen Texten Raum zu leuchten. „Suzanne“ ist reine lyrische Magie, „So Long, Marianne“ ein warmes, menschliches Liebeslied, und „Sisters of Mercy“ ein tröstender Klassiker, der bis heute wirkt. Das Album ist geschlossen, zeitlos und bereits ein voll ausgeformtes Statement eines großen Songwriters.

It has so many of his classics, pure poetry 5/5

This was a nice sight to see when it popped up, used to be a comfort album for me. It’s a gorgeous, soothing and spiritual experience, Mr. Cohen is a true poet and really makes you think with every line. Bonus points for being his debut, it’s pretty rare to start with arguably your best. My standouts are Master Song, Sisters of Mercy, so long, Marianne and Teachers.

its so calming... i love it so much :)

music is love

best album ever best lyrics ever leonard cohen im in you

I cried in the boole (unknown if related)

In the late 90s, I moved, to a new city by myself, to a house-share full of strangers, thinking it would be a great way to embrace a fresh start. I ended up spending an awful lot of time sitting by myself in my room, drinking too much and listening to the likes of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. And it was great. Although it did actually end up being the new start I was looking for, for a while there, I was happy to wallow in this music, and listening again now takes me right back there. And I think that's what you need with music like this - you need something to hang it on. In isolation, I suspect it's a rather hard listen but it soundtracked a few pivotal months for me - it was wonderful company then, and it's wonderful company now.

Always been a fan of this poet,singer/songwriter.

Not a fan of later cohen but this one is classic

Need to revisit this one in December by a fireplace

Very calm vocals, a relaxing musical atmosphere, and a notable variety of instruments and sounds.

He’s got poetry in him

Some of the best song writing ever

Has to be one of history's best debuts. 'One of us Cannot be Wrong' will forever be in my top 10 songs. Even Lou Reed admitted that Len reached song writing nirvana on that one. I stand by my previous assertion that there are too many Cohens on this list.

This was a new discovery for me. I already knew that Suzanne was a perfect song, but it is followed by many more beautiful, perfect or near perfect songs. The music is fairly minimal but carries light and shade, texture, personality and mood, like looking at a painting that captures a whole story and atmosphere in a single frame. I want to listen to it in different settings - in the woods, in a town, by the sea, at night, in the snow, in the rain - to see how it feels different and which parts jump out. So many moments where an instrument comes in and adds texture and feeling in a way that is unexpected but feels perfect in retrospect. A genuine work of art.

An absolutely stunning collection. Absolutely perfect, encapsulating the melancholy and maudlin nature of the 60s folk movement. Couldn't have been made an American. LOVE this album so much.

A day before listening to this album, I found myself thinking about Cohen and even had a conversation about him. I almost knew this would be my next pick. Sometimes music feels like poetry. This is one of those cases. It is beautiful, emotional, and connects on a deeper level. At times it feels almost dreamlike; at others, it is grounded and raw. It is an astonishing debut that begins a decades-long exploration of the human condition. Almost every song shines, making it difficult to choose favorites. I’ll go with "Suzanne", "Master Song", and "Stories of the Street".

I think I just love Leonard Cohen. 4.5/5

Me lembra muito bem a vibe de uma madrugada depois de passar o dia com amigos. Vocês ficam em volta de uma mesa, composta por cerveja e algo pra beliscar, céu limpo, levemente frio, e começam a tocar algo. 9/10

y'all ready know i'm about this life favorite tracks: sisters of mercy, suzanne, master song, hey, that's no way to say goodbye, one of us cannot be wrong

Me ha gustado las lyrics jocosas

Meni je draži songs of love and hate ali i ovo je klasik

Ik was deze week laat met mijn reviews omdat ik nog lekker in dit album zat. Het gitaarspel was heerlijk met verschillende lijnen in hetzelfde spel (bas en melodie) de storytelling vind ik ook heeeel goed. Hij zuigt mij echt in het verhaal. Het contrast met de achtergrondzangeres met zijn eigen breekbare stem vond ik ook lekker. So long mary an en suzanne zijn klassiekers. Echt een klassieker.

Well yes!

AND JESUS WAS A SAILOR WHEN HE WALKED UPON THE WATER AND HE SPENT A LONG TIME WATCHING FROM HIS LONELY WOODEN TOWER AND WHEN HE KNEW FOR CERTAIN ONLY DROWNING MEN COULS SEEG HIM HE SAID ALL MEN WILL BE SAILORS THEN UNTIL THE SEA SHALL FREE THEM BUT HE HIMSEELF WAS BROKEN LONG BEFORE THE SKY WOULD OPEN FORSAKEN ALMOST HUMAN HE SANK BENEATH YOUR WISDOM LIKE A STONEEEEEE i dont need to explain myself past that

Need to rewatch McCabe and Mrs miller NOW

Laughing Len comes out of the gate flying!

Enough potent imagery, poetic storytelling and frank intimacy to catch me falling madly in love with this man even after he’s long been gone. Like damn.

Beautiful. The start of a special career. Later albums I do prefer but this is still of immense quality and poetry

I could listen to this album forever and still hear new things. The man is a sculptor of words.

As I said before, Leonard Cohen gets five stars in this house. Immaculate songwriting and incredible world-weary delivery.

A five

4.5⭐️/5 02.06.2026

dreamy experience, loved sisters of mercy. Teachers was beautiful too, there's a certain sadness in the way he sings that song that I just can't help but share the feeling. This album it's almost like feeling like a kid again.

Better with every listen. The king of songwriting and his voice is still in good shape in this album

One of the best singer-songwriter albums ever. Dark, deep and powerful. Musically pleasant to hear with even when disregarding the lyrics, which I think is important for long-term engagement.

I've not really listened to Leonard Cohen before, although I've always thought of myself as someone who likes him. It's not a wrong thought, just a weird one for someone who's never listened to him before. I watched Inside LLewyn Davis recently and I think I thought that was about Leonard Cohen. Obviously it's not, but my brain clearly went "Cohen? Coen brothers? absolutely, same thing". Sure gal I like this a lot. 4.5/5 - rounded up, why not Songs added to playlist: - Suzanne - The Stranger Song - So Long, Marianne - Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Amazing. Just amazing. Limited talent, limitless soul.

Love

From track 1 of his debut album Cohen establishes his unique, sonorous sound. Masterful poetry over arpeggio guitar.

What a beautiful and raw album. I loved it as a passive listen and would like to spend more time with it.

Jolly

This is Leonard Cohen at his best, in my opinion. There is a bittersweetness to this music that feels like what life feels like. The imagery is so specific and yet the emotion behind it feels very relatable. I love Suzanne. I first learned about the song in an Intro Music History course in my first year of uni. I don't fully remember why my prof brought up this song, but I believe he was likening Leonard Cohen to a medieval troubadour, which is apt I think. I liked the song as soon as I heard it and that is one of my only lasting memories from that course. Another moment I really loved on this album is the end of One of Us Cannot Be Wrong with the whistling, lyric-less singing, and some kind of flute. The singing is so raw and very beautiful. Perfect way to end the album.

A Pandora's Box into prime singer/songwriter manna, that once opened, can never be closed again. Lives are changed with every song on this one.

Another cohen classic

Deep lyrics coupled with soothing guitar chords. Leonard Cohen is hailed as one of the great song writers of our time and the track Sister of Mercy proves that.

YAYAYAYAYA MI PAPI

9/10 Superb - the closest someone has ever come to putting poetry to music and it working. Lyrically it is so rich, it is almost embarrassing and might even be too much. Musically I think it is the only way to deliver these songs - spare, but never dull.

Always loved this.

Real sadboi hours

Incredible lyricist and songwriter.

9/10 29.12.2025

Leonard Cohen is one of the greatest poet musicians that has ever existed. This album has, next to Hallelujah, one of his most known songs Suzanne. This is exactly how albums should be 10 great songs, all amazing, your best, and no fluff.

Hard to review this objectively as a Montrealer because these songs are part of the city. Walking in the Old Port, the statue atop Notre Dame de Bonsecours is always the Our Lady of the Harbour referenced in “Suzanne”. When he died we all gathered at his house to sing his songs. Without question the greatest songwriter to ever come from this city.

Leonard Cohen es mi padre

I'm not familiar enough with Cohen's catalogue to say whether this is his best album, but I can certainly say I've loved this album for several years after first discovering it. Suzanne is a timeless track. The Stranger is another epic. But really, all of these songs are very good. The songwriting transcends simple folk or rock songs--this is straight poetry. I love Dylan, but as a writer, Cohen should have won the Nobel peace prize for literature over him. 5/5

Loved it!

bno esa amiga q no le tiene fe a nada y nunca le gusta nada tmb viste, mentiras good vibesss ok track 1: suena muy lindo, muy triste tmb, ns es muy bello pq no tiene una super produccion simplemente la guitarra y el vocal lo cual transmite cmo una cercania y debilidad (no de mala manera sino mas sentimental) gusta tmb los violines y las armonizaciones, preciosa manera de abrir un album quiero mas. track 2: pura poesia, his body is a golden string my body has grown numb, la voz trasmite tanto sentimiento me hago bolita, un poeta la vdd, And now, do you come back to bring Your prisoner wine and bread? track 3: me encanta los acordes de la guitarra, simple pero bella. track 4: it's hard to hold the hand of anyone who is reaching for the sky just to surrender, qn le rompio el corazon a este pobre hombre :c. track 5: suena tan bello, ns q suena en el fondo, no tengo el mejor oido pero suena tan magico y bello, when you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sin, ES UNA CANCION DE CARRUSEL lo lei en un comentario. track 6: me gusta el detalle de esuchar la parte instrumental un poco mas alta en el lado derecho del audifono btw, I forget to pray for the angels and then the angels forget to pray for us, idk pero las voces femeninas dps de esa linea no se si seran los angeles o si no fue intencional pero q lindo, LA HISTORIA DE ESTA CANCION ???? no chicos asi no era :ccc, la parte final es maravillosa. track 7: as i always say, the best one come by sevenn, But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie. track 8: nada q decir, melancolia pura We are so small between the stars So large against the sky And lost among the subway crowds I try to catch your eye best one track 9: q tanta gente conocio, q perdedero de cancion akdkjhd, are your lessons done?, ya medio entendi igual q increible cancion. track 10: Then he locked himself in a library shelf with the details of our honeymoon, que loco cmo escribes algo asi que, todos los caminos llevaban a esta persona de vdd, pobre hombre debe ser horrible pasar algo asi que, eee me gusto el final cmo q te deja ese sabor amargo y en general para el album tmb me siento en la obligacion de leer la letra de cada cancion, una belleza. no soy la persona mas fanatica de la musica tranquila ?? sin tanta produccion me refiero pero es de esos albums q traen paz amor y calma (si no le pones mucha atencion a la letra btw ksadk) cmo siempre me encantan los acordes de la guitarra en general en este album. aunque algunas canciones pasen ese "limite" actual de duracion (es complicado encontrar actualmente una cancion de mas de 4:50 i think) no se siente la duracion, no se siente pesado cmo otras cancion donde algunas veces da pereza escuchar por la duracion, es magico, ademas de como dije anteriormente no es un album con una super produccion tanto vocal cmo instrumental (no le estoy restando ok, simplemente hay albumnes mas con mas truco ??) no lean los comentarios si no quieren llorar, ya adverti me rei leyendo las demas reviews perdon ahora si, tmb critico la portada, semejante poesia, derrocho magia el hombre, el lapiz echo fuego cuando termino de escribir y esa portada tan fea, no tenian mejores fotos ??? algo mas artistico no se. no lean los comentarios de yt vuelvo y digo van a llorar.

Some mellow singer- songwriter songs. Very chill and acoustic. I really like this album.

Amazing debut album. Acoustic guitar work is outstanding

i enjoyed this album more than the previous leonard cohen album i got. Way more. i wasnt expecting this album to click with me sm

Gostei bastante

class

just truly amazing

this shit good

Banger

He has a very soothing voice, which makes me want to sleep, but I could only focus on the lyrics. I think it might be the guitar in the background of all the songs; it sets a vibe. Sort of western in a way.

I was quite surprised to not hear the LC voice I recognize (I had to double-check I had the right album). Wonderful listen! I felt like his voice matched the instrumentals very well.

I’ve spent my life actively avoiding this album, sure I liked Suzanne but just thought it was marked as single material and the rest of his stuff was dreary. Fuck me, how wrong was I! Absolutely magical from start to finish, listened to it 4 times in a row and looking forward to hearing it again. Far from being dreary it’s full of humour and the lyrics are are almost like limericks. Absolutely remarkable.

Обожать. 5 из 5

Leonard Cohen is probably one of my favorite folk singer/songwriters to come out of the ’60s. I would personally take him over Bob Dylan any day of the week. Sometimes I wonder how his music was accepted by the average listener when this album first came out. His deep, gravelly voice, which lacks traditional emotion and expression, works to his advantage, creating a dark, haunted, and cold atmosphere. This perfectly complements his minimal approach and gently fingerpicked guitar work. If anything, Leonard Cohen was the Jeff Buckley for the flower children.

I really loved this one ! It’s perfect for rainy days, studying, sleeping, and really any kind of relaxing. I’m gonna try to learn my favorites—Suzanne and So Long, Marianne— on my guitar :)

Montréal legend Love Suzanne There’s a reason why he’s got a mural here

Already owner maybe his best album

A few classic songs. And what a beautiful voice!

looooove this album, beautiful songs, beautiful lyrics and he has a very comforting voice. takes me back to my first job and waking up early (after not really sleeping) in the morning, putting a candle and this record on and laying in bed just enjoying this masterpiece one of us cannot be wrong is one of the saddest songs i’ve ever heard, a great album finisher

me encantoooooooo

a classic! such a beauty!

Beautiful. Haunting. Nostalgic.

Impossible to tell where he stands between the greats, but definitely it has a place of its own.

Love it.

Lovely

Holy shit

Smooth like honey but cold like heartache.

No greater lyricist. And that voice.

Wow some Leonard Cohen explosion recently. I never listened to a full album of his before this project but Songs of Love and Hate was incredible, so expectations are high. The album starts with Suzanne, quite a hit, but it’s the second song that got me, Master Song. Starts with this frenetic fingerpicking pattern. At the same time intense and reserved. At some point w get very light instrumental layers, but these somehow add to the claustrophobic feeling rather than add some lushness. These instrumentations come and go, feel more like a memory than a part of the song. This song is really Cohen at his best. This type of frenetic fingerpicking is all through the album and gives a stark juxtaposition to Cohen’s warm vocals, makes them sound ominous and foreboding. I really love the dynamics in Cohen’s delivery, going from whisper, to conversational to a big singing delivery at will. Anyway this is a great album, Cohen is so great in using his voice, the song structure and instrumentation as very powerful narrative devices. Teachers is another terrific example of this, with the slide (pedal steel?) guitar giving it a strange western air which confuses the listener in the best way. Like you’re watching the song unfold shot from a shaky shoulder mounted camera. Then ending on One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, chills. This is really an incredible listen. Probably not as strong as Songs of Love and Hate but still five stars. Though, to be honest, I can’t really say you have to listen to more than one Leonard Cohen album before you die (but you should really try Songs of Love and Hate).

It’s not a ground breaking take to say Leonard cohen is a hell of a song writer, and something I kinda knew already. But somehow I’d not listened to this. Absolute game changer, now on the short list for my favourite albums of all time. It’s also sent me on a Leonard Cohen binge. But nothing so far has matched this. Actually an album you need to hear before you die.

Cold rainy Monday in December and I get this. Glory to Generator Jesus. These lyrics should be studied in schools.

There are great songs on pretty much every Cohen album, but I'd pick this as his finest full collection. This released when he was 33, but he might as well have been 333 in some ways. There's so much evocative religious imagery, and strange ancient-feeling poetry, you really wouldn't know a lot of these songs were of the 20th century just from reading the lyrics. Cohen never thought he was a good guitarist either, but I love his fingerstyle guitar here, that has more in common with classical than folk. Suzanne is perfect, I've always loved Stranger Song and Sisters of Mercy, and you've got two incredible farewell/breakup songs back to back. And the backup singers kill it, elevating his sleepy voice to create some really beautiful harmonies. An excellent record from a singular talent in folk and poetry

Who I wish Bob Dylan was

Vilken jävla debut! Femma

Love this album

I love me some poetry

Right on the heels of Lou Reed! I literally just bought this for the first time on vinyl. I know people have complained about John Simon's production over the years, but I don't think it gets in the way of the songs - some of which I first discovered in the snowy landscape of Robert Altman's film McCabe and Mrs. Miller. I can never hear "Winter Lady" and "The Stranger Song" without feeling that melancholy chill. But I must admit that I did not learn to fully love this record until I was older and realized that Cohen actually had a sense of humor that was akin to Reed's and musical sensibility that was akin to John Cale's.

Amazing songwriting.

Beautiful and sometimes a bit haunting.

He’s an unconventional singer with a non-pretty voice but the music is so pretty.

perfect for depressive weather

wish I could write songs like that

Great!

This album is so good. I will never forget in 2006 when I was sent for two weeks by my company to work in eastern Iceland up in the mountains building a power station. It was mid to end of May and it was around 0 degrees, no internet and just total shit. I even forgot my iPod at home so I was without music for the whole time. Working hours were from 7 in the morning until 9 in the evening which was fine because there was absolutely nothing else to do but we were tired after working for 2 weeks with no days off. After the two weeks we were driven to the airport and I sat down on the plane to Reykjavik and the guy sitting next to me was listening to his iPod. I asked if I could use it for 5 minutes and he handed me the earbuds and one song was finishing and another one was starting, a song I didn't know at the time. That song was Suzanne by Leonard Cohen and it was and is still the best single song I've ever heard given the circumstances. Relaxing, soothing and pure class.

Imagine being a tin-eared poet who says, sure I'll record something, and you drop a thermonuclear song like Suzanne to start your album and career. The whole thing is like a new continent surfacing in the ocean just as you are contemplating a move.

I had never heard of Leonard Cohen until I met my wife, and then I think I mostly associated him with his later material, when his voice had turned gruff and tuneless, lending a certain oddness to songs like “First We Take Manhattan.” To the extent I regarded him, it was as a curiosity, filed somewhere along an errant twig of the same branch of the musical tree as Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Ken Nordine and a few others. Now I get it. This is magical, tender stuff. “Master Song” is powerful and evocative, with first-rate storytelling. “So Long, Marianne” is an incredible song, with Irish fiddle accoutrements and lush backing vocal production. I’ll definitely be revisiting this and I also want to read some of his fiction.

I love Leonard Cohen but I just had no conception that this was his debut album, what with So Long, Marianne and with Suzanne and one of my first dates with my partner Meredith I had flown to Minneapolis to meet her and we stayed out late playing skee ball and talking and somehow Suzanne came up and I always carry notecards on me because I like to write things down and if I remember correctly we each took a notecard and a pen (I also carry pens, Papermate Flairs always) and wrote down as many of the words to Suzanne as we each could remember. That was 12 years ago.

Have been a Leonard Cohen fan since I was a young adolescent. Soulful poet laureate who wrote some of the most intimate and mystical songs. If I could I would give all his albums a 10.

the most beautiful album in the world

Very happy to revisit this old classic! His lyrics are of course mental, but will never get tired of this unique, ethereal world of poetry and archaic references. Superb.

Un disco perfecto. Uno que hace mucho no reescuchaba. No tengo la necesidad (cuando tengo ganas de un Cohen voy hacia alguno más tardío, menos escuchado). Pero es muy poderoso. Un disco principalmente acústico (como todos sus discos hasta el cuarto, y no nos olvidemos de Recent Songs), donde Cohen está acompañado con arreglos orquestales que contribuyen a la atmósfera. Pero la papa del disco es - y va a ser en todos los discos de Cohen - como canta o recita estas canciones y, sobre todo, las letras: ambiguas y polisémicas, llenas de símbolos religiosos, mutantes a través de los versos. No tengo muchas ganas de hablar sobre las letras porque no les estaría haciendo justicia, pero son sensacionales. Todo el disco es tremebundo. Mi canción favorita es "Master Song". No diría que está infravalorada, ya que me parece que todo el que conoce este disco sabe de sus encantos, pero sí creo que suele ser tenida a menos comparada con Suzanne y So Long, Marianne, las más conocidas del disco. Ojo, son más conocidas merecidamente. So Long, Marianne es una de esas pocas canciones que tienen nombre y apellido. La letra conmueve y conmueve más saber que Leonard y Marianne murieron con solo unos pocos meses de distancia. Suzanne no, esa ya tiene esos maravillosos simbolismos Cohenianos ¿Es una canción de amor? ¿Es una canción de fe? ¿Es una reflexión sobre la belleza? Sobre todas las cosas, seguramente. Y así con todo el disco: Sisters of Mercy, The Stranger Song, That's No Way to Say Goodbye. El disco no tiene canciones malas: tiene algunas canciones que son un poco "menores" comparadas con las ya mencionadas, como Winter Lady y Teachers. Siguen siendo canciones muy bellas que se intercalan entre las canciones más grandes. Y se entiende, porque si el disco consistiera en un titán atrás de otro titán, quizás sería demasiado para mentes mortales como las nuestras. En ese sentido se parece a otro capo de capos: Nick Cave (su discípulo católico), que tiene discos y discos donde no hay ninguna canción mala, pese a que sí queda claro que hay canciones más pequeñas y con menos pretenciones que los himnos inmortales. Cinco estrellas de acá a la China.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m an outlier on this one but I have grown to love Leonard Cohen’s music over time. There is something about his delivery, the guitar and the arrangements that connects with me. Father John Misty does an excellent cover of the last track too.

I don’t find myself returning to Leonard Cohen very often but I really should as I really enjoy him every time that I do. People often put him in the same bracket as Bob Dylan but I just find that his voice and delivery are just that much more appealing. I also really like that he doesn’t shy away from maudlin topics but does so with tact and beauty. This time, ‘the stranger song’ particularly stood out for me: “And leaning on your window sill, He’ll say one day you caused his will, To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter.”

Al Pacino music for Evie

LC FOREVER AND EVER XXXXX

Love it.

WOWWW BANGER LIKE IVE NEVER HEARD ABYTHING LIKE TS BEFORE

Great songwriting

Suzanne, Hasta Luego Mariane son mis favoritos

This album has the same great song writing and atmosphere of Cohen's later albums with a crucial difference: The more melodic delivery of his sing-talking makes this significantly more pleasant to listen to. Its a lyric heavy album and it will take me multiple listens before I can fully appreciate their meaning, but even on the first listen of this I can tell how well crafted the verse is. One of those rare songwriters that fully synthesises the wording with the meaning with the music, often resolving all three elements simultaneously to create moments of awe. It's poetry but with an extra dimension. A quick nod to the intimate recording and production which is very much to my taste and sympathetically done here. Not so light a touch that there aren't some interesting discoveries such as the stereo reveal of the fairground backing to "Sisters of Mercy". I am fully invested in this and will definitely be revisiting this album to fully explore it's depths.

My favorite Leonard Cohen and one of my favorite album ever. So warm, dark and introspective. An album that grabs all my attention from start to finish!

Leonard Cohen songs give you descriptor after descriptor that paints a beautiful and sometimes heart breaking scene for you. The words are poetic and his voice so sweet. It gave me this rich melancholy feeling, in the best way. It's overall just great songwriting. I was already a fan of Cohen but I'm really going to dive into his works now.

I absolutely love this album. It's such a timeless masterpiece, these songs sound like they've been around for centuries. Leonard Cohen started as a poet and it's very noticable in his songwriting. I've listened to this one more than any other album on the list and I'm still puzzled by the lyrics and what they mean. There are stories told, yet everything said here remains a sort of mystery where you never know the true meaning or intent behind the song. I think Cohen's guitar playing is also at his very best here. He went on to do more lush works as he furthered into his career, but the songs here just being accompanied with his guitar and the occassional other string instrument or voice really aids the songwriting. One of the best albums of all time.

Leonard Cohen brings all of his strengths as a novelist and poet to his songwriting. Very easy listening but the lyrics are so deep and powerful. The beauty in this album really lies in the emotions of the characters he is describing.

This was so good, I really don't know Leonard Cohen except from The Hottest Sex Playlist, and this was a great introduction. So Long, Marianne really is a perfect love song.

This was an excellent album, full of original songs that have been covered by many artists.

Amazing. Just amazing

Wasn't planning on feeling melancholy today but the Lord(e) had other plans. First time listening was interrupted with the classic 'turn down to think'. Second time listening through the trusty plug ins and I could show the undulating poetry some respect. Master Song - Hardanger Fiddle - the vibrations are their own notes. The Stranger Song - "Like any dealer he was watching for the card that is so high and wild. He'll never need to deal another. He was just some Joseph looking for a manger" - tea. So Long, Marianne - makes me feel like Julie Andrews/Sound Of Music mountain spins. Stories of the Street - "We are so small between the stars, so large against the sky. And lost among the subway crowds, I try to catch your eye", the week of cosmic connection. End of - One of Us Can't be Wrong - haunting. Why do I get the impression he was a playAh

At some point Will Toledo from Car Seat Headrest had a public Spotify and he had a playlist called “Workout” or something along those lines and it was just Suzanne by Leonard Cohen 10 times

A poet.

I love this Album. It reminds me of summer days with the windows open and a nice breeze flowing over you. No worries. No stress. Just pure serenading by Leonard himself. 10/10 no notes.

Pepite ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This album feels like a long lost relative: both familiar and brand new. From the opening track with Suzanne, I sighed a breath of relief as if to say “oh thank god” even though I never heard it before and that sentiment carried through the rest of the album. Especially with the chaos that my phone is bringing me right now, a peaceful album, sonically, is exactly what I needed. One where the words demanded attention so that my mind could not wander.

Lekker rustig, weer luisteren

Leonard Cohen’s early albums are completely unique in the 60’s singer/songwriter genre. They are such a vibe to me. Musically they are very sparse and haunting pushing his voice to the front of the record. I’m not a poetry or even a lyrics-first guy but I find his combination or voice and lyrics otherworldly. Listened to this album countless times on headphones while reading or walking around at night. An absolute classic.

Great stuff. Wonderful songs. Fantastic arrangements. The Master Album.

Love the story telling in each song and remember listening to this as a kid. Brought back memories of innocence. Thanks for putting this on the list.

Very Folky, Glad I finnally listened to him

Creo que Cohen merecía un Nobel de literatura tanto como Dylan. Me parece una de las maravillas que dejó el siglo XX. Estilo reconocible, pero a la vez variedad musical, una voz limitada pero que canta desde la cima de una montaña, melodías que mecen el alma y letras afinadas hasta la última coma. Es un talento de época y aquí se presenta probablemente en su versión más pura. No debemos ignorar los arreglos, que aunque sutiles, son de una belleza enorme. Por supuesto, casi todo lo que publicó merece cinco estrellas.

Overall: 9/10 So glad to see the best of Leonard Cohen after not having the best experience with another of his albums on this list. I think his lyrics shine through the best with minimal instrumentation like this. Reminds me of Bob Dylan or Nick Drake. I think his voice sounds really great on this album as well. He doesn't have a huge range vocally but it's pleasant to listen to. I'm not afraid to listen to his other works now that I've heard this. Fav Song: So Long, Marianne

Melancholic and soulful

It's my first time listening to this album, it captivated the moment it started. Omg 1967 is such a magical year for music. Leaning towards a somber mood compared to other masterpieces of the time, it also has a lovely whimsical charm, really great album I already love it

(98/100)

Possibly the greatest lyricist in popular music, before he was regarded as a legend. Disarmingly simple yet moving

Tell you what troops, this has done me in. Never sat down and got through a full Cohen album. Regretting every choice I've made that made that the case. This is absolutely beautiful, it's dry, the guitar is lovely, track after track has these beautiful little bits of poetry. Going to come back to this again and again. Might buy it as a record. Amazing. Best tracks are Susanne, Stranger Song, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, and So Long, Marianne, but every single song on this album is good. God, I'm glad I found this.

Couple of great ballads, made Quin very chill

Classic

While Leonard Cohen certainly has his many fans, I can't help but to think that he may be, in certain spaces, one of the most underrated artists in his nook. He is an underrated singer, guitarist, hell, depending on where you ask he may even be an underrated songwriter. Frankly, I think more people need to be honest about where he sits in the discussion about the "Great American Songwriter". Songs of Leonard Cohen is a great showcase of his talents, and probably one of the greatest debuts of all time. At times beautiful and earnestly sweet, very often profoundly sad, this album shows Cohen as a fully developed songwriter already. His guitar playing is understated and chilly, occasionally launching into a stunning classical guitar passage here and there. The arrangements (controversial to Cohen himself) are very creative and well utilized, when this becomes larger than a man and a guitar, it has some real impact. Almost most importantly, his lyrics are just fantastic. There are so many lines that I just love. He combines biblical allusion, visual poetics, and some incredible characterization across this album on the major hitters and deep cuts alike, all held together by his grimly self serious, and deeply expressive vocal performances. Running down classics here, Suzanne is one of Cohen's most celebrated songs, Master Song is chilling and kind of mysterious, Stranger Song is absolutely gripping. And Sisters of Mercy and Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye have also been cemented as absolute classics, among others. Personally, two of my favorites are some of the deep cuts here. Teachers is written in such a way that every line feels kind of shocking, it is just incredible writing. And one of my absolute favorite Leonard Cohen songs is also here: the deeply underrated One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. This song's emotional palette is kind of horrific honestly,the lyrics are very specific, but also sort of surreal, and *incredibly* dour. And, it ends with some of the most true and honest sounding screaming I have ever heard on a song. It is just the kind of horrible, miserable, beautiful art that I crave. This album is just fantastic, there's no one else who can fill the place in my heart designated for Cohen, and music like this is why. This is just fantastic from front to back, with many of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs. This one is incredibly special.

Good voice and guitar

## In-Depth Review: *Songs of Leonard Cohen* (1967) ### **Lyrics: Poetry as Songcraft** Leonard Cohen’s debut album elevates lyrics to the forefront, blending literary sophistication with raw emotional honesty. As an established poet and novelist, Cohen approached songwriting with a rare depth: - **Narrative Complexity**: Tracks like "The Stranger Song" and "Master Song" unfold as cryptic ballads, exploring power dynamics in relationships through biblical and historical allegory . "Suzanne" merges the sacred and sensual, juxtapressing Christ’s "almost broken" body with a woman serving "tea and oranges" by the river . - **Imagery and Ambiguity**: Cohen’s background in poetry shines in lines like "You held on to me like I was a crucifix" ("So Long, Marianne"), where love is both salvation and burden . His use of place (Hydra, Montréal, New York) grounds existential themes in vivid settings . - **Emotional Range**: From the wistful resignation of "Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye" to the chaotic despair of "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong," the album navigates love’s dualities—freedom vs. entrapment, ecstasy vs. decay . ### **Music: Minimalism as Power** Cohen’s musical arrangements prioritize intimacy over grandeur: - **Guitar Work**: Predominantly acoustic, with Spanish-influenced fingerpicking ("Suzanne") and sparse chord progressions that create a "dreamlike" atmosphere . The simplicity allows lyrics to dominate, though subtle shifts (e.g., the key change in "Master Song") reveal melodic ingenuity . - **Vocal Delivery**: Cohen’s "reedy baritone" is an acquired taste—described as "hitting every note but receding to an atonal place between them" . This "disturbing" quality amplifies the emotional weight, particularly in "Avalanche"-like recitations . - **Instrumental Embellishments**: Producer John Simon added strings, choruses ("So Long, Marianne"), and a Jew’s harp against Cohen’s wishes. Though initially contentious, these elements now feel integral, adding "drafty" texture to songs like "Winter Lady" . ### **Production: Tension and Legacy** The album’s production reflects a battle between Cohen’s minimalism and Simon’s lush vision: - **Clashes**: Cohen sought a "veil of satire" for arrangements, but Simon’s additions—Muzak-like strings on "Marianne" and Marty Robbins-esque guitar on "Teachers"—were criticized as "ridiculously inappropriate" . - **Atmosphere**: Despite conflicts, the production enhances the album’s "sepulchral delight." The muted guitar and hovering strings create a confessional, late-night ambiance . - **2007 Remaster**: Bonus tracks ("Store Room," "Blessed Is the Memory") and improved clarity reaffirmed the album’s timelessness, balancing instrumentation with vocal prominence . ### **Themes: Love, Spirituality, and Duality** Cohen explores existential dichotomies: - **Sacred vs. Profane**: "Suzanne" intertwines desire with divinity, while "Sisters of Mercy" frames a ménage à trois as chaste salvation . - **Freedom vs. Shelter**: "The Stranger Song" depicts rootless characters "reaching for the sky just to surrender" . - **Artistic Discipline**: Cohen’s "craftsman" approach—working "eight hours daily" without awaiting inspiration—shapes the album’s cohesive vision . ### **Influence: The Blueprint for a Legacy** - **Cultural Impact**: Judy Collins’ cover of "Suzanne" popularized Cohen, but the album itself became a lodestone for songwriters like Nick Cave, Jeff Buckley, and R.E.M. . - **Genre Defiance**: It redefined folk music by prioritizing poetic complexity over conventional melodies, paving the way for Cohen’s genre-blending later work . - **Enduring Relevance**: Tracks like "So Long, Marianne" and "Suzanne" remain standards, celebrated for their emotional universality . ### **Standout Tracks** | **Track** | **Highlights** | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Suzanne** | Spiritual eroticism; hypnotic guitar . | | **So Long, Marianne** | Joyful despair; iconic imagery ("held on to me like a crucifix") . | | **The Stranger Song** | Narrative mastery; aphoristic depth . | | **Hey, That’s No Way...** | Bittersweet resignation; melodic simplicity . | ### **Pros and Cons** **Pros**: - **Lyrical Genius**: Unmatched poetic depth in popular music . - **Emotional Resonance**: Creates intimacy through vocal vulnerability and spare arrangements . - **Timelessness**: Themes of love and spirituality remain relevant; sonically undated . **Cons**: - **Vocal Limitations**: Cohen’s voice polarizes; some find it "monotonous" or "atonal" . - **Uneven Production**: Simon’s embellishments clash with Cohen’s minimalism (e.g., "Marianne" chorus) . - **Doggerel Moments**: "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" descends into self-parody with "drunken" backing vocals . ### **Verdict** *Songs of Leonard Cohen* is a landmark debut that marries literary gravitas with musical restraint. Despite production missteps and vocal challenges, its exploration of love’s complexities and spiritual yearning remains profoundly influential. As Pitchfork notes, it captures "the wisdom of a diverse existence" —a testament to Cohen’s enduring genius. > **Key Takeaway**: This album is not "folk music" but a transcendent fusion of poetry and song, proving that "bleakness can be beautiful" .

Really makes you think.

His most "uplifting" when it comes to music. The lyrics remain undefeated. Such a master.

Towering, monolithic artistry the likes of which the world will never know again

My goat

pussyslayer

classic.

Listened to it at dinner with Maggie and the girls. A beautiful early Cohen masterpiece.

Wonderful. The poetry overcomes the slightly cheesy string arrangements.

a slight bit of redundancy in the b side imo, or at least a demonstration that cohen's musical vocabulary at this point had a few distracting limits...note tho that im saying this within the boundaries of all the musical austerity which still pays off amazingly. cohen's lyrics are a lot weirder and squishier than i remembered but theres almost always some kind of emotional or sensory component that sets off a domino and creates an overall effect thats genuinely difficult to describe...more desperate and Fleshy than dylan but at times even more inscrutable. whenever a slight change in arrangement happens it feels like the tide rushing in.

Classic Leonard, amongst his best. Strong songs great tunes. A winner.

I like his soft, melodious voice, and his lulling guitar. Very calming and the selection of songs are very story-like.

I dream when I listen to his music***

Je suis un admirateur de Leonard Cohen du début à la fin de sa carrière.

Perfect

One of my favorite singer songwriters shows off his extreme talent in his debut album. With some of his biggest "hits" included it is a delight for my ears that loves a minor key much more than a major.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve loved LC ever since hearing him on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack.

I never really listened to Cohen other than heading songs here and there. I've always liked him, tho listening to a lot of him in a row reveals how much he likes certain song structures. Still very good storytelling, and many some are compelling while you hear them even if it's hard to remember the melodies, such as they are.

I like his early stuff so much. Great folk album + artist

Brilliant album. Never tired of listening to this.

Cohen is a masterful storyteller. There is a quiet intimacy to his songs that makes you listen, rapt, and ask for more.

A masterpiece.

This is my kind of thing! I think with more listens it could be a 5. Update: it’s a 5!

Everyone talks about this album as if it's mostly lyrics (and don't get me wrong, the lyrics really are *that* good!), but I love Cohen because he writes such good songs in every other aspect too, and that's something people rarely talk about! In particular, I think the arrangements on this album are so pretty and just so perfect for his voice. This album (and especially her backing vocals on "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye") even made me go out and look for Nancy Priddy's solo album many years ago! (It's not really worth it, unfortunately.) Plus, "So Long, Marianne" is great accompaniment for dancing around the kitchen!

One of my favorites thank god someone told Leonard Cohen to move to Italy instead of writing books. Suzanne played at my wedding and is on the mistake Claudia made for me for our first anniversary

As usual with Leonard Cohen, a perfect album with absolutely beautiful songs.

great

Obvious Classic, know this shit from front to back, not as good as Songs of Love and Hate tho

Smooth and lovely

Each song has its own charming and mysterious world. Maybe I don't quite understand them yet, maybe my ability to focus is too worn down to really absorb it all, but I want to come back to them. Instrumentation was vibrant and diverse, particularly the different instrumental inflections in Master's Song

Just beautiful. Favorite track: So Long, Marianne 4.5/5

Fantastic

Amazing. Produced by my friend John Simon. 5 *.

I LOVED IT!!! IT WAS AMAZING!! BEST ALBUM SO FAR! The Stranger Song.... weeehhhhh.....

Another album with "Jenny In The House" featured songs. Liked the songs I was nostalgic for more than the rest of the album (shocker) but still really enjoyed all of it. I just want to hear what he has to say! Favourite: So Long, Marianne Least: Teachers (really struggled to pick a least, I really like this album!)

This is a true classic album by a amazing poet

Cohen of course has great lyrics but what has really always captivated me about this album is minimalism within the instrumentals. The sparing use of anything past the acoustic guitar such as backing vocals is done very precisely making these simple thing resonate so much more. This creates an atmosphere on this album unlike any I've really ever heard, mostly cold and lonely but with moments of light when these other elements come into play. These elements come together with the lyrics to create a truly one of a kind album.

So Long, Marianne gets it to 4 alone.

So, I didn't really know Leonard Cohen growing up. We didn't have any of his CDs and my whole opinion of him was that So long Marianne was probably his happiest song. So baffled me surprised when my dad did some tedious thing on Facebook (that's where old people go to watch adverts) where he listed his 10 favourite albums and lo and behold in the middle was this gem. So why had my dad, the main influence on all my music growing up, the reason I play an instrument, the reason I ended up in bands, the reason I like some yes albums, never played me one of his top 10 favourite albums? Probably cos he's an idiot. This however, is a delight. The guitar playing, the tunes, the lyrics. Beautiful.

So many debut albums featured in the book and this is one of the greatest. Will never tire of these songs. The great poet delivered the perfect album

Pure poetry

Brilliant. I love every song.

Poetic, musical and a unique voice. My obsession with his stuff is still going strong.

amazing lyrics with an amazing voice with sublime guitar work, chuck on whenever wherever

I loved it as an angsty teenager, and I still love it almost 50 years later.

I think I’m a Leonard cohen fan now?

RIP to a legend. The auspicious beginning.

A legend. A classic.

This album has such great song writing and the instrumentals accompany it so cozily

I've probably slightly undermarked LC. You Want It Darker is an album I often return to, and is pretty astonishing. I think this is his second strongest. Lovely, light, intricate guitars. Wonderful songwriting, and tuneful, mournful singing. Favourites are Suzanne (maybe my favourite song of his overall), The Stranger Song, and Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye. Tip top.

Leonard Cohen was really original singer-songwriter, like whom there are no other. Or any alike are just followers. Songs on this album are beautifully crafted and the musicians really do honor the songs and Leonards vocal delivery.

Incredible. Listen once, twice, then again.

I'm really excited for this one! I've been meaning to get into Leonard Cohen for a while, just never got around to it. I already know Suzanne, and I think I know what to expect. Suzanne is as beautiful as I remember. Paying more attention to the lyrics reveals just how beautiful a track it is. Lovely. Master Song is hauting. I don't know if I'll ever fully understand the lyrics. But the end does seem to show some resistance to the said Master, when the narrator says "And I taught him how you would long for me/ No matter what he said, no matter what you'd do". There's a lot of layers to that. And the repitition of the initial verse at the end of the song adds a lot of layers to it too. Great track. Winter lady is mysterious too. When people say Leonard Cohen was a poet they weren't kidding. I'm gonna have to think about these songs to fully understand them. Still, for now, this is very pretty. Man, I'm gonna thank God for Genius after this. At this point (Sisters of Mercy) I've kind of given up on fully understanding and interpreting the lyrics. I'm here for the ride. And that was very pretty. Ok, thankfully So Long, Marianne was simpler and easier to understand! Lovely too! Love the lines "You left when I told you I was curious/ I never said that I was brave". Yeah, writing's fun. Ok, I know virtually nothing about this man, and this next statement could be completely wrong, but he has got to be the sweetest person ever born. Teachers is about... trauma? I know he's very religious, and most religious people struggle with their faith. This song seems, at first listen, to be about the struggle with the teaching methods. This is one of my favourites so far. Yeah, that was good. Man, I don't know quite what to say. I'm puzzled. Was I completely lost lyrics wise throughout the whole record? Yes. Did I still enjoy the hell out of this? Also yes. I'm gonna need some time with this one, bue it really left a mark. As far as rating go, I have no idea how to proceed here. But hey, I'm gonna go with my heart here. This is for first listen purposes after all. Bye

Gifted with one of the best albums ever written today! Superb lyricism, wonderful guitarwork throughout, perfectly fit for one of the greats of our time.

3rd album in a row I own on record, always a pleasure spinning this one. Actually one of my favourites of all time. Leonard Cohen’s poetry is immaculate in this and it will always stand the test of time. What an amazing man.

this is an all timer for me and the army of depressed men I represent

Quiet brilliance ❤️

God damn love this album

Artful troubadour.

There Are Heroes In The Seaweed 1001 Albums Generator 19 (04/29/2025) Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album by Renaissance man Leonard Cohen, released in 1967. Before this album, Cohen was primarily known as a writer, but after penning Suzanne and being encouraged by close friend Judy Collins to play it live, he was signed to Columbia and his music career began. The fact that someone could start their musical journey with a song as perfect as Suzanne is astounding. This is perhaps Cohen's most acclaimed record, featuring three of his most popular songs, and it features a very stripped back sound. Primarily backed only by his acoustic guitar and some light orchestration, Leonard Cohen quietly sings his way through these 10 songs with an imperfection and amateurishness that somehow add to the charm and memorability of this wonderful album. It is so sad to see people on 1001albumsgenerator.com getting one-shotted by this thing. Complaints of "boring", "minimal", and "poor singing" miss the mark in my view. The minimal production and simple vocal melodies force you to really listen. As a listener, this should be your job, but when presented with a flashy, maximalist rock album, it's easy to let it flow in one ear and out the other. If you let an album like this one wash over you, it will be very easy to call it boring. In fact, it probably is boring to listen to it in this way. Besides the bits of orchestration provided by John Simon (which led to Cohen's consternation), the sound of this album is a man and his guitar. However, I think the simplicity of this album's musicality, even by its fans, is wildly overemphasized. Listen to the baroque American Primitivism-esque guitar work on The Stranger Song and Teachers. These are seriously challenging to play, and while I would never argue for Leonard Cohen as more of a guitarist than a songwriter, his guitar work is a bit underrated. Listen to the psychedelic cabaret of Sisters Of Mercy. It sounds like a fucked up carnival, especially when listening with headphones. The first part of So Long, Marianne feels very country. This song has really interesting structure, starting out with almost full instrumentation before fading into just guitar, bass, and vocals. Then it becomes as energetic as this album gets as the drums come in. The ending of One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong sounds like a precursor to slacker rock, with its lofi sound and nearly screamed wordless vocals. With all this said, Cohen was of course a poet first and foremost. I don't think it is an over-exaggeration to say that the second verse of Suzanne could be the best stanza of lyrics ever. He describes Jesus as a sailor and then a watchman, realizing that he is only prayed to by those who need something from him. Jesus is forsaken by God through crucifixion, but he rises from the dead. However, in spite of this miracle, Cohen seems to realize that his love for Suzanne overtakes even his faith. I feel like there are even more layers here that I have yet to uncover in all my listens. This song is just beautiful. One small hit against this album is that Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye is definitely similar to Suzanne in its melody and guitar part, especially in the verses. Being similar to Suzanne is certainly not a bad thing, but I don't think this helps this album fight against arguments of homogeneity. When I think of perfect folk albums, this is one of the first things that comes to mind. Blending the incredible, thoughtful lyrics of a man who was a poet first with the minimal, yet detailed, production of John Simon leads to a perfect album. Songs Of Leonard Cohen is a 5. It was a 5 when I listened to it the first time a couple years ago, and it's still a 5 now. What a privilege to get to listen to this project today. Hopefully no Kid Rock tomorrow. Favs: Suzanne So Long, Marianne One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong Least Fav: Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

An album to listen to, spend time with, needing attention. I perfectly do understand that this is mostly met with either enthusiasm or despite. I am on the enthusiastic side of things. Because I do dare to wait...

I knew a couple of these songs as covered by others. This album could do with a bit more stylistc diversity, but the one mode most of it is in is amazing- moody, mealnacholic, classical sounding guitar picking. and cohen sounding so young with his voice in a higher register than I'm used to. anyway. I loved it.

2nd Leonard Cohen album. You Want it Darker was probably the wrong intro into Cohen, but I loved that record so I have high hopes for this bad boy. He actually sings on this one, but don't expect a wide range here. Starts with a classic - Suzanne. Didn't take long to get some biblical references did it? An issue with this project is that we don't get a whole lot of time to dig into the lyrics of each album that we get, and this is certainly one that I want to read along while I listen to it. Really enjoyed these songs: Suzanne, Master Song, Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Teachers, and One of Us Cannot Be Wrong. That's almost the whole album. I liked the others but not as much. Guitar picking on this is simple and so good. The closer might be my favorite. I think this Cohen guy is going places. Feeling a 5/5 on this, another one I wish I had on Vinyl

Beautiful folk music.

I was a big fan of First We Take Manhattan as a 10-year-old, which has set me up well for the cruelty of life.

Excellent album, surprised me. I almost skipped, instead I found something to pair with pink moon.

I listened to this album years ago and didn't understand what the appeal was, but now I get it 100%. So Long, Marianne is an unbelievablely good song. 10/10

i fuck HEAVY WITH IT

Fantastic haunting album

i miss him

NICE LISTENING

When I was a kid I heard a comedian , I think it was Ben Elton say “there I was sitting at the bar, humming a Leonard Cohen ditty…mmmmmmmmm”. Inferring his stuff is all monotone without ‘life”. Fast forward to my second dabbling into vinyl, and I bought my first LC album - You want it darker”’. Been buying his back catalog ever since. Guess I had to mature my listening tastes. This is all the stars for me.

One of the best singer somgwriter album of all time.

A very fine album!

4.5★. Ever since I heard The Stranger Song (and some other songs from this album) in McCabe & Mrs. Miller Leonard Cohen has been one of my favorite artist (and that song one of my absolute favorites). Though I didn’t like the surrounding songs as much when I listened to the album the first few times, but it has grown on me over time and now I more or less thoroughly adore it.

Amazing folk classics. I will be relistening many a time. I also didn’t realize one of us cannot be wrong was a cover so that was exciting. Such a good song. His lyricism feels like a journal of different characters the whole time.

Giving Gregory Alan Isokov and I am HERE FOR IT. OH MY GOSH BECAUSE IT IS!!! ONE OF US CANNOT BE WRONG IS A COVER!!! THIS IS CRAZY REVELATION MY WORLD IS CHANGED WHO IS THIS MAN I NEED HIM IN MY LIFE!!! BRO AND THIS IS THE GUY WHO WROTE FRICKIN HALLELUJAH!!?! Leonard Cohen you are my new favorite man. Okay actual review time. It’s probably worth noting that I am already quite predisposed to folk, a wee bit biased toward it, so needless to say I’ve listened to this album over 6 times now (in addition to some of his other works) since getting it for my album of the day. It deserves every one of those listens, and I will continue to listen to this album til the day I die. I mean the lyrics are some of the most poetic I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. His soft and quaint voice matches with his gentle guitar and it all just comes together to form some of the most calming, comforting, and nostalgic music I have ever heard in my entire life despite the fact I’ve never heard this album before let alone any Leonard Cohen. These songs sound like I may as well have known them my whole life. But these songs are so much more than that. There is an element of dark humor expressed in his vivid imagery and poetic writing, the irony of One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong comes to mind, a humor and irony that is so beautifully paralleled to the juxtaposition of the humorous lyrics and yet solemn guitar. You want to laugh and yet you can’t. This is the mastery of Leonard’s abilities. In doing so he permits us to recognize the humor of the scene he has laid out in front of us, and yet restrains our ability to mock it. This allows us as the listener to internalize and reflect upon the deeper meanings and applications of his words. Every joke has an ounce of truth to it. It’s an unbelievable combination of musical prowess and lyrical expertise that is just astounding. Through his debut, Leonard pushes the boundaries of folk, music, and even art. Thank you 1001 albums for introducing me to this folk king, you are truly doing god’s work 🙏

Cohen may be the goat songwriter. Despite being born as raised in Montreal, that is something I didn’t grasp until starting this project. Songs of Leonard Cohen is a masterpiece. A word I probably use too often but in this case, it’s real. Suzanne, So Long Marianne both deserve the title, but Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye is the highlight for me. The vivid pictures he paints from start to finish are one of a kind. 9.2/10

Probably the sad lads best work. Helped that So Long, Marianne is a superb. Simpsons: Yes

The best tracks are sublime, the worst tracks are great. Sisters of Mercy onwards is flawless.

unparalleled, imitable, stunning

I think the reportedly deserved punch in the face from Nico was worth it all things considered for One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong. It's one of the most mordantly hilarious things ever written. Listen in close to Len, he is one of the funniest songwriters ever.

I really enjoy Leonard’s deep rumbling voice, slightly offbeat handling of the music but most of all, how poetic the works are.

Faves: Suzanne, Winter Lady, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne

Gobsmacked listening to this one. I thought You Want It Darker was good, but this one completely blew me away.

Maybe not the most exciting music, but a masterpiece of poetry and mood.

Somehow this is one of the best albums of Mr Leonard even if this is his debut. I love it.

Simple folk, done simply well. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. No big allegories relating this to an art museum or anything like that; it’s just excellent poetry put into musical form, and I really, REALLY enjoyed it. I’ve dabbled in poetry before; I’m not great at it, but sometimes I’d like to think I do alright. This is masterful poetry – Leonard Cohen has always done a good job of pulling out emotions from something in his songs, whether it’s his older wistful vocals & biblical allegories on “You Want it Darker” or the immensely dreary heartbreak present on most of “Songs of Love & Hate”, and this album proves no different. This is thankfully a much brighter album, or at least not painted as darkly – a lot of these tracks are drenched in the more mysterious & painfully confusing moments of one’s life, but they usually have something sunshine-y scattered throughout, to keep the imagery rich & hopeful, even while acknowledging the sadness of it all. Honestly, most of that sunshine comes in the instrumentation, which is more varied & “musical” than what I can remember on the other two Leonard Cohen albums we’ve gotten. Once again, I will fully understand someone giving this a 3, or a 2, or even a 1 – if you’re not big on lyricism, or you find his voice bland, or you just want something truly bright & happy & poppy, this isn’t it. You have to be in the right mood (and arguably the right timeframe, it’s a night album imo) to get it, but I think what’s here is significantly more digestible & “gettable” than the other two albums, which still feel drenched in life experiences I may never truly feel or understand. This feels like poetry you can analyze without having to go layers deep; it’s remarkably vivid, and his songwriting still shines. I really truly enjoyed this – it’s a 5 for me; not a high end 5, but a 5 nonetheless. “So Long, Marianne” rules, by the way.

suzanne- 9 or 10. hurts so good master song- 6 winter lady- 7 or 8 the stranger song- 6 or 7 sisters of mercy- 8 or 9 so long marianne- 9 or 10 😭 hey thats no way to say goodbye- 10 😭 🔫 stories of the street- 6 teachers-6 one of us cannot be wrong- 6 thank you leonard. shout out lucy and eri fr fr 🕊

I know the songs, but, man, this whole album is pretty great! Hard to believe this was his first effort, it’s so mature and emotionally and melodically intelligent and unapologetically sex-informed. This has me going back through his cannon and putting together my Cohen playlist - now I’d only I could go back to 3rd year university armed with that…

This really is a stunning debut. Every song is beautiful and immersive. This was the soundtrack to my late teenage years- when I thought I understood it all. Listening again bring me right back to that time and the music has aged so well. This was one of the first albums my father bought when he moved to Montreal from Egypt and because of this always heldna special place in our family. There are many cohen albums that I love, but this may just be my favourite.

My first full listen of the album!

could there be American Chanson? a genre that i've always wanted to get into but with a clear barrier for entry -- knowing how to speak French -- i find myself unable to get what other people (read: the French) do from the style. chanson is more than just a personality singing alone, it's someone singing truths from themselves, affecting the audience not just in sound but in meaning. i want to be affected, i want to feel that tear in my soul. it's just hidden behind a language that i never bothered to learn the rules of. so i need to settle for American chanson. the closest you can get to that, as far as i know, is Leonard Cohen. i've heard his slicker, almost parodically synthetic work on I'm Your Man and liked it. here, we find ourselves at the tonal opposite, with "tenderness" being the word in mind here. the sparseness of the arrangements do away with the dramatic and end up leaving me feeling something at the end of each song. raw emotion delivered slowly and beautifully. i have a beat up copy of this, rescued from the ARC Thrift Store in Fort Collins, and i'm glad its with me, even if it's been chewed by a dog and forgotten. feels appropriate. i don't care if he was yours to begin with, Canada. you can't take him from us. he made these songs in New York. he's our boy.

All great

I was a bit floored by this album. Starting to realize just how much I like folk music - particularly stuff like this with really deep emotions tied to the themes throughout. Reminds me of a combination between Bob Dylan / Nick Drake / and The Van. Fantastic album that is going to push me into listening to maybe his entire catelog. I loved every single track and imagine that this album only gets better with each listen. 9/10

10/10 fucking love this man. Suzanne never stops giving me the chills. 1-22-2025

Was already one of my favorite albums! Life-changing!

Leonard Cohen is just so captivating and distinctive. I love his poetry and his delivery. The music is fairly simple and serves, basically, to present his words, which are always interesting. The Biblical allusions may largely escape me but the sense that his work rewards close listening does not.

Back in the mid-70s when I was a student and just embarking on a life of listening to records, Leonard Cohen was always touted as this depressing figure. But really his music is so much more than that. Not so much to my taste, but this is a cracking debut album.

Well, it took long enough, but I finally got a Leonard Cohen album for the project! He has quite a few on here, so I've been very curious to hear what his albums are like. Fortunately, I'm starting now with his debut album, which is probably the best place to start. Not only is it a great starting point because of the fact that it's at the beginning of his discography, it's also just an amazing album all throughout. Songs of Leonard Cohen is simply excellent. The fact that this is his debut is astonishing given the masterful artistry at play here. The instrumentation is simple but very effective. It serves as the perfect backdrop for the star of the show... the lyricism. See, before getting started with his music career, Leonard Cohen had experience with poetry and other writings and it shows. This album is filled to the brim with some of the best storytelling I've heard in an album. There's something about songs like "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne" that really strikes a chord with me. I love it. Leonard Cohen's singing is very fitting of these songs. It's nice. I like it. There is not a single bad song on here. The tone is very consistent, but it works because the style is so good. This is probably one of the finest debut albums I've ever heard. 5/5.

First surprise on this challenge. This album was unbelievable for 1967 , great folk and variety of singer songwriter. Big fan already

That's my man 😌

People sleep in this

Excellent

I can't fault it. The production is intimate and sounds so raw and live. You can lose yourself in the lyrics and let it the music wash over you in endless tides. He makes despair sound uplifting and love sound like hell itself. Beautiful

This is one of my all time favourites. When I listened to it for the first time it blew my mind and it still does. The lyrics are among the best I have ever heard.

Driving through the English countryside as I am right now must be the perfect vibe for this album as it hit… This is the debut studio album from Leonard Cohen, writer of jazz police. And the final album of his I have to review. But it’s a sad feeling honestly because I love his music. Other than songs for a room they were all easy 5/5’s. Suzanne and master song together is a powerful way to start a career and those songs are great ways to represent the early album. Then I think so long Marianne on side two complements these opening two songs, so if you accidentally started on the wrong side you still get a similar experience, like really similar with hey that’s no way to say goodbye, like that’s very similar to Suzanne, The ‘I’m just a station on the way’ line on winter lady got me. The album honestly reminds me of the first Simon and Garfunkel with its religious theming with the stranger song and sisters of mercy. It’s not as prevalent as on that album but existent nonetheless. Stories of the street is alright I wouldn’t call it super notable but I liked it. Teachers I liked for the whole ‘teach our hearts to break’ stuff. And yeah one of us cannot be wrong just fits as a closer, he’s get better at finale’s but it’s still great. 5/5

I'm not crying, you're crying

ily mr cohen

Defiantly one of the best; easy call.

Timeless classic from a great singer songwriter.

what can i Say. 3 of my favourite Leonard Cohen songs on one album. it was always going to be a 5. Starts of superbly, then builds up to an incredible 4 songs in a row from sisters of Mercy

Justo llevo un par de días volviendo a pensar en este disco, creo que si el 1001albumsgenerator no me lo hubiera sugerido, igualmente habríamelo puesto.

I have no reason not to give this one a five star, like, I spend countless time with it...soft and chill, slowly drifting away in the tide of lyricism...oh such a joyful ride, another aspect of life, makes me sentimental.

Nulla da dire

leonard cohen is a natural treasure and despite how dated this album is, it (unsurprisingly) remains timeless to me. teachers is just one of the many highlights here and wow he really was a legend i cannot believe it took me this long for my first cohen album

Пока лучший альбом, что я слышал у него в этом списке. А 1001 хочет, чтобы я был экспертом по, эмм, Бисти Бойз и Леонарду Коэну... Лучшая песня - One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong.