Songs Of Leonard Cohen

classic and calming

Very chill, only really liked So Long, Marianne.

Mjög þægileg hlustun

class

-A genuinely creative album. I like the subtle instrumentation and overall sparse vibe. -The songs are really centered on Cohen's lyrics, so it's a bit like listening to an audiobook (not derogatory). Even though it's largely acoustic, with lots of story songs, I don't really consider this "folk" music. It's its own thing. -Few have written better double entendres.

A Street (2014) Alexandra Leaving (2001) Almost Like The Blues (2014) Amen (2012) Anthem (1992) Anyhow (2012) Ballad Of The Absent Mare (1979) Banjo (2012) Bird On The Wire (1969) Born In Chains (2014) Chelsea Hotel #2 (1974) Closing Time (1992) Come Healing (2012) Crazy To Love You (2012) Dance Me to the End of Love (1984) Darkness (2012) Different Sides (2012) Everybody Knows (1988) Famous Blue Raincoat (1971) Field Commander Cohen (1974) First We Take Manhattan (1988) Going Home (2012) Hallelujah (1984) Happens To The Heart (2019) I'm Your Man (1988) It Seemed the Better Way (2016) Joan Of Arc (1971) Listen To The Hummingbird (2019) Lullaby (2012) Master Song (1967) Moving On (2019) Nevermind (2014) Puppets (2019) Seems So Long Ago, Nancy (1969) Show Me The Place (2012) Sisters of Mercy (1967) Slow (2014) So Long, Marianne (1967) Suzanne (1967) Take This Longing (1974) The Future (1994) The Goal (2019) The Night of Santiago (2019) The Smokey Life (1979) The Stranger Song (1967) Tower of Song (1988) Traveling Light (2016) Treaty (2016) Waiting For The Miracle (1992) Winter Lady (1967) You Got Me Singing (2014) You Want It Darker (2016)

Middagsmusikk

Bon, Mr Cohen, c’est un incontournable effectivement, des pièces très belles et envolées poétiques et tout le tralala… certe, mais là, je vais reveal mon 1000e albums, pis j’le trouve un peu plate le Léonard, donc j’ai juste envie de générer le prochain album

Suzanne - Slow, melodic and vaguely religious. Master Song - Wistful and eerie. Feels like an adventure story told from an outsider's perspective. Gets dark towards the end. Winter Lady - Classic sad song. A bit generic The Stranger Song - Odd mixture of Bob Dylan and Jose Gonzalez vibes Sisters of Mercy - Nice use of bells and ratchets. Feels a bit like a RenFaire song So Long, Marianne - Sad love song about an Ex. Not bad in its own right. I really like the chorus. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - Lots of generic love songs. Stories of the Street - Fun little Western tune Teachers - Oddly dark song, a little disappointed it wasn't actually about teachers. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - Sad old man song

Not feeling it

Decent lyrics. Lazy melodies. Poor singing. Not for me.

Very nice calming vibe, a very enjoyable listen and definitely more my vibe.

Naja. Verstehe warum Mans gehört haben muss, aber mit zu depri

just truly amazing

Not my cup of tea

this shit good

The songs felt slow, boring, and kind of repetitive. After a while, they all started blending together and made the listen feel longer than it actually was. I got through the whole album, so not terrible by any means, but nothing that caught my attention.

Fajna muzyka, brzmi nostalgicznie, fajna na poranki. Smutne teksty o miłości

I liked this album but I think I would prefer a greatest hits Leonard Cohen album better

Some imperfect songs but when the song hits man it’s a beautiful thing

Beautiful

Banger

Been a long time since I listened to this. Still good. Ends a 6 album dull streak, but it has lost something for me. A solid 4 is nothing to sneeze at. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes: 41/162 (25%) Will I get? Already have

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.

Decent, a bit depressing

Track 1. (Suzanne) This is totally my vibe, such a great love song, the lyrics are incredible. 8.5/10 Track 2. (Master Song) This is the first album where I was really impressed by the lyrics, a total standout for me. 8/10 Track 3. (Winter Lady) I just wish this were longer, but it’s so good. 8.2/10 Track 4. (The Stranger Song) 7/10 Track 5. (Sisters of Mercy) 7/10 Track 6. (So Long, Marianne) 9/10 Track 7. (Thats No Way to Say Goodbye) 7.5 Track 8. (Stories of the Street) 8/10 Track 9. (Teachers) 5/10 Track 10. (One of Us Cannot Be Wrong) 8/10 Overall Score: 7.6

I liked it a lot. The sad but happy tone of it. It's difficult to describe but it made me feel something. It felt like The Holdovers vibe. Want to listen to more of him.

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

Masterpiece in song writing

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.

This was a lovely time. Made me appreciate the poetry on his songs.

Kind of a triggering album from childhood ickyness.

Nothing really caught my interest or ire.

aw very delicate his voice is added to THE list

Moo-dee

robert altman’s cameron winter

Too refined of an artist to include something so pedestrian as a *chorus* in his songs, Cohen mercilessly piles on one verse after another like some medieval bard telling the tale of how St. Olaf slayed the dragon. Also, like many other folk singers of the 60's, the music itself is little more than an afterthought, serving only as a bed for Cohen's overly earnest lyrics.

#46 Not this guy again

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 :)

I liked the warm feeling of it while also enjoying the kind of nostalgic feel that it brings. Ironically I got this album when I was in my feels .

Very calming.

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

Couldn't get over the awful singing, but I understand this is quite the series of lyrics and inspired many other artists. The guitar is quite nice, and I liked the stripped-down nature of the music, just vocalist and guitar. That makes it feel a little more intimate.

not really my cup of tea but iconic

Already owner maybe his best album

I really wanted to like this, I love this era of folk music but it just feels a little too "same-y" and bleeds together. I'm sure I'll get crucified but it's a 2/5 for me.

I like a lot of his stuff. But this album Was a miss

the only song i like by him is "I'm your man" and its not even on this album.

I like the vibe, but I think Leonard Cohen just isn't for me.

7/10… folk / singer-songwriter / *1967

A few classic songs. And what a beautiful voice!

Such a staple and I haven’t listened to much of his work before I love it

When Cohen is good he's really great. This album, however, doesn't have so much of that. Sometimes he gets more caught up in the stories than the music, there are many such stories here. It all flew by quite quickly. I know he does better, I hope those albums are here too.

Smooth. Easy listening and very cosy.

Really enjoyed - melancholy, but beautiful

This is WAY better than I expected. It's actually pretty nice folk music. I never thought Leonard Cohen would appeal to me, but I guess that is the benefit of this exercise.

I had never heard any of Leonard Cohen’s work before and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Unfortunately this album didn’t really grab me. I listened to the whole album about 3 times and my biggest positives is that the instrumentation is super impressive, especially the guitar playing. The guitar player on this album is genuinely so talented it’s crazy. But the problem I had with the album the most was just that I don’t really connect with songwriting if the song is super slow and there’s no humor involved. It’s obviously not a bad album, it just did nothing for me and I didn’t end up saving any songs. But again it’s a solid folk album, just not for me.

I love this album. It is intense and rich in tone with sparse production.

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

Kerronta on kovaa, tarinaa ja kielikuvia eikä tuo Cohen ole mikään huono laulajakaan.

On se fait chier

C’est joli

Boring zzzzz 2/5

I'm not really familiar with Leonard Cohen.....but he wrote Hallelujah. Yes, THAT Hallelujah......the one literally everyone in the world knows. This is a complete surprise because I thought this was one of those songs that was like hundreds of years old........apparently not. Written in 1984. The "hit" song on this album was Suzanne....which I do not get. I read that the first time he played it, the crowd went crazy. For this? I liked So Long Marianne better. This is as folk as folk can get really because it feels like he wrote poems and then started playing the guitar to it. So if you're into lyrical storytelling, this is probably a great album for you.... I don't know what was going on with One of Us Cannot Be Wrong with the background screaming. It seemed out of place and just weird. This song and Teachers were a weak end to the album. Overall, this album isn't for me, but he's a very poetic songwriter, which i'm sure a lot of people can appreciate.

Really liked a few of the tracks and the guitar work.

Leonard's voice is one that can often be found narrating my dreams. Either ghoulish nightmares or an easy breezy afternoon in the shade. Never going out of my way to listen. Wasn't the worst, but still the adoration of this guy at times confuses me.

these guys have a naaaasty flow 😮‍💨 not super practical for me but i enjoyed it faves/new discoveries: break, thin line, after school special album art: very cool i know diddy was jealous

Nice album

Debut album. Folk. My second Cohen album in four days. More of the same really. A barely sung poetry recital with good storytelling and simple music. It's a thoughtful journey and well put together.

Always nice when the opening track has your name :D Nice easy listening

Sorry, am I going mad? 'Suzanne' and 'Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye' are EXACTLY the same tune melody?! I was just thinking about how fucking samey it was and then he started singing a melody I'd already heard!! I just.... can't...

He uses the same melody multiple times. It was only interesting once.

As a not big Cohen guy this might be my favorite. He's good but maybe its just my style too much. I liked the few songs with the plucky later guitar. Those are good but the rest kinda just washes over me and its gone. If I cared about lyrics im sure id get much more but I don't so I dont think ill ever really get him or those like him. Thats on me for sure but he gets a middling look caur of me.

I have never been so impressed by an opening track to then be so underwhelmed by what follows. There is some lovely lyricism on display here, but musically it’s just quite samey isn’t it.

me encantoooooooo

a classic! such a beauty!

это почти приятно слушать! он нормально поёт! они не добавили завывания шансона! интересного я тоже не нашла но хотя бы не отвратительно

At first I was like... hm idk, but the album got better with every song. I still think it's a little depressing, so it didn't fit my mood. But that dosen't matters. My favourite Songs are "So long Marianne'' and "The stranger Song"

Lullabies for me. Don’t listen when you’re driving.

Torn between a 3 and 4. I love his song writing style, style of singing and playing guitar. I think he just writes really tight songs. I think some variety would have made this album jump off the page, as most of his songs were finger picking and a bit slow and melodramatic. Going with a 4 because I think it’s a showcase in excellent writing and compelling rhyme schemes.

honestly not a huge fan of leonard cohen. its not bad, and i think i like his earlier work where his voice isn't as gravely. all in all, its a fine album.

I enjoyed getting to go back and hear Leonard Cohen’s singing voice when he was younger, it was fantastic. Loved the mellow vibes and the lyrics were hauntingly beautiful in places.

I like this a lot more than I was expecting. I'm not entirely sure why though. He has a Bob Dylan -esque songwriting style which I typically don't like, but he has a much more soothing voice.

good. a bit borign musically, but lovely songs.

Not bad but a lot of the songs sound really similar, especially in the first half of the album. It doesn't help that his singing is very monotone and repetitive. Favorites: Teachers

Beautiful. Haunting. Nostalgic.

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

8,5/10

Really mellow and beautiful. I don't really understand what specifically it is that makes this sound like poetry. I know he is very much a poet but it comes through in the music so much more than Dylan or lou Reed or Tom Waits and I don't really know why. The accompaniment to the beautiful words feels so thoughtfully out together. The whole atmosphere is spot on. It's all very dark, but music should be dark sometimes I guess

Droll

Fun to hear where the Leonard Cohen journey started. Great songwriting here, and of course the poetic lyrics and buttery voice the man is famous for. Kind of plays like adult lullabyes to me. Could be easily mistaken for Neil Diamond at times, which isn't a criticism.

Downtempo, evocative story-telling; a good fit for a very specific kind of mood.

This is music for people who like watching paint dry

This is clearly well written and made but it's all just a bit too drab and feels like a drag to get through.

Gear: INAWAKEN Twilight-DS Artwork: 😐📸🔳 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🛐💭🥱 Rating: ✝️🕎(☯️)/5

Love it.

Lovely

Holy shit

i like it

Dude is boring. 2/5

Smooth like honey but cold like heartache.

No greater lyricist. And that voice.

The two tracks with female first names are absolute musical icons. Fun album.

Beautiful voice, lyrics, and instrumentation Would have to be in specific mood to listen Favorites: Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

3. beautiful lyrics

Folksy, great lyrics. Each song is like a little story or poem.

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).

Nice album, wouldn’t turn it off but wouldn’t seek to play again

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.

Stellar debut with beautiful arrangements, poetic words, and great songwriting. "Suzanne," of course, but there's not a dud to be found. I especially like "So Long, Marianne." Still, there's something that keeps this from being a 5 star album for me. Something about the way Cohen's voice and lyrics often keep me at arm's length from the emotional truths of his songs.

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

Alot better folk album than the one I was recommended last night 'Bert Jansch'

Pretty much all sounded the same I like his voice so will give a 3

Who I wish Bob Dylan was

Vilken jävla debut! Femma

Love this album

Since I'm not a lyrics-first listener, I probably can't score this one as accurately as I should based off of just one listen.

when a lion whispers, you listen

not anything I'm super crazy about but it had a nice feel to it generally. nice listen overall

The perfect album for when your playing cards with your parents and things are on the precipice of coming to blows

Piękny głos, nastrojowe melodie ale nie moj vibe.

it’s good, but it’s not really my style. i defo like it better than you want it darker, but it’s still not really my thing. but i can respect it.

I love me some poetry

Leonard Cohen’s debut is a quiet gut punch, a record so stark and intimate it feels like he’s reading secret letters aloud in the next room. The lyrics are breathtaking, the mood unmistakable, and the whole thing radiates that Cohen mystique people spend their whole lives trying (and failing) to imitate. But for all its beauty, the album is also monochromatic. Once you settle into its dusky palette, it doesn’t really shift. No real valleys, but not many peaks either, just a steady, unbroken current of solemn, poetic murmurings. It’s moving, admirable, iconic even, but it doesn’t reach that transcendent tier where every track feels essential. In the end it’s a gorgeous listen and an important one, but not a five-star experience for anyone who occasionally likes variety in their melancholy.

Gillade det mer än jag trodde ärligt talat! Så svag för amerikansk folk, och man märker att texterna verkligen är lysande. Vissa låtar är så vackra att man bara drömmer sig bort

I wanted to like this, Leonard Cohen being a Canadian icon and all, but this album was way too slow for me.

Leonard Cohen has a very deep and full voice. The instrumentation is subtle but thoughtfull and the album really thrives on his beautifull voice...

pleasant, interesting, feels calm and safe

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.

I felt like I was listening to a talented storyteller. Really enjoyed this one.

Great songwriter

I think I understand why this is so popular with depressed people

Not a fan. Couldn't get interested in it.

I guess I don’t really love folk music. This was very good from the perspective of a lyricist. But I did not think very much of the song structures.

I wish I liked Leonard cohen more but I just can’t get it

a few good songs but what is he talking about?

2.0

Not my thing

Actually didn’t mind this one as much as I thought I would. Very chilled out background music

Was having a pretty good day until I listened to this album. Was so bad I threw up in the middle of the night and had to miss my morning lecture.

Brilliant lyricist. Some great songs. But not a fan of his voice - or the universal melancholy. Not the sort of guy you’d take to the pub for a fun evening….

Enjoyed this more than I expected. Very Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash-esk, more peaceful and calming but staying true with slightly depressing and existential sounding lyrics 7/10

Just not great, but not absolutely awful

Beautiful and sometimes a bit haunting.

I ended up adding Suzanne to my Liked Songs list. But at this point I have to accept that not really liking Cohen is a me problem. I tried!

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

Although I’m not crazy about his voice, and I think the lyrics are a bit pretentious, I didn’t mind us all together. It’s a low three star rating for me.

s.s., 1969 -> 4

not my cup of tea super slow sad songs. the people that like this style probably love this but I don't.

Vrlo mirno, ambijentalno i ugodno uhu

Not a bad album! I listened while being out and about in Portland OR in the rain and cold. The atmosphere brought a little moodiness to the music that was fitting for Cohens style.

Really beautiful album. Felt like a lullaby, especially Suzanne. Master song’s guitar feedback sounded great. I felt like it got a bit repetitive after a while though.

Liked this a lot, probably more than I expected to. His singing is great and the lyrics are very interesting. This is one where I see the appeal and understand the inclusion here.

Sorry guys. I just don’t like Leonard Cohen very much.

The sing songy melody lines, spare arrangements, voice from the grave, and smart writing make Cohen a pretty good hang.

Meditative off-center melodies and lyrics. You hear the folk and other traditions he comes from, but he makes them his own. I would need to listen to this a number of times to fully appreciate.

perfect for depressive weather

wish I could write songs like that

Great!

Whatever

I say this every time he comes up, he should have stuck to the poetry side of things. I can’t take to his voice at all and the songs are dreary for the most part

This was an easy listen but it didn't stand out to me and I don't think I would put it on the list

This isn’t the version of Leonard Cohen I’m looking for. I want it darker, more brooding, the Cohen more steeped in shadow and gravity. This early album just doesn’t hit that mood for me.

Oh man, I thought I'd hate it, this is something I don't usually like. However, like a movie you don't like as it doesn't resonates with you, but you can definitely see why it could resonate with others, this was a surprisingly well spent time. This is what an exercise in 1001 albums should be.

вроде канадец, а звучит как будто с американского среднего запада. ну в целом норм

I really didn't like this one. I can't believe he is being compared to Bob Dylan. Music was very boring, and felt arrogant somehow.

This was a great album. Some of the best songwriting I maybe have ever heard. I like the minimal instrumentation. It compliments the storytelling well. I had to listen to it multiple times to get a focused listen. It's worth being attentive for, and the whole album paints a picture of a man's genuine, dim, appreciative, and lost perspective.

This is so beautiful, from what little I knew of Leonard Cohen I had no idea it would be so heartfelt. Gorgeous stripped back songs that feel like a man bearing the painful parts of his soul.

I was previously familiar with Leonard Cohen, but not this album. This album does well represent what you think of with him - brilliant lyrics, stripped down arrangements, and his voice. I appreciate this for what it is, and while I would listen again, I am not exactly rushing to do so.

Incredibly dull

I really enjoyed this album. Very cozy, comforting acoustic folk. It was the perfect soundtrack to being cozy inside on a cold winter day.

Good

it's fine. I found it soothing, but also generic. it just faded into the background.

melancolico pra porra

Não terminei, mas é bem chatinho, poesia em forma de música que no fim fica tediante Top 3: 1. So Long, Marianne - Mais legalzinha 2. Stories of the Street - Daorinha 3. Sisters Of Mercy - Menos monótona

A little bit boring and dreary - like Dylan on valium. Don't hate it though but maybe just wasn't the right album to fit my mood today.

Deep, man, deep.

This dude looks constantly sad in all of his pictures. His music reflects this

Favorite Track: Suzanne

I don't get it. The music is limited. The vocals are limited. Most songs are almost indistinguishable from every other. I have no desire to listen to the whole thing again. And yet, I like it. Why is it so alluring? Why am I giving it four stars? I just must be predisposed to enjoy this, against my better instincts.

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.

2.75-3.25 pretty standard folk, lol zero sauce, wonder what else he has cooking.

He's got a nice voice

Heart sank, was a little better than expected

I heard there was a secret album where Leonard Cohen didnt send me to sleep. This was not it

3.2/5 debut leonard actually better than i thought very si get songwriter mostly voice and guitar

Not too bad. Reasonably enjoyable but I’m not sure if I’d listen to it again.

I’m pretty sure this is the first folk album I got, and it’s fine. I don’t think I would listen to it again.

Song writers should sometimes stay as writers... I like a couple of Cohen tracks but some is so dry and droll its hard work.

I get it. But also unfortunately, pretty dull.

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.

To misquote Blixa Bargeld of Neubauten, it's not often that I want to listen to Leonard Cohen, but when I do, there's nothing else I'd rather hear.

Confession: I own this album. I've never made it through it. I think I maybe got through Side A once. It's just such a HEAVY album. Dude had pathos.

’ve heard of Leonard Cohen my whole life, but it seems like he’s been old my whole life. As a kid, you don’t want to listen to old people's music, even though classic rock is nothing but old people's music. I’m sure I’ve heard Cohen songs because they’re a got to for movies and tv shows. But I’ve never sat down and listened to a full album. Songs of Leonard Cohen is a full album, his first album, and it's kind of what I expected, but better. It really reminded me of Simon & Garfunkel and the folk movement of the 60's, the spare instrumentation and the song lyrics being more poetry than song lyrics. Each song tells a story, with some easier to decipher than others. For instance, The Stranger Song is about a time he met two women on the street who needed a place to stay and invited them to his aprtment/room. Sounds like a Penthouse letter, doesn’t it? While the two women slept in his bed, he sat and wrote The Stranger Song. It was finished by the time they woke up. Besides the incredible poetry in his songs, a lot of the music is acoustic guitars in a folk style of the 60s. In fact, Cohen actually wanted the instrumentation to be even more sparse, but the producer used strings and drums on several tracks. Cohen was furious when he heard drums. He wanted no drums used on this album, but I think it all works. If there weren’t other sounds to break up the acoustic guitars, I think the songs would get monotonous. I think this is an album you need to hear before you die. If you’re in the right mood, I can see this being your favorite new album. In fact, this is Fall music to me. It sounds like something you’d put on with a hot toddy and a roaring fire and watch the leaves or snow fall. If you’ve never heard Cohen before, this is a great place to start.

On one hand, Cohen's tunesmithing is best described as "uncommitted," and I can't tell whether he really *can't* sing or just isn't trying hard enough. Just like his characters, he has to make everything hard for himself. On the other hand, what characters! Cohen's poetry cements him as an heir of the Beats - tales of addicts, vagabonds, ladies of moral turpitude, boys who fell in with the bad crowd, all seesawing between depravity and ecstasy. No wonder this album has been a mainstay of bohemians (actual or aspiring) for half a century now.

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.

Leonard Cohen is who Bob Dylan wishes he was. Usually I have a distaste for 60's Folk, but I'm extremely surprised that I enjoyed this album... 4 stars?

Amazing but after five songs it’s too depressing, gotta take a break

meh 2.5/5

Coincidentally, I have now spent two consecutive days listening to Leonard Cohen's early work, as part of working through this list: yesterday with his second album, "Songs From A Room", and today with his 1967 debut, "Songs of Leonard Cohen". Overall, the debut is an agreeable listen, characterized by plaintive, minimalistic tracks gently adorned with swells of orchestration here and there. The guitar work, both acoustic and electric, serves mainly to add subtle colour. Cohen's vocal delivery is purely utilitarian, designed solely to articulate the lyrics. "So Long, Marianne" was probably the stand out song for me. That said, the backing vocals sounded somewhat twee and out of keeping, otherwise a fine song. While I recognize the considerable influence Leonard Cohen's song writing has had, as evidenced by the familiar covers, this album doesn't strike me as essential listening for my personal taste. Between the first two, I marginally prefer "Songs From A Room". (3/5). On a final note, the visual presentation of the debut seems as questionable as Cohen's second album; I find the cover art for this album equally poor. Side one 1 "Suzanne" (4/5) 2 "Master Song" (3/5) 3 "Winter Lady" (3/5) 4 "The Stranger Song" (3/5) 5 "Sisters of Mercy" (4/5) Side two 6 "So Long, Marianne" (4/5) 7 "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" (3/5) 8 "Stories of the Street" (3/5) 9 "Teachers" (4/5) 10 "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" (3/5) Total - 34 Average - 3.4 157/1001 86/157 albums reviewed were new to me.

This is my third Leonard Cohen album on the list so far, and as I've gone back in time I've enjoyed them less. This one is a bit inconsistent for me. There are some songs with really interesting lyrics that warrant relistening and analysis, some are pleasant enough slightly Dylan styled numbers, and there are a couple of skips.

the most beautiful album in the world

Some eerie folk, perfect even (if unnerving) for the winters night walk that I listened to it during. 4 stars

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.

The lyrics are gorgeous but the music gets old fast.

Leonard is an interesting guy. Great lyrics and very understated arrangements. Not something I would listen to every day but in the right mood it is very moving.

Listened Before? N This was better than his other stuff. Before he got TOO weird. There's still some weirdness here but not to the level of his later albums. I didn't hate this one - but I'm not sure we needed of his albums on this list. This is may fave though. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye

listened to the first few. suzanne is a banger, gonna rate it low js because it’s not great excel music.

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.

Cohen’s lyricism is undeniable, he is a poet at best and a man at worst. Likewise, this album is enchanting for better and for worse. The songs start to drone into one another about halfway through with similar pacing and sound, which contributed to a seamless album listening experience, yet leaves no distinction track to track. “Suzanne” as an opening track had me hooked because it reminds me of my partner and I sitting in the back of his mom’s car, driving to his sister’s housewarming party through a ravine-esque area with large trees and dancing leaves. We held hands, gazing out the window, humming and feeling. Favourite song(s): Suzanne Least favourite(s): Master Song

It's fine. I've listened to it before, but it was unmemorable for me. I'm not a huge fan of the ambling songs without a chorus or more regular rhythm. It's the Dylan style, where it's just singing and singing and singing, ambling. I just don't care for it. Will likely not come back to it. His voice is just boring.

I think this highlights a problem with listening to a new album every day - if I had more time to get into this, to really feel it and get in the mood, then I think I would really enjoy delving in and analysing it. But, just listening to it for today, it's kinda boring.

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.”

He's very good at what he does but not quite good enough here - not fully formed. Again, very good but some of the narrative tics reveal themselves like when you can tell when a supposedly abstract pattern repeats itself, breaking the illusion. Small thing but it took me out of the otherwise great work. Very of 1967 and also of any time at any point.

WOW

Not really my cup of tea, tbh. I'm not very into the singer/songwriter albums, even though I understand the power and impact they had. Especially Leonard's. I liked it more than Bob Dylan's records, but I guess that is because of the tone of his voice and a more polished approach to the record, but lyrically I prefer Dylan. A solid and cohesive record, just not my genre.

GOOD MUSIC

Tedious, not very adventurous music. Your typical singer songwriter bullshit. After Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen might be the second most overrated, singer songwriter.

This feels like the kind of album that is "important". A bit like poetry with some music attached. I've never really been into poetry.

Leonard Cohen has achieved legendary status in the realm of folk music. This album is an excellent example of 1960s folk music.

He’s good but nothing standout

I love Leonard Cohen, even though I'm leaning more towards his later material. Of his very early records, this, his debut - aptly named Songs of Leonard Cohen - is his best. It's not perfect; not all of the songs are equally good, but any album with songs like Suzanne, The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, and So Long, Marianne deserves an above average rating at least. So this is 4/5.

I don't really have much to say about this one. I had a hard time paying attention to the lyrics because of a busy day at work. Sonically, I feel like his vocals and guitar pair very well together. I could see how this would be a boring record to a lot of people but I found it to be a pleasant background listen. There are many other singer-songwriters/folk records that have a little more umph that I'd listen to over this. It feels wrong to rate a Leonard Cohen record a 3 but I'm gonna do it.

Man, Leonard Cohen is one of the strangest songwriters of the mid 60s Greenwhich folk revival. His songwriting is incredible. He's a poet. And yeah, a lot of it is sad and dark, but also really pure and human. Love and joy and heartbreak and heart ache. Its kind of everything. Its also mundane, its hard to tell one song from the next. His vocals are dull and droning. But his songwriting makes for great covers. I love a Leonard Cohen cover usually more than the original. Notable songs: Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye.

No doubt the songwriting ability is apparent and the minimalist production pairs well but it ain't my cup of tea.

Good singer, unique voice. Some good songs.

I generally like Leonard Cohen, but beyond Suzanne, this album didn't really do anything for me.

Love his song Hallelujah but I guess not much of his other stuff?

First listen

Too slow for my taste. Cohen is superb but this album is just not my cup of tea. Didn’t manage to get through the whole thing.

Highly respect his gift of writing but I just do not enjoy listening to him. Even younger.

I don't mind his voice or the storytelling. Nothing remarkable though. This album would be much better with more instruments, backing vocals, really anything... 3/5 Favorite song: Stories of the Street

En principio debo decir que me gusta más la música de la última etapa de Leonard Cohen, un estilo mucho más oscuro y blusero. Este álbum tiene una esencia más folk. Sin embargo me encontré disfrutándolo mucho. Tiene un energía muy relajada y melancólica, perfecta para el día en que me tocó escucharlo, una primavera fresca pero nublada y con lluvia. Las letras tienen una poesía más tradicional de la época (sobre amor y desamor), siendo que Leonard Cohen ha tenido su reconocimiento por escribir sobre contenido político y de consciencia social. La voz suena muy limpia y joven. Me gusta que no intenta impostar nada en la voz, en muy sencilla, y con el paso de los años simplemente la dejó madurar naturalmente. Insisto en que prefiero al Leonard Cohen en sus últimos álbumes, pero esta es una linda experiencia de escucha.

Only Leonard Cohen song i like is his Hallelujah. This is a mid album. 4/10

Songs of Leonard Cohen, is a masterpiece of poetic folk. Focused almost entirely on his intensely personal, literary lyrics, the album established Cohen's signature style: that deep, meditative voice set against sparse, melancholic acoustic arrangements. Some easy classics like "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne" really lift this up from its depths.

No Hallelujah

This was really great. I had never listened to one of his albums before and this was terrific. Really enjoyed this.

Romantic, meloncholy, moving. Lovely album but one I'm probably picking and choosing song to when I'm in a sad sad mood.

Contemplative autumn vibes - slow, nostalgic, and warm. Light a fire, pour a whisky or a cup of tea, and let time linger.

Fremragende debut.

3/5

Kinda boring but okay

Al Pacino music for Evie

LC FOREVER AND EVER XXXXX

Suzannes a great song to start the album off. Good for a calm sunday before you stick on ITV to watch a James Bond film.

Bit dull.

Im not not into this, but Cohen doesn't really excite me. Covers of his songs always slap tho.

Wonderful finger-plucking guitar on this album. But I continue to be underwhelmed by Leonard Cohen. He’s just not for me. There are some thought-provoking lyrics and nice musical moments, but overall it felt monotonous to me. I was bored.

This year (2025) I had a moment where I was really obsessed with the final track on this album, "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong". The lyrics are so manic and oddly specific that when I first heard it I had to play it again and I did over and over, and then I learned the lyrics and then I memorized the chords so I could play it and then I paused and thought "ok it's a good song but take your time bub". It was definitely one of my obsession songs for this year of my life. Usually I'd copy and paste some specifically poignant lyrics over into here but I think I'd end up copying the whole track because they are all good. There's a lot of storytelling on the album. While I love a good singer-songwriter, sometimes the focus on telling a story tends to be one of the facets that make me not love the genre and a reason why it's been hard for me at times to fully embrace acts like Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, and Leonard Cohen. In my opinion the hard part of this focus on storytelling in music is that it has to get so many things right for it to click with me. It has to be a good story of course, but it has to be believable too (I need to believe that there is some kind of true lived experience here, like it's hard for me to hear about a folk country songwriter talk about a hard upbringing when he grew up in a mansion), it has to be good enough that I want to go back and revisit (how many times can you watch the same movie before you want something new?), and it has to be musical enough that I get pulled in and it's not just someone talking over chords. Thankfully, when Leonard Cohen gets it right, he really gets it right, like on "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong". I'm pretty sad today even though I've gotten some great news over the past week. I'm moving soon and my usual sentimental self is starting to mourn the end of my time at the apartment that I've called home with my wife for over a decade, and today is the day where it's first hit me as I'm packing things up. This record was a really nice listen as I spent my day working / packing / reminiscing while I'm putting away random polaroids, random concert tickets, random trinkets that I've collected, and random memories I've made with friends in this place. This was a really nice accompaniment to today.

Cohen is a master songwriter, just wish the musical accompaniment on this one was a bit more varied.

Harmonies of the backup singers. Symbolism in the lyrics are lost on me. Leonard C wasn't played in my growing up house that I recall. Songs are too melancholy for a rainy-ish Sunday morning. Awesome Spanish Guitar? on Teacher. Master: meaning evades this listener; the Reddit discussion gives this song deep religious meaning, so.. OK to that. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): The Stranger. Teacher. ⭐⭐ Didn't like it. Didn't hate it, Didn't understand it.

Beautiful songs and storytelling. Vibes are just way too mellow for me. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐⭐⭐: S'alright. Saved no tracks.

Love it.

This was ok, I wouldn’t be rushing back to it though

Leonard Cohen is another one of those artists I’ve heard of, but never actually listened to. Considering how many albums he’s got on the 1001 Albums list though, I do appreciate the Generator dropping me in at the earliest possible point in his discography! Frankly, I had a similar experience with my first Leonard Cohen album as my first Nick Cave album a few weeks back – I can’t really find myself resonating with this style of songwriting, even if it’s not all uncomfortably explicit murder ballads this time. My enjoyment of the LP did pick up toward the end and I found Cohen’s voice much less grating than Cave’s, but still not enough to push Songs of Leonard Cohen higher than two stars for me. A bit scared to dig further into his discography, but hopefully things get better from here! Highlights: Master Song, So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Impeccable lyrics, nothing to write home about instrumentally but it gets the job done

favorite song from the album: Suzanne

A lot better than I expected from "the most boring voice ever". 3/5

A few good ones here

WOWWW BANGER LIKE IVE NEVER HEARD ABYTHING LIKE TS BEFORE

I really, really like Leonard's voice and delivery. The guitar playing is soothing and technical. Lyrics run the gambit from thought provoking to a bit try-hard. Fairly enjoyable listen.

Kind of Bob Dylan-esque. Slow but I'm sure the lyrics are powerful. 6/10

A nice, gentle and easy listen. It is good but didn’t stand out to me. I’m not smart enough to explain why this is so much worse than stardust, but it is

Great album, didn’t love every song but appreciated the lyricism and melody to most songs.

I find myself bewitched by how much I've liked this album. Some songs are simply beautiful... And that's not a simple thing at all, to be fair. Some songs are not much interesting musically, but, as an overall, the album is fantastic. Most of the songs are a delight, with such precious arrangements. It's a really warm and beautiful album, for sure. Even if there are songs that haven't convinced me, I must say I've liked it a lot.

Great songwriting

1. Suzanne - 4 Lyrically this is so random. At times it feels like it's brilliant and at other times it loses you. There's barely any respite between the lyrics as well. It just seems like a constant droning of lyrics that gives you no time to figure out what's exactly going on in the song. 2. Master Song - 5 It's a decent track. Lyrically it's very bang average. The strings and small brass, particularly the brass at the end of the track are small lovely touches. 3. Winter Lady - 6 Another decent track. Much better written than the previous two, but nothing so far has been anything overly phenomenal. 4. The Stranger Song - 5 Lyrically a little bit perplexing. Not a bad song but again, nothing excellent that would warrant another play. 5. Sisters of Mercy - 4 Exactly the same kind of track as the first four. 6. So Long, Marianne - 6 Very enjoyable track. Background vocals add a lot of great sound alongside a brilliantly paced guitar. Lyrically it's also the strongest on the album so far. 7. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye - 5 Decent love song. Nothing remarkable about it but lyrically it's very enjoyable. 8. Stories of the Street - 5 Much better sound on the guitar and good vocals. Lyrics are a bit strange at times. 9. Teachers - 4 The guitar on this is amazing but lyrically and vocally this is unpleasant. 10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 3 Just not an enjoyable track in any aspect. Average Rating: 4.70 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.35 Rounded Down: 2 Stars

I think this one was better than I'm your man, but still not really something I was super moved by.

This is like if you took the worst songs from I'm Your Man and made an album out of them. Lacks cool instrumentation. Made me sleepy. Feels like it should just be a spoken word poetry performance instead of an album.

very different than his first album, reminds me of simon and garfunkel but with less instrumentation going on. Love the sneaky bagpipes and general upbeat turn in so long, marianne. Another highlight was the aca and digeridoo moments in hey that's no way to say goodbye

He’s going to bring you lyrics every time.

cool, calm and collected

Soft and pleasant.

Quite samey. Enjoyed So Long, Marianne

7/10

Easy listening, relaxing, but not my style

Fantastic album. My first intro to Leonard Cohen's music was his work from the early 00s and it's just terrible. The poetry is there but it's incredibly hokey when paired with whatever budget instruments it sounds like he's using. But here, in his prime, he's fantastic.

I didn’t know so many white guys with guitars sounded so uniquely boring.

That first song is the most listened to Leonard Cohen song, it was good. Nothing else was.

This guy stinks

If You Want It Darker, which we reviewed a few weeks back, felt like a weak offering to approaching Thanatos, the reason is simple: unlike so many of his contemporaries, death was not an unexpected discovery for Leonard Cohen. It was there from the start. Cohen spent the first half of his life trying to be other things - a poet, a novelist, at one point he considering becoming a country singer. So when his first album emerged from the New York folk scene, it was a surprise even to him. His story stands apart from that of most popular singers, who begin in youth, long before they have a clue who they are. They develop their art in public and fall away once it turns out they had nothing but youth to talk about. The industry fetishes immortal youth and nobody knows what to do when the idols discover their mortality. Cohen, by contrast, started old. He had served his apprenticeship elsewhere. Following the guidance of Federico García Lorca, who “gave (him) permission to find a voice, to locate a voice, that is to locate a self”, Cohen arrived at music with a self intact, and thus already in conversation with mortality. If his deep, oaken voice sounds mature on that debut, it is because he himself was mature. Rock music, as a culture, rarely deals with ageing well. Its mythology demands early death or eternal adolescence. It is only in recent decades that rock has begun to speak openly of old age, frailty, and the long shadow of death. Some still refuse to face it - the latest Rolling Stones record could have been made at any point in their career, even though Charlie Watts has gone. But Cohen was never like that. From the beginning, he admitted that his work, following Lorca, aimed “to express the great inevitable defeat that awaits us all”. You can hear that in the voice: the cracked dignity, the grain of resignation. It is the voice of a man who always sounds at least a decade older than you are now, old enough to guide young men and seduce young women - a voice he could never have summoned in his twenties. Most thirty-year-olds would not dare to face down the handful of themes that Cohen would go on to explore again and again: love, faith, failure, time, and the quiet certainty of death. “The artist, and particularly the poet, is always an anarchist in the best sense of the word. He must heed only the call that arises within him from three strong voices: the voice of death, with all its foreboding, the voice of love and the voice of art.” – Federico García Lorca Cohen began with all three already entwined, impossible to separate. That is why his career never felt like a progression, but a deepening. Each record sounded like a continuation of the same conversation: one between desire and its failure, faith and its exhaustion, life and its vanishing. 4 The songbook of this album sat on a bookshelf in our front room for my entire childhood. The Master Song and the Stranger Song were two of the first songs I learned how to play on guitar. Still, it seemed less like a music book than a book of poetry. The tablature for the relatively simple music was on one page above the first verse then would come the sprawl of 6, 7, 8 verses. The book, ten years older than me, was my father’s and being well used it had a more venerable quality than it was really entitled to. How could I have escaped seeing it as a near Holy text? When you are 12 and your main frame of reference for lyrical achievement is Eagles (the Desperado album songbook was also on the shelf) Songs of Leonard Cohen is limitlessly impressive.* Even the posing anachronisms of guff like ‘Teachers’ (‘soft she answered ‘no’….not for thee’) seemed legitimate. Shakespeare, Milton, Shelley, Cohen. To be fair I hadn’t actually read any of those other ones at that stage. ‘Thee’. Fucking brilliant. In the many years since, the aura of the Mystery of Scripture about this record has evaporated for me. It’s odd to contemplate this as the work of a man several years younger than I am now but it brings certain things into focus. The obvious insecurity in some of the poetic posturing; the hunger to impress women by donning the vestments of the visionary and telling tales about strange and cruel women. But Cohen was also perfectly sincere in wanting to be a good songwriter; it’s not just sheep’s clothing. There is respect, even love, for the form in the care taken to fashion the delicately beautiful musical phrases of Suzanne and So Long Marianne and Sisters of Mercy. It is tempting to see a sort of condescension in an established poet’s almost rigid adherence to even verses and simple couplets but the truth is that Cohen himself did not view that as a meaningful restriction and it is difficult to say otherwise confronted with the power of, for example, the Jesus verse in Suzanne and its mesmerising proliferation of sibilances. If there is some self-regarding cant on this record (Master song, Teachers) there is also the sublimely direct, transparent and powerful. ‘Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye’ is my favourite Cohen song and one of my favourite songs by anyone. ‘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’ I have no commentary to offer on that, except to say that it’s wonderful and I am glad it exists. So Songs of Leonard Cohen is a puzzlingly uneven record; where to look among the garbage and the flowers? It’s also true that Cohen became a better, more sophisticated songwriter in the years that followed. A key aspect of his identity as a lyricist, his bleak humour, was not quite revealed on this first album which is mostly a po-faced affair. However this is, probably, still his best album just for the sheer burst of inspiration that produced four or five of his greatest songs in one go. *Note: Eagles ‘Desperado’ is a very good album, their best in fact, and it should be on this list. 4/5

shut up ya boring bastard

Very interesting, his voice is not bad at this point in his career. Not my thing but I'll say interesting again

I liked it and can appreciate the skill displayed here, but I didn’t love it. I think perhaps Cohen isn’t suited to the quick fire listen-once-and-make-a-snap-judgement nature of this 1001 album journey. It’s probably a slow burn that needs multiple listens to unwrap fully.

Suzanne, Hasta Luego Mariane son mis favoritos

Very relaxing for an afternoon in the kayak.

Just a bummer of an album. Everything quiet and too mellow and gloomy. So Long, Marianne stood out. 2/5.

I’m not about to rush out and listen to more Leonard Cohen but this was kind of good, Needs a beat thiugh

Ihan mukavan kuulosta hidasta laulantaa ja sopii taustameteliksi, mutta kyllä jo puolessa välissä alkoi hieman kyllästyttää kun jokainen biisi on täysin samallainen ja voidaan Hallelujah lyödä tähän samaan kastiin.. Vois olla kolmonen mut ehkä tän päivän olotila ois vaatinu jotain menevämpää ja lasketaan tällä kertaa alaspäin

Oli mielenkiintoista kuulla Leonard Cohenia hieman kirkasäänisempänä hänen myöhempiin julkaisuihinsa verrattuna. Levy oli aika tasainen paketti laulutarinointia/-runoilua ja akustista soittoa. Ihan ei saanut kaikkea irti, kun sanoituksiin ei ihan täysin kyennyt keskittymään, mutta yleisfiilikseltään levy oli "ihan hyvä". Mennään taas tylsällä kolmosen arvosanalla, koska ei tämä nelosta ansaitse, muttei ole kakkosen arvoinen keskiarvoa heikompi suorituskaan. Joku Cohenin tuoreempi levy saattaisi saada korkeamman arvosanan, koska pidän hänen vanhemmalla iällä olevastaan tummasta lauluäänestä, esimerkiksi "You Want It Darker" on huikea kappale, joka on myös musiikillisesti mielenkiintoisempi ja monipuolisempi.

Tykkään kovin Cohenin alkupään levyistä, kun niistä huokuu herran countrytausta yhdistettynä tällaiseen kivaan runoiluun. Ihan viittä tähteä vaikea antaa, koska kappaleita vaikea tulkita ja saada täysin tarinoista kiinni. Mutta jos vähän jaksaa tutkia tarkoituksia kappaleiden takaa, niin saa paljon enemmän irti. Lähes täydellinen levy omaan makuun. Ei mikään helppo levy kovinkaan monen tykätä.

Tää on vähän hankala levy kuunnella työn ohessa, kun ei oo oikeen näissä biiseissä mitään muuta kuin tarina, eikä pysty siihen keskittymään samalla.

Oorraid nyt päästiin og-runopoikaan levyvalinnoissa. Tunnelma hyvä, laulu herkistelyä. Musiikki tietty aika pelkistettyä, jotta runosuolen prööt prööt -pulputus pääsee oikeuksiinsa. Ongelma toki sitten siinä, että kun ei jaksa perehtyä lyriikkaan, niin jää 70% pois. En nyt tee tämän suhteen poikkeusta ja hae lyriikkavihkosta googlella, niin mennään perstuntumalla. Iha kiva, ei kyl tuu kuunneltuu.