FUCK 2016. At least he got his last album out in time. For those that know of him (I'm looking at you, barfo) Marianne (of "So long" fame) just died and he wrote her a letter on her deathbed saying he would be following her soon.
His song "The Partisan" is playing a lot in my head since Tuesday. It was used to great effect in the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople:
I never liked his voice, but there's no denying his contributions to music. Without him, there would be no jewels like this: A timeless classic. Leonard Cohen wrote it. Rufus Wainwright sweetened it. But Jeff Buckley....he perfected it. RIP Leonard Cohen. Thank you for your work.
Cohen got a bit tired of it (after the nth time it was sung on various talent shows), saying peevishly "I have other songs". But I'm very partial to KD Lang (fellow Canadian)'s version: Apparently it took him years to write and there are DOZENS of verses, unknown to most people. Bob Dylan was the first person to recognize its greatness, as admittedly Cohen's own version is pretty bad. Sadly, Dylan's version is even worse.
Wow....the poet playboy of the big apple has checked out! I know a lot of guys who hung out with him in the early 60s....that guy had a full life....probably the Brad Pitt of the beat poets circle.....lot of women are out there crying tonight...RIP to a great wordsmith!
Can't argue with this list: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/p...l-songs-w449797/sisters-of-mercy-1967-w449800
"Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey I ache in the places where I used to play And I'm crazy for love but I'm not coming on I'm just paying my rent every day Oh in the Tower of Song I said to Hank Williams: how lonely does it get? Hank Williams hasn't answered yet But I hear him coughing all night long A hundred floors above me In the Tower of Song" I honestly hope he's there with Hank right now.