I couldn't have put it better Daisy. My feelings exactly. You also shared one more thing with him. Your love for a part of my home country.

Moving and familiar sentiments, Daisy. Thank you for sharing your memories.

Nik, I revisited Cohen's "Hallelujah" after you posted. A haunting and poignant piece which has always stopped me in my tracks.

One of the amazing things about music is the way it bridges miles, cultures and generations to create such powerful connections of shared experience and understanding.

Carol

I originally discovered Leonard Cohen through covers of his songs, because so many different artists cover his works. His songs are so rich in meaning, they will always attract talented musicians; so his music will never die.

That is a pretty good example of a life that meant something, I think.

My personal preference was his role as a songwriter rather than a singer, but no one could surpass him there. Like Curdle, I listen to his covers more than the originals. However I liked his work a great deal better than that of a certain other musician of that era who has recently received a great deal of attention. This is true whether they are singing their own songs or not.

He gave us many gifts. I hope he thoroughly enjoyed his life. And there are worse things than coming to a peaceful end after a well-lived life.

No, Bob Dylan never had his voice, but they both are wonderful. I found Leonard heartbreakingly romantic and magical. I'm glad he got to say goodbye to Marianne.

According to Sunday Morning, a magazine type news program here in the US, he was writing up till very recently. Maybe we'll be gifted with more treasures.... "the crack where the light gets in....

I first encountered Cohen's music in the mid-1980's with 'Various Positions'. I have enormous admiration for his songwriting talents, and his voice- though not especially melodic- is engaging, but I have never really cared much for the arrangements of his songs.

Luckily, there are some very good covers out there, as others have mentioned.

Virginia

Adam Cohen

13 November at 08:44 ·

My
sister and I just buried my father in Montreal. With only immediate
family and a few lifelong friends present, he was lowered into the
ground in an unadorned pine box, next to
his mother and father. Exactly as he’d asked. As I write this I’m
thinking of my father’s unique blend of self-deprecation and dignity,
his approachable elegance, his charisma without audacity, his old-world
gentlemanliness and the hand-forged tower of his work. There’s so much I
wish I could thank him for, just one last time. I’d thank him for the
comfort he always provided, for the wisdom he dispensed, for the
marathon conversations, for his dazzling wit and humor. I’d thank him
for giving me, and teaching me to love Montreal and Greece. And I’d
thank him for music; first for his music which seduced me as a boy, then
for his encouragement of my own music, and finally for the privilege of
being able to make music with him. Thank you for your kind messages,
for the outpouring of sympathy and for your love of my father.

Nik, Leonard Cohen will never leave my heart, either. Always my favorite songwriter and poet, and his passing has left me with a profound sense of loss. The ideas and nuances of some of his songs were profound beyond words, despite ostensibly simple language, and so many of his songs were just plain great. He was also just a really nice person.

I was in a local cafe this evening and heard Jeff Buckley's cover of "Hallelujah". I thought of you and Leonard, Nik. Carol

I liked him a lot in the 60's though I think he was pretty dark and gloomy. It resonated with me. Never heard the Hallelujah song though till this decade at least not that I remember. Hallelujah's a great song and Jeff Buckley sure did it well.

Not the best, but this tribute from Poland is poignant.

Daisy

Tribute from Krakow

I miss him.

I love his music. I am so glad, that I had the chance to be on his concert in Ljubljana, 6 years ago.

Nik, I just had to revive your thread to share what I heard on the radio. My local classical music station just aired the Portland State University Choir singing "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen (arranged by Ethan Sperry). I pulled over my Subaru to give the performance my full attention. A most gorgeous, ethereal cover of this oft-covered song! It's posted on YouTube if you want to check it out. Carol

Thank you Carol and Nik for starting the thread. I needed this right now.

Glad to share, Sheila! Hearing the choir was an uplifting moment in the day for me, too. Carol