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Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan


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Old 09-04-2007, 18:43
Babe Rainbow
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Now, I know they're actually very different but, nevertheless, they do get compared a lot - they are both great songwriters with, depending on your personal taste, questionable vocal talent !

I'm not an authority on Bob Dylan - I love "Desire" and I think he is a great songwriter but I have to say that, to me, LEONARD IS GOD !!! I love his words, I love his voice, I love all the arrangements and his wonderful accompanying singers. I love the way he sounds so relaxed and laid back, but at the same time, imbues every song with the right emotional feeling. I love everything about his music

It is soooooooooo frustrating that almost everyone I know hates him

Just wondered what you folks out there thought.
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Old 09-04-2007, 20:44
lady_raven
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They are both amazing singers but I pefer Bob he's got more memorable songs than Leonard but they are two of the best singers of all time
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:06
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I love em both but LC edges past BD for me
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:26
cybergirl3
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Both .
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:30
twingle
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LC for me. I always think of Bob Dylan as suicide music. I know LC could be seen as the same but not for me
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:42
swingaleg
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Dylan...........never thought much of LC...........
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:45
mr. mustard
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Both very good songwriters, and both have unorthodox vocal styles. Dylan edges it for me, maybe he's written more classic songs in all.
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Old 09-04-2007, 22:51
dugq
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Objectively it would have to be dylan because he's had so much influence on music. However, Cohen would just about edge it for me as a personal preference. Mind you, they're both such great songwriters I don't like to choose between them
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Old 10-04-2007, 05:30
Keels
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Leonard for me, I love the man's lyrics. Love Bob too but Leonard is a legend.
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Old 10-04-2007, 12:49
Phred
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Heard this once:

Dylan makes you contemplate suicide
Cohen forces you to it.
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Old 10-04-2007, 13:10
IvanIV
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I don't know Bob Dylan , so I cannot compare, but I love Leonard Cohen. He was a bit of an acquired taste for me at first though.
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Old 10-04-2007, 13:15
craftwerc
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Don't make me choose... They're both amzing for different reasons. Laughing Len is utterly hilarious in parts; Dylan about as groundbreaking as you can get. Love 'em both.
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Old 10-04-2007, 14:11
the tiny 1
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Leonard Cohen. My mum and dad used to play him when I was younger and I remember finding a book of his poetry and thinking "wow". I played So long marianne on repeat for a whole afternoon once. I'm sure the people downstairs were not amused!
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Old 10-04-2007, 16:21
Babe Rainbow
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Originally Posted by the tiny 1
Leonard Cohen. My mum and dad used to play him when I was younger and I remember finding a book of his poetry and thinking "wow". I played So long marianne on repeat for a whole afternoon once. I'm sure the people downstairs were not amused!
I'm sure they would have been amused if they had heard some of his lyrics :

"Everybody knows you've been discreet
but there were so many people you just had to meet
without your clothes"

Absolutely Priceless
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Old 10-04-2007, 16:34
the tiny 1
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Originally Posted by Vonnee
I'm sure they would have been amused if they had heard some of his lyrics :

"Everybody knows you've been discreet
but there were so many people you just had to meet
without your clothes"

Absolutely Priceless

I prefer the line "give me crack and anal sex"

Especially when my sister up on reading the lyrics turned to my mum and enquired "Mummy what's crack?" The anal sex thing obviously didn't trouble her...
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Old 10-04-2007, 18:22
spacedidi
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dylan all the way for me
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Old 10-04-2007, 18:49
sean97
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Originally Posted by twingle
LC for me. I always think of Bob Dylan as suicide music. I know LC could be seen as the same but not for me
What do you mean by suicide music? You obviously havent heard much Dylan.
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Old 10-04-2007, 18:56
Babe Rainbow
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Originally Posted by sean97
What do you mean by suicide music? You obviously havent heard much Dylan.
I agree - and that is what Leonard is accused of a lot - I find him very spiritual - and a lot of people don't recognize the wit and humour in his songs.
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Old 10-04-2007, 18:58
sean97
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Originally Posted by IvanIV
I don't know Bob Dylan , so I cannot compare, but I love Leonard Cohen. He was a bit of an acquired taste for me at first though.
You dont know Dylan, try these by other artists, all written by Dylan

Mr Tambourine Man
All Along The Watchtower
I'll be your baby tonight
Knocking On Heavens Door
This Wheels On Fire
Blowing In The Wind
Quinn The Eskimo
All I Really Wanna Do
There are to many to mention.
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Old 10-04-2007, 19:02
sean97
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Originally Posted by Vonnee
I agree - and that is what Leonard is accused of a lot - I find him very spiritual - and a lot of people don't recognize the wit and humour in his songs.
Dylan is the same. I defy anyone to listen to I Shall Be Free, or Motopsycho nightmare or Talkin Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues.
Both artists rely heavy on very very dark humour.
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Old 10-04-2007, 19:08
Babe Rainbow
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Originally Posted by sean97
You dont know Dylan, try these by other artists, all written by Dylan

Mr Tambourine Man
All Along The Watchtower
I'll be your baby tonight
Knocking On Heavens Door
This Wheels On Fire
Blowing In The Wind
Quinn The Eskimo
All I Really Wanna Do
There are to many to mention.
I love Bob's Lay Lady Lay - I first heard Melanie's version years ago and loved it - took me a while to aquaint with Bob's own original but now love them both equally - completely different though
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Old 10-04-2007, 20:00
Keels
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"The fundamental bitchin that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat"

Is my favourite LC lyric ever - in fact it may well be just my favourite lyric ever no matter who wrote it.
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Old 10-04-2007, 20:10
Babe Rainbow
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I don't think I can pick out a favourite - they're all too sublime, but the following must be the most poignant and among the saddest :

Once there was a path
and a girl with chestnut hair,
and you passed the summers
picking all of the berries that grew there;
there were times she was a woman,
oh, there were times she was just a child,
and you held her in the shadows
where the raspberries grow wild.
And you climbed the twilight mountains
and you sang about the view,
and everywhere that you wandered
love seemed to go along with you.
That's a hard one to remember,
yes it makes you clench your fist.
And then the veins stand out like highways,
all along your wrist.
And yes it's come to this,
it's come to this,
and wasn't it a long way down,
wasn't it a strange way down?


From Dress Rehearsal Rag
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Old 10-04-2007, 20:20
sean97
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Originally Posted by Keels
"The fundamental bitchin that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat"

Is my favourite LC lyric ever - in fact it may well be just my favourite lyric ever no matter who wrote it.
Good, very good. I like this from Dylan.

Ramona, come closer,
Shut softly your watery eyes.
The pangs of your sadness
Shall pass as your senses will rise.
The flowers of the city
Though breathlike, get deathlike at times.
And there's no use in tryin'
T' deal with the dyin',
Though I cannot explain that in lines.

Your cracked country lips,
I still wish to kiss,
As to be under the strength of your skin.
Your magnetic movements
Still capture the minutes I'm in.
But it grieves my heart, love,
To see you tryin' to be a part of
A world that just don't exist.
It's all just a dream, babe,
A vacuum, a scheme, babe,
That sucks you into feelin' like this.

I can see that your head
Has been twisted and fed
By worthless foam from the mouth.
I can tell you are torn
Between stayin' and returnin'
On back to the South.
You've been fooled into thinking
That the finishin' end is at hand.
Yet there's no one to beat you,
No one t' defeat you,
'Cept the thoughts of yourself feeling bad.

I've heard you say many times
That you're better 'n no one
And no one is better 'n you.
If you really believe that,
You know you got
Nothing to win and nothing to lose.
From fixtures and forces and friends,
Your sorrow does stem,
That hype you and type you,
Making you feel
That you must be exactly like them.

I'd forever talk to you,
But soon my words,
They would turn into a meaningless ring.
For deep in my heart
I know there is no help I can bring.
Everything passes,
Everything changes,
Just do what you think you should do.
And someday maybe,
Who knows, baby,
I'll come and be cryin' to you.


Copyright © 1964; renewed 1992 Special Rider Music
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Old 10-04-2007, 20:34
Babe Rainbow
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I think my favourite Dylan song is probably Black Diamond Bay - the words are sensational and I love the way it scans and just everything about it - FANTASTIC

As the morning light breaks open the Greek comes down
And he asks for a rope and a pen that will write
"Pardon monsieur" the desk clerk says
Carefully removes his fez
"Am I hearing you right ?"
And as the yellow fog is lifting
The Greek is quickly heading for the second floor
She passes him on the spiral staircase
Thinking he's the Sovjet Ambassador
She starts to speak, but he walks away
As the storm clouds rise and the palm branches away
On Black Diamond Bay.

A soldier sits beneath the fan
Doing business with a tiny man who sells him a ring
Lightning strikes, the light blow out
The desk clerk wakes and begins to shout
"Can you see anything ?"
Then the Greek appears on the second floor
In his bare feet with a rope around his neck
While a loser in the gambling room lights up a candle
Says "Open up another deck"
But the dealer say "Attendez-vous, s'il vous pl it"
As the rain beats down and the cranes fly away
From Black Diamond Bay.
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