The Sun Also Rises

Here's a few of my favourite Leonard live duets I love him singing solo (as originally sung), but I also love hearing him sing with other legends and greats. Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye has some of my favourite Leonard lyrics. Simple, but heartbreakingly beautiful. Like, "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" and, "I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm Yes many loved before us, I know that we are not new In city and in forest they smiled like me and you But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie Your eyes are soft with sorrow, hey, that's no way to say goodbye" Probably my favourite Leonard Cohen song because of this verse, "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 could see him He said "All men will be sailors then Until the sea shall free them" But he himself was broken Long before the sky would open Forsaken, almost human He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone" It's probably some of my favourite lyrics of all time

Thanks for showing this thread so much love everyone, I'm so happy to hear that there are many Lipsters who love Leonard's music as much as me

Omg I still think that might be a perfect description for her honestly Absolutely. It's a lyrical masterpiece. It's probably in my top-5 all time favourite songs. Honestly aside from Jeff Buckley's I don't like the covers of Hallelujah very much as they don't quite capture the feeling of Leonard's lyrics, but it's ... urgh just too good. This verse!! "Well, maybe there's a God above As for me all I've ever learned from love Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew you But it's not a crime that you're hear tonight It's not some pilgrim who claims to have seen the Light No, it's a cold and it's a very broken Hallelujah" That upbeat music and then .... those iconic, pessimistic lyrics

It's such a stunning album, sparse and full of musings on death and God and faith. It's the perfect final album for a genius like Leonard Cohen When I first found out that Leonard Cohen passed, I absolutely sobbed (nearly) all day. It was like I was mourning a friend. If anyone wants to cry, then you should read about his relationship with one of his muses, Marianne. She died in 2016, and when Leonard found out she had only a few days left to live, her wrote her this letter: “Dear Marianne, I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. This old body has given up, just as yours has too. I’ve never forgotten your love and beauty. But you know that. I don’t have to say any more. Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Endless love and gratitude. Your Leonard.” He died just a few months after her. I listened to this song, that he wrote to her back in 1967, and just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Edit: Here's an interesting article: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jun/30/leonard-cohen-marianne-ihlen-love-affair-of-a-lifetime-nick-broomfield-documentary-words-of-love

Leonard's music is definitely perfect for winter! I might start with Songs of Leonard Cohen (probably the most accessible and famous), then Songs of Love and Hate, then I'm Your Man, but it's so hard to pick.

I KNOW! I was introduced to Leonard through my parents too. My Mum would tell me that when she was younger, she had a terrible home life and she would spend all her time in the library reading his poetry books. She gifted me a few of his books and then I started listening to his music and immediately fell in love with the absolute beauty of his lyrics!!

As for Lana referencing Leonard Cohen, here's a few I can think of: Most recently, in Kintsugi, the beautiful repeated lyric “That’s how the light shines in That’s how the light shines in That’s how the light gets in." Is a reference to one of Leonard's most famous songs, Anthem, in which the lyrics go: "Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That's how the light gets in" Anthem is a stunning song that I recommend you all check out. It's one of the most beautiful sentiments I've ever heard of in my life and truly comforting. Many people have used the song to help cope with grief, which is what I suspect Lana was doing (as a Leonard fan) around the time the events in Kintsugi took place. Then, in her beautiful mind, she managed to turn the sentiment into her own metaphor and make it her own. In Mariners Apartment complex: "You lose your way, just take my hand You're lost at sea, then I'll command your boat to me again Don't look too far, right where you are, that's where I am I'm your man" Is a reference to Leonard's song "I'm Your Man," which Lana subverts. Here's Leonards; "If you want a partner, take my hand, or If you want to strike me down in anger Here I stand I'm your man." It's actually a fairly tragic song about love, telling how he will do anything his lover wants, even becoming a completely different person to suit her needs. Particularly notable of course is the common sentiment of "take my hand" as well as the phrase "I'm your man." Mariners Apartment Complex also reminds me a bit of the Leonard song "Suzanne," I can't quite put my finger on why though. Finally, on "Venice Bitch," Lana makes a subtle reference that I almost missed in the bridge; "La-la-la-la-la-la, losers, beautiful losers" Which references Leonard's book of the same name. It was his last book he published before he became a singer/songwriter. You can read more about Beautiful Losers here, it's interesting thinking about how it fits into the "feel" of Venice Bitch! Please let me know if I missed any and please contribute to this thread, Leonard really deserves it.

I can't believe one of the most eminent poets and lyricists of our age, Leonard Cohen, doesn't have a thread on LanaBoards! Leonard Cohen (1934 - 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, social and political conflict, and sexual and romantic love, desire, regret, and loss. Known as a poet before he was a songwriter, Leonard Cohen touched the hearts of many people with his poetry and songs, including Lana, who wrote on an Instagram caption after his passing, “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t kind of break my heart that I never got to tell you how much you changed me,” she wrote underneath. “Not that it would’ve mattered to ya, it’s just that other than Bob and Joan you were the only person I ever really felt spoke my language. I love you as a real fan and I always looked for a little bit of you in all of my future friends. God bless.” She has referenced Leonard Cohen many times throughout her body of work. Also, she has sung a Leonard Cohen cover, "Chelsea Hotel #2," with Leonard's son, Adam Cohen. Iconic! Please post below about how Leonard Cohen's work has impacted your life, Leonard's inspiration that can be found in Lana's songs, and of course, your favourite songs, albums. etc.

I can't lie, the writing reminds me of what an AI-written stereotype of what a bad Lana song would be like. The "summer's getting hotter," is a Lana mainstay, "screaming fuck baleciaga" (screaming black lives matter?), heartattack and vine is an album but it also reminds me of "hollywood and vine," I'll make it darker is probably a Leonard Cohen reference (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0nmHymgM7Y), but the way the last line is framed in the song sounds almost mocking. I don't know, it's a really weird one, I can't vibe with it at all and like you said it does come across as pretentious (and strangely unauthentic). I wonder what Lana wrote on it. Edit: I'm very rarely critical and overly negative like this, but I just don't like the song. The most annoying thing is I feel like it had so much missed potential lyrically. It's almost there, but it's just not hitting the way it should.

Some tickets are already on sale it seems like! https://www.rockenseine.com/billetterie/ Edit: Okay I misunderstood, they aren't on sale yet Side note, my French is so dodgy I don't know if I am really up to a French festival Has anyone ever gone who speaks only (very) broken French?

Oh my god OKAY! This is really exciting! How iconic! She has played at Rock en Seine once before, right? I can't lie, this is convincing me more and more that she may do some solo shows in Europe. There's definitely time to fit some in around France and U.K. (and hopefully the rest of Europe too)

Cherry Blossom vs Mariners Apartment Complex

I heard the album live this year (as well as a few of her older hits), and it's so good live. Some of the songs I didn't connect with on a first album listen, but really came into their own in the live setting. I absolutely adore that she's using Dorset dialect (as someone who is very sad about my regional language dying ) and it's such a gorgeous gorgeous sound. I really appreciate that she's constantly evolving as an artist while maintaining what makes her unique. I'd definitely recommend checking out her older albums too, there's so much to explore and they are all so different. I also would love for PJ to win the AAOTY if Lana doesn't (really wish Lana would get a clean sweep) as it's clearly the best of the bunch, but PJ has had 7 previous nominations and not won a single Grammy, plus this is the only category it was nominated for, so I'm really not holding out hope. I forgot to mention, have you read Orlam?

Omg you have immaculate taste Catherine is one of all-time favorites, it really encapsulates the moody atmosphere of Is This Desire? And the storytelling of her lyrics I won't rank I Inside The Old Year Dying because I don't think I've had enough time to sit with it compared to her previous work yet. But it's on my top albums of this year list! My top five is probably: 1. Is This Desire? 2. Stories From The City, Stories from the Sea (The two top flip-flop places) 3. Rid of Me 4. To Bring You My Love 5. White Chalk That was harddddd. I can't believe she doesn't have a Grammy either, but at least she's the only artist with two Mercury Prize wins. If Lana wins AOTY at the Grammys I would really hope for PJ to win AAOTY, but I don't think it will happen

Also, can we mention how atmospheric her soundscapes always are! In my (humble) opinion, Is This Desire? and Stories From the City, Stories from the Sea are her two most atmospheric albums. Like these two personal vastly underrated gems from Is This Desire? (MASTERPIECE album!) And of course, the absolute BEAUTY that is PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke on this Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea track. God, I love how she combines her heavenly speaking voice in that West Country accent with her high singing ... Then, the more rock-esque landscapes of Rid of Me, Dry, Uh Huh Her, and To Bring You My Love ... I adore the grungy sound of Rid of Me with Albini's production (Also MASTERPIECE album!) Nirvana who? (Just kidding, but not really) Couldn't pick any favourites, each track is as great as the rest. Then, the absolute psychedelic rock ecstasy of To Bring You My Love, which somehow manages to perfectly tow the line of creepy and sexy (this album really solidified my crush) And of course, Dry! Dry was the first PJ Harvey album and still a top 5 favourite album! This was the first PJ song I ever heard ... oh my god, I was instantly put into a trance. Specifically by her live performance ... PJ Harvey on stage with a guitar and that riff! Heaven on Earth Her voice on this Uh Huh Her track! And that stripped down rock sound with the simple bass line?! Not even going to get into the delicate vulnerability of White Chalk, the tenderness I Inside the Old Year Dying (even the title is poetry), the folky protest-album Let England Shake, the anthems of The Hope Six Demolition Project (not a fave but still amazing) ... there's so much to delve into here I would love an album ranking list from you! I'm so happy to have at one die-hard PJ Harvey fan with me here

This topic deserves more love Today my song choice to obsess over is White Chalk. As someone who also grew up in South West U.K., I really relate to her later work which really delves into the Dorset dialect and landscape. Especially the line and the way she delivers it, "And I know, These white chalk hills will rot my bones." And then the final lines, "Dorset's cliffs meet at the sea Where I walked our unborn child in me White chalk gorse-scattered land Scratch my palms There's blood on my hands." Shivers. It's so emotional. This was the encore when I saw her live and I felt the tears welling in my eyes. The live version is a bit gentler and stripped back, so her voice really hits. I'd really love to see PJ perform in the Minack Theatre in Cornwall (look it up!)

A&W - 81 Candy Necklace - 16 Let the Light In - 63

Still can't vibe with the song at all but I can't wait for the video, loving the vintage vibes and Lana looks incredible on the poster

It's ridiculous! They always seem to go hand in hand don't they. I'm not even a fan — but I saw a whole post dedicated to calling TS transgender, along with a photo of her just looking taller than all the men around her. So what (and plus, it's not the insult they think it is)! She's just a beautiful tall woman, which people can't grasp. THE MIND BOGGLES They would absolutely say it about Elvis (and The Beatles, and any other famous male musicians), but I've definitely noticed women get the brunt of it

It's giving gremlin energy

It's already got the top spot in Time Out and The Sunday Times! Let's hope there's more to come https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/

There are some songs that make me cry. A lot of Lana songs, actually. But I've never experienced a song that makes me cry every. single. time. I hear it — without fail. And then there's The Grants. Kintsugi. Fingertips. Tears, every single time. The power of her songwriting (and production) to illicit that response in me every single time is extraordinary. She is the songwriter of our generation.

Thank you! You were both right. I managed to get it from my local corner shop. It's sold in a big bundle with the main newspaper, mini newspapers inside it, and 5 magazines (one of which is the Culture one!). I really wanted to get this interview in print. I don't yet have the words to describe what I felt reading it. Hearing her delve a little deeper into the context of Kintsugi, what I suspect is her not having a place in the MeToo moment (A&W lyrics), Swan Song, everything— like I said, I don't have words. The final quote, “We’ll see what melts the wings," is one of my all-time favourites from a Lana interview and what cemented the fact I needed this in print. It's gorgeously expressed. It encapsulates her spirit.

Probably the only time I will ever love British media , but they are showing supreme taste in ranking it number one

This is going to sound SO stupid, but I'm in the U.K. and don't buy magazines or newspapers ever, so - Is the Sunday Times just sold on Sundays? Can you buy it throughout the rest of the week? Is Sunday Times Culture different to the standard Sunday Times? Where is it sold, can I just get it in a supermarket?