Last Thoughts on Leonard Cohen (and Bob Dylan)

A new Leonard Cohen live album came out on Tuesday. I only listened to a little of it so far but it got me thinking about him and his music. In what way is he different from Bob Dylan? On the outside they both seem to have a lot in common; they're both known for their lyrics, their "unpretty" singing voice, and both started their music careers in the sixties, around roughly the same time. (Dylan's first album was released in 1962, his first sucesful one in '63, and Cohen's first album was released in '67) And yet there's an enormous difference between the two of them and their music reflects the divide. Leonard Cohen has the measured and meticulous soul of a poet; a Sandy Koufax wind up, pitch, and graceful follow through. And Bob Dylan's got the soul of Buddy Holly, skipping out on that last plane ride with a girl to go get high. They're both romantics in the sense that almost all their great songs are written about girls, but they're romantics from different sides. ("You are right from your side, and I am right from mine") Cohen is only 7 years older than Dylan but that may as well be a whole lifetime. Weathered and old since before he'd begun, the love from his heart is the sound of a sigh. In contrast, Bob's best lyrics come like Romeos to balcony sides; impatient and young, lustfull, fever down in his pockets and the moon up in the sky. It's partly the difference between reflective and reflexive. Leonard's thinking about your soul while Dylan's putting in his time. That's why Bob made rock and roll and Leonard didn't. He wasn't impatient enough, he wasn't young or mean enough. He was too gifted and too sad, and had too many thoughts on his mind. And when he tries to prove he doesn't and to make a hook or chorus, it's like castles in the sand, he's looking too hard for what he'll never find. "There ain't no cure, there ain't no cure, there ain't no cure for love" is sloppy in a way that Dylan, who's extremely sloppy, isn't. One's a case of trying too hard and the others a case of not trying enough. The sin of not caring and the sin of caring too much. Leonard's music isn't physical, you don't get high off of his lyrics like you don't get high off stars up in the sky. Bob's best lines are a beat you can dance to. They're America, Robert Johnson, and Chuck Berry on the highway, with girls on their laps; and where they rode to in 1965. Do you want to get high and hook up, or be sad and look at stars. Two valid extremes, to be well rounded go for both. Have a sad eternity and have a good time. Next post I'll write the 10 Greatest Leonard Cohen lines.