Leonard Cohen - Tower of Song

[JerichoDitch2]

I love Dylan... but if Dylan were better.... he'd be Cohen

[uneedtherapy42]

who does this guy think he is? :)

[mazterarius]

The lyric is so deep, I don't even...

It's biblical, it's symbolic, it's political. What does he even sing about? I was my no. 1 favorite song 5-6 years ago.

[haronsidi]

LOVE FROM  ISRAEL

[ZillahMagenta]

Quite possibly the best poetry written for music in the history of English literature--that, and Hallelujah!

I took this song with me when I began life anew overseas, and it sustained me day after day when no other English words were available for comfort. And Hallulajah was my wedding dance. Oh Leonard Cohen is a national treasure!

[OldDogNewTrick]

I discovered him late in his life and mine too. The more I hear, the more I like.

[NumbAsAStatue27]

Leonard has a way with words that most musicians only dream and wish they could have. The man really is a poet. Hes wrote so many incredible songs through the years, they speak to you on another level. Hes also incredible to see live. Im real proud to say hes Canadian

[johnnycoyo]

Sanborn, Perla and Julie ...who else ?

[chantz41]

This is an incredible song...Tower of Song!!

[johnrobert1950]

absolute genius, there is nobody on this earth like this great man

[leehoffmantherapy]

I want Leonard to sing me to sleep in heaven too! Yes we KNOW he's Canadian!

[leehoffmantherapy]

I want Leonard to sing me to sleep in heaven too!

[TPHBFAN]

Happy Birthday Leonard! Thank you for the Poetry!

[taoman108]

Happy Birthday Len!

[revibe67]

Listen to Nemo Shaw's new cover of 'Hey, that's no way to say Goodbye'

[tomerodrique]

To borrow an idea of Mark Twain's, If Leonard Cohen doesn't go to heaven when he dies, I want to go where he went.

[JennaMcNu]

@tomerodrique Me too!

[monjiou1]

@tomerodrique : also a line in "Cavalleria Rusticana" (the only opera that is too short) if she aint there when I get  to paradise I aint staying either.

[alvas86]

F*&K YEA (excuse me) he's tells all those f%$kers off...sorry I'm a little angry, friggin brilliant your pissed cause of all the people you try to please and well that's it just to please be polite, but sadly when they're too ingnorant; what else is there to do?

[mollysangelique]

het was in afghanistan 12 little boys one girl of 4year ze delvden haar graf ze werd gesteniigd door hen in de naam van god je krygt wat,over je hoofd je bent een vrouw the girl said let me go it,s not a nice game i don,t like it ik moet naar school ik wil leren en mn kleding word vies riep ze achter het papieren masker het dagelyks leven in afghanistan het meisje vond het spel van de jongens niet leuk gezien vpro

[weewill32]

seen him live in kilcommaihne dublin wow

[humzayunas2]

Really a good song With the tower of song

[humzayunasnandla1]

Really it a Tower of Song p: i like it 

[chloeencore]

 love everlasting

[PanamaTravelTips]

@panamatraveltips

so cool...

[Daverosst]

To be in the same tower as Leonard and Hank...that would be heaven ! (pity I can't sing though)

[wookie20f]

<3 <3 <3

[pjaymulholland]

Jazzy:)

[malkyouns]

Leonard Cohen is my favorite

[tgnolimit]

I want to end up on the same floor of the Tower as LCohen

[jcmangan]

@tgnolimit So you gotta do a lot of climbing. ;-)

[Hirnlego999]

Tower song is great, better than heaven..

You hear voices - but they are funny and a woman isn't allowed to kill you

[mrh3tic]

I NEED TO KNOW A RELEASE DATE FOR THIS SONG? , im analysing it in english, trying my best to spread the legacy of cohen.

[popmalevoo]

@mrh3tic 1988

[mrh3tic]

@popmalevoo thankyou very much, haha would have been useful 3 weeks ago but i can still use it for my assignment, thanks

[MrPrajnaeld]

when i heard this song for the first time - it was when im your man came out... was it 1987? anyhow - it was a turning point - before that it was metallica and punk music for the hell of it. but to find cohen... bliss

may all beings be free from suffering

[reekashade]

An american Icon.

[constitutionknwsbest]

@reekashade *Canadian Icon.

[ZaneBlignaut]

@constitutionknwsbest correct!!

[reekashade]

@constitutionknwsbest Ok how about international Icon.Sorry If I hurt your Canadian feelings.

[crankyfrankification]

if ur into the blues,,a guy named Popa Chubby does hallejujah much justice...hell even if u dont like blues...its still brilliant

[crankyfrankification]

Cohen is a true gift...saw him first time in 73....then my son and i saw him a cpl years ago in columbus ohio...my birthday gift from him...i love my son....smiles..

[crankyfrankification]

looking for Marriane Faithfuls version...help a brrother out

[reviveramesh]

he sure was born like this - what a golden voice - TOWERFUL...

[TheHalhardy]

i was doing the 'river walk' in RENO..on the theatre marquee I see 'im Your Man'

Leonard Cohen yeah, I remeber 'Suzzane'from the early 70s..

I bought the ticket, just curios is all....

If I were a relious person I would swear Jimmy Swaggrt had put his hand on me

I could not move, not even10 minutes after the movie was over.

Within the hour I owned every C.D. of his I could find..

[TheHalhardy]

i was doing the "river walk" in RENO, and noticed the marquee 'I'm Your Man'outside the threatre, this was in 2005,Leonard Cohen, yeah, as a d.j. I played 'Suzanne' back in the 70s,I an curious,,

I swear,'HALLELLULEAH ,,well .I just froze..and tears were running down my cheeks..i was so much in awe I did not leave the thetre for 10 minutes after the show was over

Within the hour I ownever a CD of everything he ever did......does HOLY SHIT describe your emotion as well?

hh

[smartalek1]

@TheHalhardy "does H--- S--- describe your emotion as well?"

Pretty close to that, yes -- or one of them, anyway.

I'm really jealous of you, in a way; you got to experience all his greatest work for the very first time, all at once.

That must have been something amazing.

[JennaMcNu]

Holy Shit is perfect! When I first heard "Take This Waltz" in a record store 20 years ago .... Until I saw him live at Red Rocks... He came on stage I gasped and did not breathe until it was over. If I gush too much ... There are really no words unless your are a Cohen fan..

[barramun]

He is such a charmer haha

[poleonil]

He's the guy with the real golden voice :)

[Tartarox]

When we listened in Italy singin about the "golden voice" all the audience make a BIG round of applause

[splash21212121]

I have had the privilege of seeing him live!!! He is an amazing performer! I am so impressed and would go see him again without hesitation!!! Some people are true stars...Leonard Cohen is one!

[blueballsredhair]

@splash21212121 I disagree. The reason he's a magnificent performer and songwriter is because he is the antithesis of a star.

[THORREN1]

one of the greatest writers of all time.....puts words together like no one else. his musical arrangements are stunning.....

[GrizzlTooth]

i'm sure this is great poetry and this guy had the respect of people such as Cash...but this musically does nothing for me....at alll.

[apeles]

@GrizzlTooth please, listen to martha wainwright's cover. more "musical". you're gonna love it.

[blueballsredhair]

@apeles I listened and I really enjoyed it. Martha is such a cutie.

[blueballsredhair]

@GrizzlTooth Cash?  Like Johnny Cash? There's no comparison between the two. Leonard Cohen is up there with Bob Dylan in terms of songwriting. You're just missing the boat.

[GeorgeTel100]

@blueballsredhair Thank you for saying that!!! It's so true!!!

[Joithegrl]

Hey Bikerpc, don't get all Charlie Sheen on me, I was just saying......

[lyonese1]

Still the tower and the power of song . What a poet . What a man . We should be grateful .

[Expectadorable]

Gracias. Es mejor que la versión del disco.

[sukideni]

Thank you Leonardxxx

[Joithegrl]

Why does everyone in Europe know about this dude and I've never heard of him in the U.S. He is incredibly awesome!

[bikerpc]

@Joithegrl Well he is CANADIAN not from the US - that might be one reason.

[gigiaharoni]

@Joithegrl hi, i couldn't agree with you more. i never heard of Cohen until a few weeks ago when a friend posted "Dance me to the End of lOve" on facebook. I felt so deprived of his beautiful songs--i grew up with billy joel, the bee gees, neil young, etc.. But never heard a LC song on the radio--ever. shame.

[abookguy]

he is being a bit sarcastic..."born like this..no choice...born with the gift of a golden voice.."

[AGalaxyFurther]

I believe this is a great song.......

[ShaggyShagz13]

Dax Riggs does an awesome version of this song.

[HippieJimi]

Leonard Cohen touched the hearts of 1 Billion people,living and dead...thru his poems and songs....and I'm Damn glad to be 1 in a Billion... :-)

[RCawthorne]

he's a poet

[freshgreens2006]

Indeed HOW?- well you got to it and that's great !

[neilthefish]

What a troubadour! Seen him live in Castrelos Vigo a couple of years back and it was a memorable night. Free too! Great night, Great man

[GIMMEADOLLAR1]

Leonard has always been the smoothest. At the end he once-overs the band, grabs the ladies while the song is still going and bounces. Performance.

[darcon81]

If you love Leonard Cohen, and surrealistic symbolistic lyrics, you’d like my music too. He’s one of my two great musical heroes. I made a song called "A Winter Evening's Tale”. This is also for all of us folks facing 2011. Do check it out in my channel or check it out in the video response of this awesome video. The song references Pilgrim's Progress, bible, Alice in the wonderland, Revelations, crusades etc. It also depicts eerie classical paintings. Have a folky new year!

[neddywinks]

smooth man just smooth

[lyonese1]

Still the master of Song ... Yes, Leo we will remember you ... long after you've gone . Da doo rom rom .

[NOIREND]

DE las mejores canciones jamás escritas y mejor interpretadas...

[fabhelio]

en une chanson, il devient le gardien du xXeme siecle

[Bassboom26]

This man is the world`s greatest poet

[JennaMcNu]

@Bassboom26 Yes, I think so.  It' beyond words. I saw him at Red Rocks. I don't think I took a breath. A master poet.

[belleangele]

indeed he was born with the gift of the golden voice

[slotmetoo]

this is sooooo good a classic

[DiamantesDystopia]

Leonard Cohen was so sexy right here...hehee

[freakyfrankie666]

if there is a heaven & i ever get there i want Leonard Cohen singing me to sleep every night <3

[QOH50]

@freakyfrankie666

Yes that would work for me too, Leonard is my god.

[Tristram159]

@freakyfrankie666 Not sure if Leonard Cohen would appreciate this particular heaven, having to sing people to sleep all day. But yes, that would be nice. :)

[amishius]

@freakyfrankie666 Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld :)

[ondesertverge]

@freakyfrankie666 Leonard is alive and well. Maybe you can get him to sing you to sleep in this world.

[shakudaiko]

ultra-ultra-ultra cool.

[l2string]

You'll be hearing from me baby, heh heh, long after I'm gone.

[wayward1981]

Nobody should be forced to choosing between Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen, just be pleased you know who they both are.

[kamouyerou]

music, art, poetry, soul, emotion, he is a living legend that all should hear. I am forty four and my mother introduced me to cohen when I was 8 years old. my daughter now listens to him. his music is timeless!!!!

[l2string]

I'd like to half as cool as leonard is!

[cincotti]

marianne faithfull did a cover -great - so much better than cohen himself !

[TheLexyboy]

@cincotti dont know about better, but the Jesus and Mary Chain do a good cover of this as well

[kuaotunuful]

Classic!

[razaranyi]

leonard cohan I was amaized to discover how appreciate he is in Israel compar the rest of the world

In the 500 best songs by the Roliing stones magazine he have only one song and it a cover. a Shame for my opnion.

[mpcBreda]

if you know what he knows about life and music. I think your life is now ended.

[jjay801]

The American songbook's reigning poet-laureate.

[bullgoosesam]

@jjay801 maybe your joking but I feel impelled to say that he is Canadian

[paschal421]

before my little darlin died 4 months ago

she said how she loved this

miss her

love this

she's in here

listen

she's here

love

lou

[Number15Searcher]

what kind of music is this??

[drumrun]

@Number15Searcher Music that you can't get anywhere else today! REAL MUSIC

[jmd11185]

this is ridiculous. Kinda reminds me of ...hold on ill get back to you

[krimilia]

a beutiful song one of my favorite songs.

no one can sing as leonard cohen!!

[TheRyanOmega]

I never really got into Leonard Cohen's work but did see him speak the lyrics to this tune at his Rock & Roll Hall Fame induction in NYC (on youtube) and thought it was pretty cool and properly juxtaposed to the context of that evening.

[yangyin09u]

Thanks for posting!

Anyone know if that's Dave Sanborn (sp?) on sax? He's great and also played on Saturday Night for many yrs in the 90's. They're still using his sound.

[toldschmidt]

Bckstreet boys where horrible musician's but I hate 3T more

[samirhossain]

There is nothing that can hurt me after listening to this song

[jmd11185]

@samirhossain haha everyone gives you thumbs up

but did you mean nothing is more painful then this song?

[samirhossain]

@jmd11185 I meant the opposite lol This song gives a different perspective towards some aspects of life that affects people. After listening to this, I feel my problems in my life go away. One question that still is in my mind about this song, what does he mean by that "twenty-seven angels" ?

[gerrygregg]

Fantastic....thanks for posting.

Now here's a question....is that Robben Ford playing guitar? That would be an interesting connection because Robben' bass player from Blueline...the amazing Roscoe Beck....was the musical director and bass player of Leonard's last tour. Hmmmm.....

[debbiesolful]

Definitely one of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs - along with "I'm Your Man" and my all time favorite, "Hallelujah!" Thanks for posting this unique version...

[humdeabril]

i was born like this / i had no choice / i was born with the gift / of a golden voice

[Scarlett4Zanzibar]

Leonard Cohen, hands down, is my very, very favorite. A jewel.

[Scarlett4Zanzibar]

Leonard Cohen is freakin' incredible!

[TheSiert1]

blijf goed deze muziek

[entity3sf]

Thanks for posting this great version. Right to the core.

[syktsinn]

Dude! This song rocks!!

[rambarankin]

גדול

[paracel72]

thats what I would have wanted my dad to look like

[tabletop123]

This man is enough tp make you think. Words., voice, he sends shivers down your spine.

What more can we say?

Thanks

[tabletop123]

@tabletop123

I don't where know where he gets these songs from, but it must be in another place.

Amazing,

[fluteplayer7mce]

@tabletop123

maybe from a place above

[janingsor]

maybe the greatest Cohen poem/songs - but have heard better performance

from our Man

But as almost ever.Yes!

[samirhossain]

ive been hearing this song for a while now and i still dont know what does he mean by "27 angels" any help on that? :D

[ElvisGardel]

I am looking for any Leonard Cohen songs that have been translated and sung in Spanish.

[111oooo]

His lyrics are incredible.

[DonRoomoon]

Different things

[MrFrendan]

I am kinda not getting how he sang this like some have mentioned. Strange inflections at times. Lyrically this is superb art.

[Teflon65]

Oh yeah!

[kindguy420]

i kinda just discovered this guy and i can say without a doubt, this is one righteous dude.

[barra112]

@kindguy420

He used to go over to an island beside me, Saltspring Island, where he practiced budism. God bless him.

[JuanRodriguez007]

He read this lyric when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll hall of fame. Obviously one of Mr. Cohen's personal favorites

[duncandenny]

Many years ago one of his albans, Songs of Lone and Hate, came with a pair of plastic hand-cuffs.

[disalitervisum]

Transcendental.

[zackiuk]

LOVE AND LIGHT

[jesusjamey]

Leonard has it right; we live the story of Christ Coming in the tower of song.

I AM HERE, singing.

[sll912]

jesusjamey - This is by no means what Leonard was thinking when he wrote in the tower of song, Sorry

[BobbyFig]

For u Barb.... He was born with a GOLDEN VOICE !!!!!!!! LOL - Cool Incarnate !

[509Fuzzypants]

The best rendition ever.

Cheers to the Ladies.

Perfection.

[sigmund5]

There are SO many great lines in this song.

[TheDobardecko]

His greatest song. For sure!!

[teamcrumb]

I love how he gets to feel the backing singers ass as he slinks past her at the end

[Gilligan346]

Sounds Tom Waits-ish.

[pattynVABeach]

He does or rather Tom sounds like Leonard. If I am not mistaken Tom Waits covered Hallelujua in the movie BASQUIAT

[Gilligan346]

I'll have to look that up.

[Sanitoeter666]

Tom Waits is a great Musician, but i like Cohen better.

[cgnetwork1]

@Sanitoeter666 Waits is more ecclectic, odd. They're much more different than people realize I think. The way we should compare Nirvana to Lady Gaga, Cohen is more lyrically driven, Waits is more unusually driven, so it's not quite fair to compare.

[diedahero]

@cgnetwork1 dude thank you, I almost wrote that exact response. Both are amazing, but nothing alike. Outside of being singer/songwriters that is. I would have made the comparison Kurt Cobain to Daniel Johnston, but close enough.

BTW, How great is it that he put Hank Williams 100 floors above himself in the tower of song?

[cgnetwork1]

@diedahero Exactly! Everything about Cohen is brilliant. The music isn't the best in the world, as some might argue (although I love it), but it supports the lyrics, which cannot be beaten my any contemporary singer/songwriter. Period.

And I like Kurt Cobain to Daniel Johnston better too. As far as Hank Williams, I adore that entire stanza, along with the first of The Future and the second of First We Take Manhatten

Hank Williams hasn't answered yet.

[Rnewmanguy]

@Sanitoeter666 yea. look you have tom waits who's a fine songwriter, then leonard cohen who's a sublime one.

[Sanitoeter666]

@Rnewmanguy Well i have to correct myself: Tom Waits is insane. I didnt mean to say Cohen is better, i meant he's just more average, and that makes him more popular. Tom Waits is a fucked up Genius, while Oohen is a (not very musically) poet. Tom Waits has absolutely freaking awesome lyrics AND melodies.

Ever read Flowers for Hitler? THATS some kind of awesome;)

[Rnewmanguy]

@Sanitoeter666 im afraid i dont understand...why do you like cohen better if you don't think he's better than waits and you think he is more average? i disagree that he's more average too, they're both exceptional but cohen is more exceptional. cohen has some good melodies too as displayed on this video. his first three albums have great melodies.

yea i read flowers for hitler its good. beautiful losers is the best though

[Sanitoeter666]

@Rnewmanguy yeah well that depends on my current lifestyle, when i wrote i like cohen better i was still engaged, now i'm more the psychotic guy. Thats why i like waits better atm.

[Rnewmanguy]

@Sanitoeter666 ahahaha oh cool. still, i think cohen has more songs which appeal to the psychotic guy whose engagement didnt work out - listen to well almost all of songs of love and hate.

[Sanitoeter666]

@Rnewmanguy yeah well i dont know... Leonhard cohen sounds like they Guy who tries to say: "Whats happening to my Life, it's been torn apart!" while tom waits is like "Oh, Whiskey? Let's kill my liver!"

And yeah, Famous blue Raincoat is my secret favoritesong of leonard cohen ;)

[Rnewmanguy]

@Sanitoeter666 thats a striking analysis. i was thinking of sing another song boys, dress rehearsal rag, avalanche, last year's man and diamonds in the mine

[Sanitoeter666]

@Rnewmanguy Each to his own ;)

But randy newman to both of us as it seems. I love that guy.

[Blodo555]

@Sanitoeter666 LOL...I don't exactly agree, but I LOVE the analogy. Well done.

[papaclanc]

@Sanitoeter666 I read your back and forth with Rnewmanguy and you sound kind of like a knucklehead, nothing personal. Youd probably be fun to hang with every once in a while, but I certainly wouldnt be looking for scintillating, insightful conversation and/or ball busting. I write this cause I have a philosophy that one should refrain from speaking if one has nothing of consequence to add. For the record, while TW is great, Cohen is a 20th century widely revered musical god. No comparison.

[Sanitoeter666]

@papaclanc You aren't able to have insightful conversations with someone who doesn't agree with you? I mostly have them with those who completely oppose me. But yeah he's a lyrical god, but in our modern world, there are so many gods...

[moefung]

@Sanitoeter666 Blasphemy.



[Sanitoeter666]

@moefung yeah I know. I lied.

[shanna1950]

@Gilligan346 - Nope totally Leonard, and what a DELIGHT.

[Gilligan346]

Oh, I wouldn't dare insinuate that Leonard was copying Waits or anything. I was merely commenting that this particular performance was Wait-ish in delivery. Both are fine yet distinctly seperate muscians. :)