Did this with Neil Young a few months back -- what artists have done songs that are basically Cohen songs in all but that fact that he didn't write them?

Example:

Elysian Fields - "Passion Of The Stairs"

Love the tune, but it's Cohen in every phrasing, tempo and intent.

Who?

http://www.leonardcohen.com/

(shrugs)

Still never heard of him. Is he a songwriter from the 1930's?

way before that. he's the original grim reaper.
kill me now.

Don't put down, inform the lad.

you are probably thinking of lenord berstein.
a different talented jew.

And no one's listening to you.

Was a respected Canadian poet before turning to music in '67. Has a long career of insightful and deeply moving albums where he utilizes a deep and limited-range voice to remarkable effect. Master of imagery. Sings an awfully lot about sex for an old fart. Is now 70. Has a new album out called Dear Heather. Rather the godfather of indie singer-songwriters, actually. If you've ever heard Tindersticks, you've heard a band inspired by Cohen.

Bonnie Prince Billy's "Master & Everyone" reminds me of what little (early) Leonard Cohen I've heard - in mood and subtlety, deepness and paredness of scope.

I could be wrong.

Gets an awful lot of sex for an old fart; wasn't he hooked up with Rebecca DeMornay for a few years?

Yep. I bet Adam Cohen's dating life was a pain in the ass with Dad around.

for those that don't know, he wrote "hallelujah"
and am i the only one who thinks that Jeff Buckly was covering the John Cale version?

Definitely.

There's actually an article in Time Magazine this week about how the Buckley version of Hallelujah has been played in 7 different prime time network TV series in recent years.

(To annoy you Buckleyheads, they described the Grace album as "promising and inconsistent.")

Definitely you agree, or definitely i'm the only one?

Definitely agree.

um, like, most of Mojave 3's album Ask Me Tomorrow.

Especially: "Where is the Love", "Mercy", and "Sarah".

One of my favourite lines in any song is by Jeff Lewis in his song 'The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song'

"If I was Leonard Cohen
Or some other song writing master
I'd know to get the oral sex first
and then write the song after
You can practice writing songs
But at the end of the day
If you've not lived a life
You'll have nothing to say"

The track 'Your Picture' by Camera Obscura (the Scottish version) is a dead on Cohen tribute.

Now that is some depressing shit to read first thing in the morning, whether it's genuine ingnorance or sarcasm.

Well, it's not possible to have heard of everyone, particularly if you're young. It takes time to be exposed to or notice all the artists around, even majorly influential ones.

When I was young, I wasn't even supposed to listen to the radio, let alone go to concerts, so there was a lot I didn't know about until MTV started up and I started defying my parents religious views.

I'd say South Pacific just never happened to hear much about Cohen and if he did just assumed he was some old folk singer. That's understandable. It's not like Cohen goes multi-platinum or anything or gets heavy airplay, even in Canada.

But, having said that, you have now been introduced and, like my mom used to say about salvation, you've heard of Jesus now and have no excuse to be a damned heathen no more

True enough.....I was operating under the assumption that if one is posting on this board, they were probably a fan of some indie music and from that point, there's probably no more than a couple of degrees of separation from Leonard Cohen or at least from a magazine or website that has mentioned him. My surprise is not that one hasn't heard his music, but had never heard of the man at all. Now I'm starting to wonder how the hell I ever heard of him and I can't remember. However, I'm immensely richer for being a fan because he gave easily one of the best shows I've ever seen touring behind 'The Future'.

Leonard Cohen in disguise=
"With Whom to dance" by Magnetic fields

My first year in college I went from the "Tears For Fears" guy to the "Minutemen" guy, meaning the interest in music was there, but I hadn't been exposed to lots of stuff, except in dribs and drabs. If a couple of my friends had snickered at me for not knowing who certain bands were, I soon surpassed them and snickered right back at their snickering.
The point being this:



It's quite possible south pacific knows about some bands that an aging shit like me doesn't, so I keep an open mind as much as possible. Except when it comes to Mark, of course. It's my job to smirk at him and his to needlessly condescend to me. Some things shouldn't be messed with.

I hear him in just about any cut from Nick Cave's ~No More Shall We Part~