Songs of Leonard Cohen
Occupation
- Leonard Cohen: lyrics, vocals and guitar
- Nancy Priddy: background vocals
- Kaleidoscope: Background- band
Production
- John Simon
Songs of Leonard Cohen is published in December 1967 debut album of Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. It is considered one of the most influential albums of that time.
Formation
After Cohen had already achieved a certain notoriety as a writer, he decided at age 33 to start a career as a singer. Some of the songs that appeared on the album, had already been written about him a few years earlier and successfully interpreted by Judy Collins. 1967 Cohen joined then at the Newport Folk Festival along with Collins on. Here, the Columbia producer John Hammond was aware of him and closed with him a record deal. Due to health problems, however, Hammonds John Simon took over the final production. He had some other ideas about the instrumentation and Cohen, in particular he wished drums, ultimately he let Cohen but free hand.
The cover of the album shows how the most Cohen, an image of the artist, held here in sepia.
Style and content
Songs of Leonard Cohen 's music kept rather sparingly. Usually you only hear Cohen's voice and the guitar, the backing band Kaleidoscope remains entirely in the background. The later Cohen typical expectant female background vocals announce themselves only partially on, long on So, Marianne is the female voice in the background, however, already the dominant element. Cohen's voice is not as deep as on later releases, but has its unique character.
Content, the album falls on thanks to Cohen's career as a writer and poet with poetic, profound lyrics. Cohen expresses sentiments of insecurity and alienation world, but the overall impression is not as dark as on later albums. The most famous song on the album, Suzanne, a Jesus - verse appeared in the form for the first time his later often recurring theme of dealing with the religion.
Success and aftermath
The album reached only number 83 on the Billboard charts in 1989 and the Gold status in the United States. In Canada and Europe it sold much better, in the UK it reached # 13 on the charts.
Cohen was able to establish with this album as one of the most important interpreters of Bob Dylan alongside singer-songwriter guild already, his style is true for many subsequent musicians as being essential, so many critics run it as one of the best and most important albums of the late 1960s. Among other things, it has been advised of the German Rolling Stone editors ranked 51 of the top 100 list and appeared on lists of the journals The Jam (Italy) and Telerama (France) on.
For Cohen himself the tracks on the album were his live concerts long the backbone of his program. His style changed over the decades, but was always measured at the debut.
How many other songs Cohen also appeared of which the first album countless cover versions also famous artists, such as Suzanne Peter Gabriel, Joan Baez or Tori Amos. The music group The Sisters of Mercy named after a song on the album.