Music Milestones, 1967: Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard Cohen

In my view, Leonard Cohen is first and foremost an accomplished poet and novelist. Indeed, Cohen garnered critical acclaim for his literary work well before delving into music, and was a late bloomer in the 1960’s folk scene. Cohen’s musical path is therefore quite distinct from other singers/songwriters such as Bob Dylan or Simon & Garfunkel, who quickly rose to pop stardom early in their lives. Despite his late musical debut, I think that Cohen made good use of his experience to write songs with greater depth and lyrical quality than those by his peers. Songs of Leonard Cohen is my favorite Cohen record. Here, Cohen’s singing and guitar playing are harmoniously complemented by a string section and backing vocals, which help create a musical environment that perfectly accommodates his masterful lyrics. “Suzanne”, an awe-inspiring song filled with symbolism, opens the record with a mystical tale about an acquaintance of Cohen. “Sisters of Mercy” tells about the so named muses and the wonders that they work upon their subjects. “So Long, Marianne” is perhaps the most upbeat song in the record, albeit in a bittersweet way. In “Teachers”, Cohen seeks teachers of the heart, who turn out to teach love in somewhat cruel ways. “Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye”, a beautiful parting song, should be a fine introduction to Songs of Leonard Cohen: