Talk:Leonard Cohen

Janis Joplin?

I have been told that Cohen wrote Chelsea Hotel for Janis Joplin & the link seems to bear it out, but she is not mentioned in the section on his lovers. Note that there are at least two versions of the song; the above is #2, version 1 is longer & darker. 2607:FEA8:E29F:FDF2:E1DE:2D58:9F4C:BC85 (talk) 19:30, 6 November 2017 (UTC)

He didn't write it for her; he wrote it about her. He was careful not to disclose publicly that it was about her for many years. He relented only when it nevertheless became public knowledge. in any case, do we really need a section on Leonard Cohen's lovers? TheScotch (talk) 18:15, 7 August 2022 (UTC)

Relationships are an important biographical detail, they belong. ---Lilach5 (לילך5) discuss 06:05, 8 August 2022 (UTC)

Oh, "relationships" are "important", are they? In the first place, cease abusing this term. In the second place, this isn't argument; it's mindless assertion. In the third place, Cohen had only an extremely short and trivial fling with Joplin, and you want it mentioned in this article only because you're a pathetic gossip. TheScotch (talk) — Preceding undated comment added 06:32, 25 August 2022 (UTC)

Please explain...

" he said he couldn't sing or play the guitar, nor did he think "Suzanne" was even a song:

And then he played me "Suzanne" '

These two sentences seem to contradict each other. Could Cohen sing and play the guitar, or not? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:44B8:3102:BB00:D82:BE31:C7B2:9EE4 (talk) 02:04, 4 January 2021 (UTC)

Are you serious? He meant (obviously) that he couldn't sing or play very well. His self-assessment of his (lack of) vocal ability is on the mark, and he never entertained illusions about it, but either he was being modest about the guitar or he just lacked self-confidence. Cohen had actually been singing and playing guitar for quite a few years before he ever thought of making a career of it. He tells a story about studying classical guitar in Canada from a Spanish guitarist who committed suicide. Cohen was one of very few pop singers who accompanied themselves on guitar who could actually execute a classical tremolo, a fairly advanced technique. He was probably a better guitarist than Collins. TheScotch (talk) 18:23, 7 August 2022 (UTC)

As for "Suzanne": It started as a poem, Cohen had already for some years been turning his poems into songs for his private amusement and turning his songs into poems for publication. TheScotch (talk) 18:28, 7 August 2022 (UTC)

Main deli

Cohen frequented Montreal's Saint Laurent Boulevard for fun and ate at such places as the Main Deli Steak House

This is from the section on Cohen's 'early life', yet Main Deli opened in 1974. Thus it is not part of his early life. Move to another section?Afterthedisaster (talk) 02:36, 9 December 2021 (UTC)

Nationality?

The lead says he is just Canadian. But he moved to the United States, living in LA. Shouldn't it be Canadian-American? ---Lilach5 (לילך5) discuss 06:10, 8 August 2022 (UTC)

No, he was a Canadian who resided in the USA. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 08:21, 8 August 2022 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion:

• Leonard Cohen Mural, Montreal.jpg

You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 09:52, 30 October 2022 (UTC)

Vega

Suzanne Vega, at least in the New Yorker article cited, doesn't talk about Cohen's love relations with women, she's talking about how people her age had their love for Cohen's worked into their relationships. 00:25, 30 April 2023 (UTC) 2001:910:802:1:0:0:0:1037 (talk) 00:25, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

Agreed. YouCanDoBetter (talk) 01:21, 30 April 2023 (UTC)

Who By Fire/Lover Lover Lover

Edited a segment which read

"In 1974 Cohen released new album, New Skin for the Old Ceremony, with songs inspired by the war. "Who By Fire", originally titled "Lover Lover Lover", was written and performed in Sinai. The final name of the song is taken from the Yom Kippur prayer, the Unetaneh Tokef. Other songs inspired by the war are "Field Commander Cohen" and "There is a War"."

Who By Fire and Lover Lover Lover are distinct songs, and the sources cited don't indicate that Who By Fire was originally called Lover Lover Lover, which came first. Anyone know where this came from? -- WorthPoke2 (talk) 11:30, 20 September 2023 (UTC) WorthPoke2 (talk) 11:30, 20 September 2023 (UTC)

References

Big talk.

Did Leonard ever talk about his Liverpool gig ??? 2.98.138.222 (talk) 00:18, 20 July 2024 (UTC)

Photograph of Cohen's grave

I have uploaded a recent photograph that I took of Leonard Cohen's grave at Shaar Hashomayim Congregation Cemetery in Montreal. Would it be useful to include it in the “Death and tributes” section beside the paragraph describing his burial? The section already contains a memorial photograph, so I would appreciate opinions about whether adding the grave photograph would make the layout too crowded.

francis (talk) 00:03, 2 August 2026 (UTC)

Grave of Canadian poet, songwriter and novelist Leonard Cohen at Shaar Hashomayim Cemetery on Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec.

francis (talk) 00:04, 2 August 2026 (UTC)

@Bffo: (francis) I definitely think the image is appropriate. If you need help adding it or want someone else to add it, just ask here. Thank you for sharing. —RCraig09 (talk) 06:51, 2 August 2026 (UTC)

Thank you. It is done. 🙏 francis (talk) 12:21, 2 August 2026 (UTC)