Leonard Cohen RIP

[poliphilo]

He placed himself a hundred floors below Hank Williams but I think that was unduly modest of him. He was a true poet and wrote lines that scald. It was an interesting life and he sang every part of it. I don't think he's left us, really- just moved to that tower down the track.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I was the right age, in my late teens- when Cohen first came on the scene.

I remember a school friend- who is now a bishop and might not want to be reminded of it- telling us that he'd read that "he (Cohen) treats a woman's body like an altar" and all of us going, "Wow."

[faeriefiles.livejournal.com]

I think he was raised Jewish,right? From what I've been told, the rules for the treatment of women are pretty much that way across the board with Jewish men. I did a big job for a local Shul and learned quite a bit about that while I was there. A Jewish friend told me that Jewish men are actually prohibited from orgasm until after their female partner is satisfied and there are apparently a lot of rules for the careful treatment of females. Some may see that as misogynistic, I thought it was kind of sweet in the way they practiced it. Not the religion for a feminist woman (which Is a box I don't fit in) but sweet nevertheless.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, he was Jewish. It permeates his work I think.

[negothick.livejournal.com]

I can attest that his songs are used in synagogue services. My own women's choir sings "Who By Fire" at Rosh HaShona services. A friend's choir just sang "Hallelujah" at her Reform (Liberal) temple.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised. I think those songs would fit right in to a liturgical framework.