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Leonard Cohen — Tower of Song
Album: More Best of Leonard Cohen
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1367









Released: 1997
Length: 5:33
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And I'm crazy for love but I'm not coming on
I'm just paying my rent every day
Oh in the Tower of Song

I said to Hank Williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank Williams hasn't answered yet
But I hear him coughing all night long
A hundred floors above me
In the Tower of Song

I was born like this, I had no choice
I was born with the gift of a golden voice
And twenty-seven angels from the Great Beyond
They tied me to this table right here
In the Tower of Song

So you can stick your little pins in that voodoo doll
I'm very sorry, baby, doesn't look like me at all
I'm standing by the window where the light is strong
Ah they don't let a woman kill you
Not in the Tower of Song

Now you can say that I've grown bitter but of this you may be sure
The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor
And there's a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong
You see, you hear these funny voices
In the Tower of Song

I see you standing on the other side
I don't know how the river got so wide
I loved you baby, way back when
And all the bridges are burning that we might have crossed
But I feel so close to everything that we lost
We'll never have to lose it again

Now I bid you farewell, I don't know when I'll be back
There moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone
I'll be speaking to you sweetly
From a window in the Tower of Song

Yeah my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And I'm crazy for love but I'm not coming on
I'm just paying my rent every day
Oh in the Tower of Song
Comments (234)add comment
 LinThizzy wrote:
has-been sucko barfo why even bother?
Play music not clever narrations cohen is the worst
 
Stop whining like a little crybaby and hit the PSD button.
Maybe you'll get lucky and get some Nickelback.
 BINGO!Stephen_Phillips wrote:
I always hear Leonard Cohen's songs as 45 's being played at 33.  Old vinyl turntable reference for those that remember the speed settings you could switch to and from!

 


has-been sucko barfo why even bother?
Play music not clever narrations cohen is the worst
Good live version (not the best sound): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPJOmHtoc5I

Listen to the end... it gives the answer to the mysteries.


Tom Jones does a good rendition of this song.
Bowie. Cobain. Cohen. Those have wandered off.
 leechi wrote:
3 -> 2
 
10->11
3 -> 2
He's a great lyricist but his breathy singing makes me want to rip my ears off.
Now I bid you farewell, I don't know when I'll be back
They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone
I'll be speaking to you sweetly
From a window in the Tower of Song
At least they didn't punish him with the Nobel Prize. About that much I'm really glad.
Always makes me wanna hear Taj Majal singing next, "- Ima feelin' so much betta, I can cake-walk inta town..." Would line up perfectly!
I always hear Leonard Cohen's songs as 45 's being played at 33.  Old vinyl turntable reference for those that remember the speed settings you could switch to and from!
It used to be "I ache in the places where I used to play" but now it is the smallest of pauses/ hesitation between "Hank Williams hasn't" and "answered yet" that does it for me. 

Another round of Red Needles please.  

https://cohencentric.com/2015/07/11/leonard-cohen-on-the-preparation-of-his-red-needle-cocktail-its-effect-on-recording-sessions/ 
What a great singer/songwriter!  Please feel free to play more of him. 
Dry, wry and gifted. Not always reflected in his lyrics but he is a great
I like this kind of minimalism 
this is fantastic but listen to the live version - proof that Leonard has just the driest wit.
 jhorton wrote:
Never has anyone gone so far with so little talent.

 

 
I don't see how someone with no talent can create a song that becomes so many people's favourite song of all time. I mean, if nothing else he has a wicked talent for writing popular songs. That, and he's awesome.
 jhorton wrote:
Never has anyone gone so far with so little talent.

 

 
The downside of Canadian Content.
Never has anyone gone so far with so little talent.

 
perfect{#Roflol}
One of the greats {#Bananajam}
 oldsaxon wrote:
I like that he got Schroeder from "Peanuts" to do the piano solos....niiiiice....

 

Very nice comment.
I want to hear this trio: Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Greg Brown.
Please play more Leonard Cohen!
 jackandmeredith wrote:
please stop playing so much leonard cohen!!!!!{#Fire}
 
There is this feature called PSD.  Easier than flaming...give it a try.
please stop playing so much leonard cohen!!!!!{#Fire}
Astounding song from a genius songwriter... and under-rated singer

I was born like this, I had no choice
I was born with the gift of a golden voice
And twenty-seven angels from the Great Beyond
They tied me to this table right here
In the Tower of Song
Came in to see what I had rated this....

Only an '8' ...?

That is fixable! 
Thank you for all the L. C. one of the few who can hang with bob d. and kicks his butt at times.......
I like that he got Schroeder from "Peanuts" to do the piano solos....niiiiice....
Funny how much the great ones can get away with in their art.
"The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor..."
Quiet understated clarity.
An acquired taste, LC.
 jonahboo wrote:


Sorry but L.C. is some real dog shit

 
and YOU,  belong UNDER the pile......{#Moon}
I've always like Leo.  "...and hurt everyplace I used to play."  Lyric wizard.  I think I get an IQ boost of 5 points (10 for first hearings) every time I listen to one of his songs.
 Cynaera wrote:
Bringing the lyrics back to the first page, because they're just so GOOOOD.... {#Cheers}


 
peter_james_bond wrote:

You're listening but you are not hearing....the rest of us hear the brilliance. {#Notworthy} Check out these lyrics:

Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song

I said to hank williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank williams hasnt answered yet
But I hear him coughing all night long
A hundred floors above me
In the tower of song

I was born like this, I had no choice
I was born with the gift of a golden voice
And twenty-seven angels from the great beyond
They tied me to this table right here
In the tower of song

So you can stick your little pins in that voodoo doll
Im very sorry, baby, doesnt look like me at all
Im standing by the window where the light is strong
Ah they dont let a woman kill you
Not in the tower of song

Now you can say that Ive grown bitter but of this you may be sure
The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor
And theres a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong
You see, you hear these funny voices
In the tower of song

I see you standing on the other side
I dont know how the river got so wide
I loved you baby, way back when
And all the bridges are burning that we might have crossed
But I feel so close to everything that we lost
Well never have to lose it again

Now I bid you farewell, I dont know when Ill be back
There moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
But youll be hearing from me baby, long after Im gone
Ill be speaking to you sweetly
From a window in the tower of song
Yeah my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song
 
 

Miss you so much, Cynaera...  love this song...

it is always good to see you around here, peter_james_bond...
 


Love the man, love this song, poetry in motion. I never liked him much until several years ago when I saw him in concert and really LISTENED.. beautiful. And he has a kind of gravelly charisma in person that sucks you into his world.
Not sure how I feel about the song, but love the line "I said to Hank Williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank Williams hasn't answered yet "
Ditto!
 

metod wrote:
I didn't really like Leonard Cohen when I was younger but now I really appreciate his music. He's just like a good bottle of wine...getting better with age :)

For his fans out there...a beautiful, close to heart interview he did with Jian Gomeshi in Montreal a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugh8Xe6hX7U

 


Everyone at the Village Coffee House loves this song and L. Cohen!
 Shesdifferent wrote:

Well said...and I concurr
 
I agree you guys...
Let's go have a drink.
I know a little place called the Saloon in Minturn, Colorado.  
Meet you there in 15 minutes. 
The skating rink called.  They want their Wurlitzer back.
Me without my methadone again....
O      M       G    :-(
" I was born like this and can't help it" - I Don't think that's an excuse lol!
 metod wrote:
I didn't really like Leonard Cohen when I was younger but now I really appreciate his music. He's just like a good bottle of wine...getting better with age :)

For his fans out there...a beautiful, close to heart interview he did with Jian Gomeshi in Montreal a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugh8Xe6hX7U
 
Well said...and I concurr
I didn't really like Leonard Cohen when I was younger but now I really appreciate his music. He's just like a good bottle of wine...getting better with age :)

For his fans out there...a beautiful, close to heart interview he did with Jian Gomeshi in Montreal a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugh8Xe6hX7U
Not his best song... he has so much material though...
Backup singers are "The Webb Sisters" from Brighton, England plus Sharon Robinson, L's "collaborator" on many songs.  His last series of concerts are right up there in the top 3 that I have ever seen (55 years worth!).  Mesmerising - the best sound system - crystal clear and L himself was on fire, absolutely lovin' it! see review below and very funny!  If you like this, checkout the DVD "Live in London"
I agree with the comments appreciating the backup vocals...they're great!
Generally I'm not a big fan of LC's singing or music, but this I like. Must be the backing vocals & lighter-than-usual atmosphere.
Reminds me of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" (similar endless lyrics) or Lou Reed's "Walk on the wild side".

(And the coloured girls go
Doo do doo, doo do doo, doo do doo
...)

 oilydwarf wrote:
Pure Gold, love the backing vocals! 
 
Have you heard the live version, on Live in London? Has one of the greatest punchlines ever.
"Always interesting reading." ~ BillG

 Stingray wrote:
COHEN, PINK FLOYD, ELO, SUPERTRAMP and BARCLEY JAMES HARVEST in one bag -
then dropping that bag into the Aruban sea! FOREVER - FOR GOOD! ULTIMATELY!

PS
Talking Heads not to forget!
 
All that is possible for you without messing with what I like, thank you very much.
SOSOSOSOSOSOSO BAAAD!!!
{#Puke}{#Puke}{#Puke}{#Puke}


COHEN, PINK FLOYD, ELO, SUPERTRAMP and BARCLEY JAMES HARVEST in one bag -
then dropping that bag into the Aruban sea! FOREVER - FOR GOOD! ULTIMATELY!

PS
Talking Heads not to forget!

In the tower of song......

Bringing the lyrics back to the first page, because they're just so GOOOOD.... {#Cheers}


 
peter_james_bond wrote:

You're listening but you are not hearing....the rest of us hear the brilliance. {#Notworthy} Check out these lyrics:

Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song

I said to hank williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank williams hasnt answered yet
But I hear him coughing all night long
A hundred floors above me
In the tower of song

I was born like this, I had no choice
I was born with the gift of a golden voice
And twenty-seven angels from the great beyond
They tied me to this table right here
In the tower of song

So you can stick your little pins in that voodoo doll
Im very sorry, baby, doesnt look like me at all
Im standing by the window where the light is strong
Ah they dont let a woman kill you
Not in the tower of song

Now you can say that Ive grown bitter but of this you may be sure
The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor
And theres a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong
You see, you hear these funny voices
In the tower of song

I see you standing on the other side
I dont know how the river got so wide
I loved you baby, way back when
And all the bridges are burning that we might have crossed
But I feel so close to everything that we lost
Well never have to lose it again

Now I bid you farewell, I dont know when Ill be back
There moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
But youll be hearing from me baby, long after Im gone
Ill be speaking to you sweetly
From a window in the tower of song
Yeah my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song
 


I am convinced that Leonard Cohen and Anthony Bourdain are the same person.
Only Leonard can get away with this stuff, and has for years. 1 in 30million.
love the lyrics, enjoy cohen's voice, ambivalent about the doh-dum-dum girls, but the casio metronome has to go! {#Stop}
I usually like LC, but I can't wait for this song to be over.{#Crashcomp}
 Stefen wrote:
Hiram King ("Hank") Williams (September 17, 1923-January 1, 1953) was an American country music performer. Though unable to read or write music to any significant degree, he came to be regarded as among the greatest country music stars of all time. Williams died at age 29; his death is widely believed to have resulted from a mixture of alcohol and drugs.
 
uh...hmmmm? Have any random facts about wooden shutters to share too?
guy's older than Elvis (the Pelvis)..fer Christ sakes
I really like the sparse piano/drum/base thing. To follow rafter101's metaphor, the background singers (to my ears) are like too much sugar trying to cover burnt coffee. Can't get into Leonard's current pipes, but I guess it's like this.

I tried, I really did. But, I just can't drink this Kool-aid. {#Drunk}  Hope that those who like this will continue to do so, but it's just not my cuppa. Peace.
 ubuntourist wrote:
His voice indescribably delicious.  Like listening to the taste of Irish coffee and bittersweet chocolate.
 
Or a bottle of Scotch and a pack of Players plain no filters.
His voice indescribably delicious.  Like listening to the taste of Irish coffee and bittersweet chocolate.

IMHO, definitely shows you from where M. Ward received a lot of his influence. . .

Mmmm.  That's good coffee.


Leonard by *Michaeldavitt
Michaeldavitt Drew MaGilicutty   ©2009-2010 *Michaeldavitt

Everything is right about Leonard Cohen and band!Red Rocks Amphitheatre @ - Morrison @ ,CO @ - Thu, Jun 4, 2009 @

Favorite moment: Cohen skipping on and off stage- that's right- skipping!! @ Posted 07/15/2009 by Kingkoncert This Fan's ReviewsLocation: Rocky MountainsFeatured Review Leonard Cohen, Red Rocks, Morrison, June 4, 2009.By KingkoncertFaith. Let's start with that.

The Leonard Cohen concert at Red Rocks on June 4 went a long way toward restoring my faith in the concert setting as a source of personal inspiration. I've become used to so much loud, brash rock and roll pounding up the hillside, pulsing with more adrenalin than art, that an event geared a completely different direction was refreshing and rejuvenating. If I can see any more concerts like Cohen's Red Rocks show again- a very stirring and satisfying experience- I wouldn't want to pass it up- it was so sublime.That was the first thing that struck me when I arrived at Red Rocks- there wasn't any music booming out of the speakers to pump people up. All you could hear was the murmur of patrons talking among themselves, patiently waiting for the event to begin. The relative quiet was striking indeed, especially once the concert began. I was astonished to note that the majority of people were sitting and listening- not stonefaced, mind you, but intent on HEARING the music, a novel idea in most big concert situations. Sure, there were some annoying talkers and yellers in the crowd, but they were relatively few and isolated. The rest of the audience exhibited a kind of concentration on the music that helped restore my faith in people- you can take some of them out in public to hear music and they can act civilly to each other.It should be said that the concert on June 4 was a postponed date. The original concert was scheduled for June 2, but excessive rain and abnormally low temperatures prompted the postponement. The crowd that did show up on June 4 was significantly thinned out from those who had tickets for the original scheduled date. So much so, that ushers in the upper third of the amphitheatre invited patrons to move down closer- kind of an unprecedented offer at Red Rocks. The crowd filled in the seats below and roughly half the venue was full when Cohen took the stage. This restored my faith that it is possible to see a major music event without having people jammed up against you, yelling in your ear.On this night, the weather cooperated and it was a fine, beautiful Colorado night, the wind picking up only towards the end of the show- certainly sweetening the deal already made great by being able to see a rare concert date with Cohen. The calm air and the rocks themselves served to accentuate the finely crafted, deliberate music being played on the stage. As stated, most concerts project with a kind of sonic aggression aimed at overpowering the audience. Cohen's music, however, was too cool and collected for that and my faith in Red Rocks as a world-class venue was restored as nearly every word and every note was clear and balanced- something that can hardly be discerned at higher volume- and what wasn't perfect about the venue that night was evidently made up for by Cohen, his band and his technicians. It was gorgeous sound.But more than just the sound, the band was fulfilling some gorgeous arrangements of a huge swath of Cohen's best material. From the warm, mellow sound of Neil Larsen at the Hammond organ to the impressive woodwind diversity of Dino Soldo; Bob Metzger's tasteful guitar work to Rafael Bernardo Gayol's tasteful drums and percussion support; from the exciting Spanish stylings of Javier Mas on guitar, banduria and more to the beautiful mix of supporting vocals by Cohen's songwriting collaborator Sharon Robinson and Charley Webb and Hattie Webb, every part was in place, every note deliberate, yet performed with vigor and meaning. All of this was under the musical direction of bassist Roscoe Beck who bobbed enthusiastically behind Cohen throughout the evening at Red Rocks. This ensemble should be remembered as one of the finest touring bands of our time, restoring my faith that there are still musicians out there who can not only play their instruments well, but can also blend their playing into that of others to make MUSIC.But above and beyond the exceptional conditions and skilled musicianship, the Cohen concert was a rich experience because being able to just sit back and listen and take in the words of the songs was a bonus pleasure. And that's where it got deep, too. Cohen's lyrics are poetry in disguise and as they rolled up the amphitheatre, some lines would catch in the ear and linger until another one did the same thing. Enjoying Cohen's performance didn't necessarily depend on any one song to succeed, but offered a constant flow of language that brimmed over with alluring images and clever turns of phrase. The songs were full of gritty darkness, even horror, but also tenderness and beauty- as well as some very dry humor. Towards the end of the show I fantasized that Cohen was actually a painter and each song was a painting- something you had to look at and study in both detail and a bigger view, prompting the desire to hear all of it again. Presented with such interesting pieces of art, my faith was restored in songform for supplying poignant words and memorable melodies that have continued to give pause, however vaguely, long after the concert.Watching Cohen perform on stage was also a particular pleasure. He began most tunes by kneeling down low to the stage, bringing himself up slowly. He didn't particularly move around the stage a lot, but when he did move, it seemed motivated by the drama in the material, accentuating it ever so gracefully. His voice was deep and resonant, made strong by his current touring effort. I liked his gentle between song patter and how he kept referring to the audience as "my friends." Even better, I liked how whenever he left the stage, he broke into a big, loping skip. He had every reason to be happy, musically anyway, because this performance, this tour was not just a revival of his work, but a refinement and even an artistic realization of it. At 74 years old, Cohen seems to be enjoying a peak point in his career and that restores my faith in growing older.So what was so great about the Cohen concert? All sorts of elements, but the biggest benefit from the event was that it strengthened my faith in general. I'm a little bit stronger person than I was before the show- and good art should be able to do that. Cohen presented some great art at Red Rocks and I came away feeling better, somehow more ready to face the future. So this ends up being about the future, not about an event that is over. Thanks to Cohen and band, I am looking ahead with a little bit more soul than I had before and there's a new faith I can claim in music, poetry and joining together with others to share a good time.Red Rocks Amphitheatre @ - Morrison @ ,CO @ - Thu, Jun 4, 2009 @ Favorite moment: Cohen skipping on and off stage- that's right- skipping!! @




I Like both LC an Ray LaMontagne {#Tongue} ....this is an 8

I know people love this guy, but I don't get it. Somebody pass the Paxil.
 dapower wrote:
I just don't like this man. Having said that, I can see how others would. So I'll complain but I'll leave the ratings buttons alone {#Daisy}
 

That's interesting. 'Cause that's exactly how I feel about Ray Lamontaigne (SP?) - who I would dearly like to kick in the pants. But somehow I can still see how others would really like his music.

(Love this, by the way.)
Pure Gold, love the backing vocals! 
 SusanHiddenPoet wrote:
{#Curtain}   "Born with the gift of a golden voice"  {#Cheers}
 

Sorry but L.C. is some real dog shit

Leonard Cohen:

"With the 1966 release of In My Life by Judy Collins, containing Leonard Cohens Suzanne and Dress Rehearsal Rag, Cohen became a folk rock icon of the singer songwriter movement. Already an acclaimed poet and novelist in his native Canada, Cohen moved to New York in 1967 and released his classic album Songs of Leonard Cohen on Columbia Records. Its music launched Leonard Cohen into the highest and most influential echelon of songwriters. Cohens elegiac work is widely used in film and covered by artists from Jeff Buckley to Bono to Bob Dylan to R.E.M. As Kurt Cobain said, Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld so I can sigh eternally."

Damien Rice sings "Hallelujah" Live-acoustic.

Hiram King ("Hank") Williams (September 17, 1923-January 1, 1953) was an American country music performer. Though unable to read or write music to any significant degree, he came to be regarded as among the greatest country music stars of all time. Williams died at age 29; his death is widely believed to have resulted from a mixture of alcohol and drugs.
{#Curtain}   "Born with the gift of a golden voice"  {#Cheers}
My god, I love him. What a great, brilliant paean to the torments of artistry.

 jhorton wrote:
God this is CAKE bad!

Buhbye. 
 
HILARIOUS! I am laughing out loud... thank you
God this is CAKE bad!

Buhbye. 
I love this man. Keep 'em comin Bill!
 freeone1 wrote:

how was the show!?  i soooo wanted to catch him on his small tour this summer but didn't get the chance {#Cry}
 
The show was great. It was a smaller, shorter set (~1:15 hr.), but we got the real deal.

I think you may get a chance to see Mr. Cohen again this year. He's apparently adopting the Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson model of the "endless tour".

Being ripped off and broke can do that to a fellow. {#Wave}
I just don't like this man. Having said that, I can see how others would. So I'll complain but I'll leave the ratings buttons alone {#Daisy}
I'd love to hear the keyboard part played on a Fisher-Price piano.
this man is a joke taking too seriously ;-(

If you dig this song, hunt down the new live version - it has one of the best punchlines...
 mgkiwi wrote:

Thank you, it's all come clear to me now!

 
Another convert to the Dark Side.

golden voice my eye
 toterola wrote:
I'm looking forward to seeing Mr. Cohen at Coachella in April. He has a real way with "the turn of a phrase", doesn't he? {#Meditate}
 
how was the show!?  i soooo wanted to catch him on his small tour this summer but didn't get the chance {#Cry}
I'm not the biggest Leonard Cohen fan in the world, but I really enjoyed this. Your playlist's are really good!!!
Won't this ever end??
Sounds like Jimmy Buffett on qualudes
I've said it before and I'll say it again...Mmm, Leonard, you give such good lubugrious growl.


 mgkiwi wrote:

Is it a bit like the 'force' you either have it or you don't! I certainly don't have it!

 
Some people don't 'get' Hendrix, either.  All they hear is self-indulgent noise.

It's all in what you like I suppose...

 joanie wrote:

It's all about the lyrics. He has written some of the most profound and beautiful lyrics I've ever heard. He's a singing poet.
 
Thank you, it's all come clear to me now!

 SmackDaddy wrote:
Darkmatter wrote:
Such a brilliant song, with such godawful instrumentation. I actually prefer the version the Jesus and Mary Chain made way back in the 80s. 

Which, pray tell, album was that on?

 
It's on the Rollercoaster EP.

The "single version" is available as an MP3 on Amazon for 99 cents.

https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Of-Song-Single-Version/dp/B001GGZHIM/ref=sr_f2_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1235576223&sr=102-1

I'm looking forward to seeing Mr. Cohen at Coachella in April. He has a real way with "the turn of a phrase", doesn't he? {#Meditate}
 mgkiwi wrote:
Fuck, life is depressing enough without listening to this self indulgent tosser. Can't get my head around this twat - someone please explain LC!
 
It's all about the lyrics. He has written some of the most profound and beautiful lyrics I've ever heard. He's a singing poet.


 peter_james_bond wrote:

You're listening but you are not hearing....the rest of us hear the brilliance. {#Notworthy}
 
Is it a bit like the 'force' you either have it or you don't! I certainly don't have it!

 sici wrote:
I don't get it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

What exactly is it that puts this guy into the "god-like" category with some of you?

The casio-like, repetitive music?  The non-singing talk?  The very low, somber voice that makes me feel like I'm listening to some old guy talking at the podium at somebody's wake?
 
You're listening but you are not hearing....the rest of us hear the brilliance. {#Notworthy} Check out these lyrics:

Well my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song

I said to hank williams: how lonely does it get?
Hank williams hasnt answered yet
But I hear him coughing all night long
A hundred floors above me
In the tower of song

I was born like this, I had no choice
I was born with the gift of a golden voice
And twenty-seven angels from the great beyond
They tied me to this table right here
In the tower of song

So you can stick your little pins in that voodoo doll
Im very sorry, baby, doesnt look like me at all
Im standing by the window where the light is strong
Ah they dont let a woman kill you
Not in the tower of song

Now you can say that Ive grown bitter but of this you may be sure
The rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor
And theres a mighty judgement coming, but I may be wrong
You see, you hear these funny voices
In the tower of song

I see you standing on the other side
I dont know how the river got so wide
I loved you baby, way back when
And all the bridges are burning that we might have crossed
But I feel so close to everything that we lost
Well never have to lose it again

Now I bid you farewell, I dont know when Ill be back
There moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track
But youll be hearing from me baby, long after Im gone
Ill be speaking to you sweetly
From a window in the tower of song
Yeah my friends are gone and my hair is grey
I ache in the places where I used to play
And Im crazy for love but Im not coming on
Im just paying my rent every day
Oh in the tower of song
 sici wrote:
I don't get it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

What exactly is it that puts this guy into the "god-like" category with some of you?

The casio-like, repetitive music?  The non-singing talk?  The very low, somber voice that makes me feel like I'm listening to some old guy talking at the podium at somebody's wake?
 

I don't completely disagree.

I think Leonard's stuff is best interpreted by others.

Check out REM's First We Take Manhattan or John Cale's Hallelujah —- that might help.
Fuck, life is depressing enough without listening to this self indulgent tosser. Can't get my head around this twat - someone please explain LC!
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Which, pray tell, album was that on?
 
Try the B-side of the "Rollercoaster" single, or the "Sound of Speed" compilation. Happy to be of service!
 sici wrote:
I don't get it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

What exactly is it that puts this guy into the "god-like" category with some of you?

The casio-like, repetitive music?  The non-singing talk?  The very low, somber voice that makes me feel like I'm listening to some old guy talking at the podium at somebody's wake?
 
yeah you're right!
what a boredom, why people like it? i reallly don't know!
{#Stupid}

 Darkmatter wrote:
Such a brilliant song, with such godawful instrumentation. I actually prefer the version the Jesus and Mary Chain made way back in the 80s.

Casiotone - nay. Feedback - yay.
 
Which, pray tell, album was that on?

 sici wrote:
I don't get it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

What exactly is it that puts this guy into the "god-like" category with some of you?

The casio-like, repetitive music?  The non-singing talk?  The very low, somber voice that makes me feel like I'm listening to some old guy talking at the podium at somebody's wake?


 

Yep, it's that. You nailed it. {#Cool}
(I did rate it 10, "god-like" but I see the average is 6 or so).

I don't get it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

What exactly is it that puts this guy into the "god-like" category with some of you?

The casio-like, repetitive music?  The non-singing talk?  The very low, somber voice that makes me feel like I'm listening to some old guy talking at the podium at somebody's wake?


I found this song's lyrics come across even stronger when he "just" read them at his induction into the Rock 'n' Roll(!) Hall of Fame.
Such a brilliant song, with such godawful instrumentation. I actually prefer the version the Jesus and Mary Chain made way back in the 80s. Casiotone - nay. Feedback - yay.
parrothead wrote:
If he was reading the phone book would you still have the same comment ?
I think he knows his "technical limtations" and the verse sung is "irony"
rKokon wrote:

I prefer his more typical voice . . . this hoarseness and false blackitude does nothing for me.


False blackitude!? Wow.
Pharlap wrote:
More from the great Mr. Cohen, please. Even he knows he "was born with the perfect voice"
If he was reading the phone book would you still have the same comment ?
Welly wrote:
I know I'm suppossed to think he's amazing, being a fellow Canuck and all that but, jeezy creezy, this guys is always so damned depressed.
Listen carfully.......There is NOTHING depressing about this song at all. Its inspiring and absolutely godlike
More from the great Mr. Cohen, please. Even he knows he "was born with the perfect voice"
"I said to Hank Williams: How lonely does it get? Hank Williams hasn't answered yet. But I hear him coughing all night long A hundred floors above me In the Tower of Song" "I bid you farewell, I don't know when I'll be back They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track But You'll be hearing from me, baby Long after I'm gone I'll be speaking to you sweetly from a window In the Tower of Song" This song...God how amazing. I saw him read this as a poem when he won the Lifetime Achievment Award at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was actually even better raw and acapella. If you can believe that.
So unique I have to rate it highly. Has he ever performed with Leon Redbone? That I'd travel a long ways to see.
For just a second there, I thought I was listening to Frank Zappa on a handful of Qualudes. Then I remembered that Frank didn't do drugs. What could Cohens excuse be? Jeezuz this is the worst set I have ever heard on RP....
I know I'm suppossed to think he's amazing, being a fellow Canuck and all that but, jeezy creezy, this guys is always so damned depressed.