Leonard Cohen on Preparing for Death | The New Yorker
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Just before Cohen's death, in November, 2016, David Remnick had the opportunity to speak with the masterly songwriter as he looked back on his career.
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Leonard Cohen on Preparing for Death | The New Yorker
"You're dying, but you don't have to cooperate so enthusiastically with the process."
Nobody had a way with words like he did. What a unique voice. Love you Leonard. Thanks for everything you gave us.
Jeff Walker Death of body...why resist the inevitable?
Jeff Walker..Your words are perfect! ✌ 😉💞
#JeffWalker Love that expression, Thank you.
@@donnawoodford6641
Because that resistance is the very core of Human nature.......And the nature of all living things....And the essence of our persistent struggles.....
Jeff Walker reminds me of Bob Dylan
Had the great fortune of passing by Mr. Cohen while walking through the little town of Claremont, Ca, which is located below the Buddhist center in Mt. Baldy where he resided for a spell.
That charming gentleman, in all his quiet elegance, just strolled by me and gave me the simplest and purest smile, free of any need. I know that HE knew I recognized him, but he showed no pretense at all...just a kind and simple smile, and an eye contact that made me grateful that I had shared a gifted glance with greatness.
🇨🇦✌️
Claremont, Quebec, Canada.
As there is a Claremont, Ontario and probably one in every province of Canada.
I cannot figure out how people refuse to name the Province???
You don't say Los Angeles, USA.
It just doesn't make sense...
@@PeculiarPerson777 Oh well...
My elder brother died in hospital a couple of years ago. He had been mowed down by a car and who driver wasn't paying attention. He was operated on in the hospital, four operations performed at the same time. He lived for four weeks afterwards , though the Surgeon hadn't even expected him to get through the ops.
The medical team , with permission, decided to remove the tubes helping him to breathe. The medical staff had said he wouldn't last more than 20 minutes on his own. I sat beside his bed watching his face which had a few, more than a few lines. Two hours later I noticed that his face had become totally smooth and peaceful, and stayed like that for about eight seconds. He let a small breath go, and the lines on his face returned. It was extremely moving, and beautiful. I believe I witnessed not only his last moments, but that I also witnessed the moment his Soul left his body. I truly believe that and it brings a comfort and confidence I never had before.
If this helps anyone else I shall be glad I described this part of my brother's life to you.
Thanks for letting us in , condolences for your loss.
Heartfelt and touching. Thanks for sharing. I just prayed for your brother. May he rest in peace.
Thank you xx
Thank you.
Thanks so much for your lines, deeply appreciate. Lost my beloved mother 1, 5 years ago and felt similar. Again, thanks for your words. And I so much hope that you're at peace now.
I never knew who this man was, until 3 months ago. I "accidentally" found a video of him singing Hallelujah .. the passion, the compassion .. Thank you Mr. Cohen, My life is complete.
“A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave.” Montaigne.
Rest In Peace, Leonard Cohen.
"Rest" ?......redundant!
@@salvandorum??
ever and ever beloved Leonard
Breathtaking. Leonard, his voice, his thougths, his insights... And the tasteful, wonderful, art direction of the clip.
I will never forget what I felt the first time I had listened to Famous Blue Raincoat. He was a real poet, a real artist.
True, but Jenny [Jennifer Warnes] did the entire album justice with Leonard coaching all the way.
Famous Blue Raincoat is my favorite Cohen song. I think it's one of his most profound.
@@KarlHeinzofWpg One of my favourite songs too. Love the nostalgic melancholy.🧢
@@jageo48 I wonder about Jennifer Warnes's rendition of "Ain't No Cure" though. The lyric is almost nothing like the one Cohen recorded. I wonder if he did a rewrite just for her or if she recorded it before he finished writing it. It would have been immeasurably better to be able to hear his better version rendered by her angelic voice.
He was SUCH a gift to humanity. When he comes back in another life, he can finish the songs.
He's moved on to another world. A more beautiful one.
Wisdom till his last breath. He inspires me a lot.
Leonard you were the voice in my darkness the prophet of my time, the dance partner on the dance floor when I danced alone. Now 5 years gone, I am 70 and I know what you mean.
So wahr, so gut
Miss him so much 😔 inspired me to fall in love with writing again
Would you care to share a bit more of that story?
Listen to the humming bird, whose wings you can not see
Listen to the humming bird, don't listen to me
Listen to the mind of God, which doesn't need to be
Listen to the mind of God, don't listen to me.
More talent and wisdom in 4 lines than in Drake's entire oeuvre.
@@zyrrhos well said, my friend..well said
Bearded Jagger it’s kind of unfair to say something like that. NO ONE comes near Leonard Cohen...
I prefer to listen to Leonard. :D
Even death could not take him fully
I can’t get over how poetic and beautiful this is. Thank you so much.
He had a great attitude about death. I can't imagine why anyone would give a thumbs down. What is there to down thumb? The man had a right to his own feelings about his own death. I saw an interview he did when he was 74. He was ready to go then. But he was always concerned with the "preliminaries ". I can certainly understand that.
Moon...,
I scrolled back and checked....There are 18 down votes......It's beyond understanding.....These must be some confused and unhappy people.....
@@bobsullivan5714 So now it's 30...it just comes with the territory...and some people, like you say, are confused and unhappy ...they would down vote Life itself, if they could...
@@cincyspin178
Yes....They can and do.....It's called Planned Parenthood.
@@bobsullivan5714 So all the down voters had abortions?
@@cincyspin178
You noted that SOME "Would down vote life itself."
I offered an example of that.
When my mother was dying in the hospital she went silent for months and my mom used to be so talkative. Since that I always feel intrigued when someone is expressing oneself during such a predicament. Even though this is a natural thing to die like day and night. As kids we wanted to keep playing outside and did not like it when darkness came.
I miss him.
yes.
I do, too. He was the same age as my my husband, and they died only a few weeks apart. His lyrics mirrored my guy's. I'll miss them both until my dying day.
@@marykaylor2470 I'm really sorry for your loss. Hope you are doing fine.
A genius and a compassionate soul to the very end. I openly cried when he passed on.
"Leaving the Table" just destroys me - but it's the song I want played at my funeral.
I can't listen to him and his latest songs without crying. And this is somebody I did not known of only after his death.I will not buy his latest album, I will just listen to it here. I am grateful that I found him. Have all his CD's but will skip his last one. He was amazing man and I regret that I did know of him before. Was in Prague on 2 occasions when he did concert but I was clueless..
❤😟Teardrops fall softly upon my face, in this year, 2019. A good man has died. A gentle poet, a shining light, he touched humanity with kind endeavor. His gift of song will survive. He is missed. Thank you Mr. Cohen.💖
A genius. There has never been another Cohen and there never will be. A true poet.
Give me Leonard Cohen afterworld
So I can sigh eternally.
Rainman kurt Cobain?
Tara Coleman Øren absolutely.
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/leonard-cohen-on-kurt-cobains-nirvana-lyric-name-check-im-sorry-i-couldnt-have-spoken-to-the-young-a7410941.html?amp
"Leonard Cohen’s music offered catharsis and a sense of understanding for many, but not Kurt Cobain who, on Nirvana's In Utero track ‘Pennyroyal Tea’, sung: ‘Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld / So I can sigh eternally'...
"I think Cohen must have been aware of the lyric, and after Cobain committed suicide, he said of him: "I'm sorry I couldn't have spoken to the young man.
“I see a lot of people at the Zen Centre, who have gone through drugs and found a way out that is not just Sunday school. There are always alternatives, and I might have been able to lay something on him."
So much of his music has been getting recommended and I really love it. What a poet. Such somber, sad, introspective and intriguing music. Rest in Peace Leonard
Tears...
A Cold and Broken
Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen could just release this as a song and it woud still be written better than any other song this year
More talent and wisdom in 4 lines than in Drake's entire oeuvre.
@@zyrrhos Comparing Drake and Cohen doesn't make sense, maybe it would make more sense to compare Cohen to new singer/songwriters or spoken-word poets.
@@josiprazum6916 Lemme guess, you're an accountant who doesn't laugh much.
Bearded Jagger
Facts. I also don’t think Mr. Cohen essentially stole anyone else’s music.
Guess what, he [ok, his son] actually just did that.
A petite prelude into a glimpse of our own death.
Thank you Leonard, we miss you.
Such respect and gratitude for this mans willingness and ability to feel and speak truth in ways our world denies and hides
"Listen to the mind of God, which doesn't need to be"
The essence of understanding.
My dad was crying in 2016. I never knew why until I did. I waited to late for this legend to die
Like a bird on a wire like a drunk in some old midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free -Leonard Cohen
Him and Bowie broke my musical heart.
Same here. Bowie is my #1, Leonard #2, and Joaquin Sabina #3(He's still alive)
Beautiful.
This video fills the void that PBS Blank on Blank left on my TH-cam feed
He was and will always be a gift and a treasure to us..
I’m truly glad that we have his music. He always will be a Master Class artist.
Will always be a Canadian! Amen!
So fortunate to have seen him in Bruges, Belgium in '09. Best concert ever...
Miss you Leonard, such a smooth flow of words you left for us!
We all miss you sham...hope your time in Lissadell, Mullaghmore and the general Sligo area brought you some joy...because you gave us all such happiness...love Paulinemulligan
What brought him there? Asking as a curious and not at all jealous Meath man
@@michaelkeaveny7519 Yeats probably.
It’s must be frightening to be able to see that you are dying, but a man like Cohen could cope with anything then form the experience into a poem
Beautiful soul, brilliant song writer and musician. Rest easy Mr. Cohen. 🖤
His words fill your heart. Leonard Cohen gave us so much to live and love life for.
I Just LISTEN to YOU MAESTRO 💟
What a beautiful goodbye, the animation was wonderful. Thank you.
One great thing about depression, it does make death more tolerable
I feel sorry for the people who love life. Dying must really suck for them.
I miss u Leonard. I miss u so much💔
I visited his grave yesterday. Snow everywhere, covering most of the inscription on the ground. Not another soul there
MythicShot - May I please ask you which cemetery Leonard is buried in?
@@doracotterell2863
www.shaarhashomayim.org/cemetery
Now I can touch him; I always wanted to touch him.
You can just notice how much effort has gotten into this video
really well made 👏
Beautiful
A great artist! RIP Leonard and thank you!
I get to know his song, just after my breakup...
I found new love in them....
Leonard Cohen was a Good Man. Thanks for the memories.
Profound video, Leonard was irreplaceable
what a great production. Thank you NY for doing this
Love the man, love the voice, always ✨🕊🙏🏽🎵💫
Thanks, old man.
Thanks, New Yorker.
I love his story and the Illustrations here super cool.
I can't help but feel that His last album was a parallel to Bowie's Blackstar.
I have died and then been roughly resuscitated. All I can say is that death is much more lovely and pure than anything called life.
"Everything has a crack in it. How else could the light get in?" ~ Leonard Cohen
This was just amazing
Beautiful piece of art by Mr. Cohen and Joe Donaldson. Thank you.
Beautiful.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for this New Yorka.
Leonard will live forever ❤
Words are like music to my ears .
He died on my Birthday, rest in peace Poet♥️
Cool and collected, right to the end.
I miss him so...
Bravo. For all my life, bravo.
Love you Leonard
I have a friend who's dying, stage 4 cancer, they expected him to go two years ago. He's had a tough life and he's not the nicest person so his support network is small. But it reminds me, leave a little room in life, not just for the good, but the not so good too, and watch them soften and grow kinder near the end...
Love Leonard Cohen
That was really wonderful guys. Nice job.
My eyes are wet. I miss. him so much
'Sincerely, L. Cohen.....'
The art and animation was amazing. Bravo.
RIP Mr. Cohen. Rest easy kind sir
Lovely
Adoro escuchar tu voz, me quedaría a vivir en ella
Didnt know he died. Beautiful human being. I'll miss him
Requiescat in Pace, Mr. Cohen.
🙏🏻
His body was mortal but his icon is immortal
#RiciMercury I'm sure he'd love to have read those nine words. Thank you.
Great
Any idea what the song of the intro/ending is? I get goose bumps every single time the video starts!
Love Leonard, Zen Monk
very few souls like his left in this plastic artificial world R.I.P Dear Brother
''There are artists who wrest us up, & place us into themselves.
These are the 'One's Who' continue to wrest us up...
Even beyond their appointed rests in peace.'' -gilpin 111519
great animation set to one of the wisest narrations mankind has been privy to
You are missed 😢
How totally beautiful.
that was perfect
Graceful giant winging it. 💖🙏🇳🇿
I hear he’s building a little house deep in the desert.
one word, epic...
Rip😊
Love
Such a talent! Reunited with Janice now.
Soha nem felejtünk el!! A hangod a szivünkben él!😍❤❤❤❤👍
I always realized that each day i lived is one less day to live, one day closer to death. However at 55, going to be 56, in relative health, seemingly happy, i am ready to meet death, and whatever it is on the other side. I wonder who will be in my welcoming party. I am sure life on earth is just a passage, there’s must more, much more than this.
I highly doubt it
was he smoking! ah dearest love Leonard- the last poems and songs, bless him, how I miss that handsome, troubador of the heart...