Stranger Music

In between reading Leonard Cohen novels, I had to read parts of Stranger Music. This book is comprised of selections of Cohen’s published poetry, prose, and poetry-prose books, and many of his song lyrics.

I just have to say, I really like the title of the collection. That’s all. Simple as that.

The selections span Cohen’s career, both for writing and music. So from the start in the 60′s to when Stranger Music was published in 1993, there is a major difference in content and style.

Where Stranger Music is all over the board, my comments aren’t going to make much sense or have much in the way of order.

So, I had heard the song “Hallelujah” before and knew it was originally written by Cohen, but I wasn’t aware of all the lyrics it has. I’ve only listened to the version that was on Scrubs by John Cale (because I like to buy soundtracks). So many more verses! Okay, it’s like, three extra verses, but that’s still sizable. For once, that song didn’t make me feel like crying or actually make me cry.

However, there were several poems toward the end of the book that made me feel like crying. Jeesh, emotions. I sure know what’s coming up soon.

I do like Cohen’s poetry better than I like his prose/novels. I can’t judge how well I like the songs, as I only had the lyrics, not any of the rest. But I do mean to go searching for Leonard Cohen songs as songs. I liked the lyrics.

Urg. I can’t think of anything else to say. It was a collection of writing by Leonard Cohen and I liked it. That’s enough.

 

Death of a Lady’s Man

Not to be confused with Leonard Cohen’s album, Death of a Ladies’ Man. It turns out I didn’t need to read the entire book, just the selections present in Stranger Music. Oh, well.

This book doesn’t fall under the general headings of writing, between poetry and prose. At the beginning of the unit, the professor was saying how there’s several Cohen books that are published as poetry by one publisher and then published as prose by another. There’s no black and white. It’s all gray. Not only is there a mix of poetry, prose, and prose-poetry, but each piece includes a commentary on it.

Today in class we were discussing writer’s aiming to please their audience or just themselves. I feel as though Death of a Lady’s Man could be both. It’s difficult to say what Cohen’s feelings are on the matter, but he was certainly writing for himself in Beautiful Losers, and there’s just enough of that in Death of a Lady’s Man to take it off the beaten path. On the other hand, there’s enough of Let Us Compare Mythologies and The Spice-Box of Earth for the general readership to enjoy it.

There is one writing at the beginning of the book which really stuck with me. It’s “The News You Really Hate.” The first sentence is jarring, reminiscent of Beautiful Losers. “You fucking whore.” The use of second-person point of view really directs it toward the reader, as if they are being specifically addressed. It resonated with me. I identified with several of the lines and I found myself getting defensive. Reasoning out my explanations of my behavior in my head. “No. I was interested in the music. Really. I still listen every so often. The music was one of my favorite parts. Didn’t you know? Sure, I never said as much, but now you’re declaring war on me? Forever and ever? That’s not really fair. Life isn’t fair, I know. I am sorry…. And I’m not a whore.”

A running commentary within my mind in relation to the writing.

Don’t tell me you don’t do the same. See yourself in an author’s writings. See eerie resemblances to events in your own life. Besides, isn’t it the mark of a great writer when you can relate to their characters?

“The Mouth of the Cave” intrigued me just for the first line. “Rachel and Raymond in Montreal cruising the socialist meetings.” Hey. My name’s Rachel and I have a friend named Raymond. But I’m certain we would never go to socialist meetings. Especially not in Montreal. Especially considering he’s in Texas. And it’s his birthday today!

I’m almost done Stranger Music, too. So perhaps, expect that entry up tonight.

 

Beautiful Losers

Whew! What a contrast to the previous Leonard Cohen book I read (The Favorite Game). Not all contrasts are good. It is a good book and there’s no denying it’s content is interesting. However, the language and stylistic choices… The best word to describe them is crude.

With my readings of Leonard Cohen, I’ve found them to be quite sexualized. I’m not a prude by any means, but in Beautiful Losers, this sexual content is abrupt and abrasive. In The Favorite Game and the selected poems I’ve read, it’s general, it’s esoteric, it’s all imagery and metaphoric language. It’s flowers and bows and sunshine compared to Beautiful Losers. And The Favorite Game was “sexy for the 1960s and it’s sexy for Canada,” as my professor put it. Beautiful Losers transcends that and then some.

Today in class I was talking to two of my peers. One of them said she put down the book and decided not to continue reading it because she was offended. I told her it lessens up further in, or I just got desensitized. At the start of class, the professor apologized on behalf of the book.

What interested me was the reliability of the narrator’s friend, F. His identification is shrouded. We aren’t even granted the knowledge of a name, just the initial. I was skeptical of the truth in his stories of an affair with the narrator’s wife, Edith. He was awfully cavalier in the details, which were constantly changing. Further research on the book has revealed the theory that F. doesn’t exist, except for in the mind of the narrator.

There are many different tales occurring among the pages of the book. The narrator, Edith, F., F. and Edith’s relationship, the relationship between the narrator and F. Blanketing and tying together these different strains is a concern with the historical personage, Kateri Tekakwitha (whose name is spelled a number of ways in the book). This story is interesting on it’s own, although confusing withing Beautiful Losers.

I’m greatly interested in what the rest of the class may have to say about this text on Thursday.

 

The Favorite Game

And so begins the onslaught of school-related books! This one is by Leonard Cohen. Yes, the same Leonard Cohen who is a singer-songwriter.

The book is broken up into relatively short chapters. Individually, I like each chapter and, individually, each chapter makes sense. On occasion, the previous and following chapters with make sense in context to the one in between. I suppose, even as a whole, the book makes sense, but there is not straight line of plot. There is character development, but the progression of events is meandering. Usually in a book, you can map out each plot point, but not so with The Favorite Game.

It is a beautiful mix of prose fiction and poetry, as is a lot of Cohen’s writings.

In between reading The Favorite Game, I’ve also been reading poems from Stranger Music, also a Cohen writing. There is much discussion of love. But can’t you say most writers meditate on that? For Cohen, there’s a touch of the bittersweet in love. The wonders of what it can do and the despair it can bring.