"You're so old," I said. "What happened?"

[zotz]

Well, Nick's said there's probably no point me being here after talking to Hsiao-Che tomorrow, so there's some vague chance I'll get the shopping done after all. We have to work out what we're going to do  between the beginning of January and Nick getting back from India a week later.

I've been singing Hallelujah to myself a lot again this morning. I don't actually remember whether I have a copy of the original. I must check and make sure I do. From looking at the sleeve it doesn't strike me as likely.

Ho hum. Peter from upstairs hasn't turned up to discuss his project. In fifteen minutes he'll have missed me.

Comments

[dermfitz.livejournal.com]

Would that be a Throwing Muses quote?

[zotz]

It would indeed. Offhand, I think it's from "Fall down".

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Which Hallelujah?

[zotz]

Leonard's.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

More embarrassingly, I don't think *I* have it.
I was supposed to be issued with it at birth or something.

[zotz]

We should form a support group.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

I just checked. It's not amongst my miniscule Leonard Cohen collection.

I'm officially a Bad Canadian.

[zotz]

Although the lyrics are the ones from Jeff Buckley's version, rather than the ones from Various Positions.

[nickys.livejournal.com]

> I've been singing Hallelujah to myself a lot again this morning.

Just fired up Musicmatch to listen to it.


We also have the "Shrek" version, of course. :-)

[zotz]

I've only heard that when i saw the film. I don't remember what it's like, but obviously if it's by John Cale then it ought in theory to be good.

[nickys.livejournal.com]

It's not substantially different from the Leonard Cohen's version - slightly less gloomy, I suppose, but oddly that still works.

[zotz]

I've never really found it a gloomy song overall, although some parts are quite downbeat.

[nickys.livejournal.com]

Well maybe not.

Leonard Cohen might be more cynical-with-a-faint-streak-of-hopeful than simply gloomy, I guess.
And "No Way to say Goodbye" is vaguely optimistic in parts.


[I sense that attempting to discuss the finer points of music with you is another good way to get thoroughly out of my depth... if not actually utterly defeated... :-) ]

[zotz]

Cohen's written some real wrist-slitting epics, but he's done a lot of uplifting stuff too. Suzanne's not depressing, and First We Take Manhattan and Everybody Knows are both more determined (and, AFAICT, meant to be taken as political) than depressing.

[nickys.livejournal.com]

I suppose 'Suzanne' strikes me as hopeful but with a definite streak of cynicism. The song of someone who has had a few failed relationships and knows the realities, but hasn't been crushed by them.

> meant to be taken as political

Yes, that makes sense.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

I think "If it be your will" is one of the most romantic songs I know, and also enormously uplifting (if a little too religious for me by the end).

[zotz]

He is an enormously romantic songwriter, both in the particular and general senses. I rather like the religiosity in a lot of his songs. For a while about a year or two ago I kept seeing a TV advert for some compilation of the "best" godbothery pop songs (although they obviously didn't use that phrase), and to my disgust they were all dreadful. No Nick Cave, no Leonard Cohen, no Michael Sheehy... useless. I was actually thinking earlier that I should make up a compilation called "The best gospel album in the world . . . ever!" and fill it with stuff like that that I like. This was rather triggered by getting the new(ish) Michael J Sheehy album and hearing the song "The Pissed Apostle", I'm afraid.