Sunday, May 31, 2009

Leonard Cohen at the Wang Theater

Leonard Cohen paid tribute to the music and I was there to see it.

With a 9-person band of excellent musicians, including a virtuous flamenco guitarist, and a “maestro of breath” who played at times the Saxophone, Clarinet and keyboard, Leonard Cohen brought to life his timeless songs in his rumbling voice, like the stirring of the very earth.

The now seventy-four year old poet and priest to many introduced his performance by saying “It has now been 15 years since I last stood on this stage – at the time I was just a 60 year-old kid with a crazy dream.”

It was a performance of reverence. On multiple occasions, the old man dropped to one knee as he sung, seemingly in awe of the flamenco guitar. And his hat was off to honor his fellow musicians who delivered their well sutured solos under the spotlight's grace.

He also recited a few of his poems, and I was struck as always by the words. A thousand kisses deep was one song that remained unsung, but its many verses were recited, a version of the endlessly worked-on verses are below—they are well worth the read:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKL3MDxMZUM

1. You came to me this morning
And you handled me like meat.
You´d have to be a man to know
How good that feels, how sweet.
My mirror twin, my next of kin,
I´d know you in my sleep.
And who but you would take me in
A thousand kisses deep?

2. I loved you when you opened
Like a lily to the heat.
I´m just another snowman
Standing in the rain and sleet,
Who loved you with his frozen love
His second-hand physique -
With all he is, and all he was
A thousand kisses deep.

3. All soaked in sex, and pressed against
The limits of the sea:
I saw there were no oceans left
For scavengers like me.
We made it to the forward deck
I blessed our remnant fleet -
And then consented to be wrecked
A thousand kisses deep.

Etc...

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