Thursday, October 30, 2008

He's my man, and I don't care how much it costs



This is Leonard Cohen in 1970, the year I was in what's now called Year 12: he was thirty-six and I was seventeen.

It was the year I first discovered him: I read Beautiful Losers, bought Songs From a Room and Leonard Cohen with saved-up pocket money, bought the sheet music and learned to play and sing fifteen or twenty of the songs:



(Question: when did she study for her exams? And does this explain the D for Matric Modern History, which still rankles all these decades later and which her entire undergraduate career was one long attempt to redeem?)

(Also, my mother made that round cushion, which was a kind of steely grey-blue velvet.)

Three years earlier my heart had been broken by my first-ever boyfriend, a beautiful Greek boy, who engendered a helpless lifelong passion for swarthiness in all its lovely forms.

Over the decades, Leonard and I drifted apart. And then one day a few years ago, my friend R played me this and I fell in love all over again.

R texted me today to say he's playing here on Australia Day and do I want to come with her. Hah. It's an outdoor concert at a winery down in the paradisal Southern Vales and he's being supported by Paul Kelly. On the other hand it's going to cost hundreds of dollars and it'll probably be 42 degrees. But I do not care.


11 comments:

M-H said...

Oh. My. God. Cohen tragics unite. We scored free tix to the Philip Glass performance, an homage to Cohen, at the Opera House a few weeks ago. But to see him irl - I agree. You have to go. And blog it.

Ampersand Duck said...

If you love the guy, you have to. The money will hurt at first, but it will fade over the years, just like that beloved Joni t-shirt.

Love that photo, especially the raggy knee.

Anonymous said...

Excellent post.

I'm going to two Len gigs, one winery in Bowral and one entertainment centre. My sister and I are so squealy excited about it.

lucy tartan said...

That is such a gorgeous photo. I'm going to the Yarra Valley show if I can find the money soon enough to get a ticket.

genevieve said...

What a lovely photo, and how fine that someone had the thought to capture one of those moments.

Anonymous said...

Right - I've just listed the kiddies on ebay - bugger the expense. But what the hell was he wearing in that clip?

Anonymous said...

Leonard Cohen's playing here? Why wasn't I told?

I think I'll forgo the BDO (even tho' Neil Young is playing) and get tickets for Cohen (if they're still available) instead.

David Irving (no relation)

Unknown said...

I'm going to see him at the Royal Albert Hall in a couple of weeks time. (Couldn't not boast about that.)

Anonymous said...

I've probably linked to this guy before, but if you are a Cohen tragic you really must have a look at this tragic's tragic. Warning -You could be there for hours.

(Check out Needlework as well.)

David Irving (no relation) said...

Hey, Dr Cat, if you got a D for History, you must've done spectacularly well in everything else. Were they still awarding Commonwealth scholarships in 1970? I scored one in 1967 with 3 As and 3 Bs, which I promptly pissed away.

Lefty E said...

Yes, lovely photo. I became of Cohenite round the same age, maybe 19. I recall Sisters of Mercy was the only song I listened to in February 88.

I'll probably fork out, even tho its at Rod Laver arena (yeerg)

Word door-bitch sez "vincen" which groups ok.