Y 10 W40 - Leonard

Hi Andy,

Good start :D The lyrics sound a bit difficult to fit in/phrase at times, but I like the chord progressions and overall feel of the song. Sounds like you were whisper singing a bit.....was it late at night with others sleeping? :roll:

Thanks for sharing.

James

Interesting subject. I thought you might try to play and sing it in Leonard's style.

Thanks for the listen and comments! I wrote this on lunch break Tuesday so it definitely is not a finished product and one to come back to. :note2:
Sounds like you were whisper singing a bit.....was it late at night with others sleeping? :roll:

It was early morning when I have my graveliest voice :lol:
Interesting subject. I thought you might try to play and sing it in Leonard's style.

I was trying to emulate without copying. So I had to break some rules (like Leonard did) with an odd chord progression (7,3,4) using standard chords ( I used Em/B and A/E), odd ones using a familiar shape (Fm6add9 is a powerchord shape). Technically, the A should have been Am to be in the key of C. The semi-spoken singing is what I do anyway :roll: I had kind of a Tower of Song inspired verse (12 bar blues progression variation). I meant to use my classical guitar but forgot that a.m. :o I like this one enough to add some tracks, maybe get some "angels" singing backing vocals :lol:

This is a good start, as James say. I like your use of what people think of as "guitar-centric" chord shapes to create an arresting accompaniment.

And I agree with your philosophy of emulating, not copying. One big lesson one can draw from Cohen's lyrics is that while they can cover more philosophical and religious spectrums than most people can keep track of, at their heart they are very conversational in tone. You do a good job of that for the most part, the exception being the first two lines of the first verse:
Leonard was born Canadian a poet for a trade

For folksinger friends played music he made

The third line is wonderful, so maybe working backward from there would help. You could even place him on a stage, singing his songs:
The poet from the North gets up on the stage
Fingers strum some chord of a tune he's going to play
Says "I'm not sure Suzanne is a song" He doesn't know, something must be wrong

This is just off the top of my head so forgive its lack of elegance!

Anyway, looking forward to how this song turns out and, as always, also looking forward to more.

Peace

And I agree with your philosophy of emulating, not copying. One big lesson one can draw from Cohen's lyrics is that while they can cover more philosophical and religious spectrums than most people can keep track of, at their heart they are very conversational in tone. You do a good job of that for the most part, the exception being the first two lines of the first verse:
Leonard was born Canadian a poet for a trade

For folksinger friends played music he made

The third line is wonderful, so maybe working backward from there would help. You could even place him on a stage, singing his songs:
The poet from the North gets up on the stage
Fingers strum some chord of a tune he's going to play
Says "I'm not sure Suzanne is a song" He doesn't know, something must be wrong
Peace

Dave,
Thanks for the listen and suggestion to fix that awkward phrasing. Only my second attempt at a song tribute, first to a famous person. I've got more in me :D . The first verse is based on reading Judy Collins autobiography "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" where she told the story that Leonard, an established published poet, but before he was signed as a musician, was unsure about his songwriting or even if they were songs, and Suzanne was one of them, he was too shy to play it at first, then did for Judy, so it wasn't at a show, so maybe something this:

The poet from the North playing for Judy Collins (or maybe say "for friends")
Strum classical chords of magic that never ends.
Says "I'm not sure Suzanne is a song" :note1:
He doesn't know, something must be wrong

Hi again, Andy

I think your idea works well. Maybe the first line can be:
The poet from the North plays his music for some friends

But I like Judy Collins being present (and if I remember correctly, didn't Joni Mitchell help him record some demos? so she'd probably be part of his "test audience" even if not at the same time), so how about:
The poet plays his music for sweet Judy and some friends

or maybe:
Poet Leonard plays his music for sweet Judy and some friends

Anyway you look at it, you're definitely creating a more intimate and immediate scene now with the first verse, which is important. Good work!

Looking forward to more.

Peace

But I like Judy Collins being present (and if I remember correctly, didn't Joni Mitchell help him record some demos? so she'd probably be part of his "test audience" even if not at the same time), so how about:
The poet plays his music for sweet Judy and some friends

or maybe:
Poet Leonard plays his music for sweet Judy and some friends

Dave,
Thanks, I'll try it both ways. Per the Joni/Carole King/Carly Simon bio "Girls Like Us", Leonard and Joni dated for a few weeks, but I will check the timeline. It would be cool to sneak a Joni reference in there as well :D