After 60 proper legends of pop (OK, you may have thought that some were a bit iffy), it is now time for my Top 20 Leg Ends of pop. These are those groups or artists that have had hits and sold well, but by no means a favourite of mine.
I do know that some of you will really like these, as there is no accounting for taste.
Now, SB does not like the use of profanity in the articles (comments fine, not articles), therefore if I say, for example, “Clut” I mean that well known GP word which is a sign of endearment, and if I say the word “Fluff” it is a well know word beginning with F, four letters, last letter a K, 2nd letter a U and just in case there is doubt, the 3rd letter is a C. The use of the word “Sausage” means that four letter word for when evacuating the bowels.
H/T to Brett of this parish, who very kindly sent me his play list of dire, dreadful, suicidal and basically fluffing songs generally done by right Cluts which are all pretty Sausage.
So, on we go with 7th on my worst list: – Leonard Cohen. Nothing against him, just that he sold a lot of music, so successful, but I was just never a fan of his mainly dirges.
The featured track Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man (Live in Dublin – edited). A pleasant enough little ditty, but I will always maintain he is not a singer, just a talker in rhyme, or I suppose a poet!
Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honour. In 2011, he received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize.
Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s, and did not begin a music career until 1967. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). His 1977 record Death of a Ladies’ Man, co-written and produced by Phil Spector, was a move away from Cohen’s previous minimalist sound.
In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional Recent Songs, which blended his acoustic style with jazz, East Asian, and Mediterranean influences. Cohen’s most famous song, “Hallelujah“, was released on his seventh album, Various Positions (1984). I’m Your Man in 1988 marked Cohen’s turn to synthesized productions. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, The Future, which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest.
Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, a major hit in Canada and Europe. His eleventh album, Dear Heather, followed in 2004. In 2005, Cohen discovered that his manager had stolen most of his money and sold his publishing rights, prompting a return to touring to recoup his losses. Following a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2013, he released three albums in the final years of his life: Old Ideas (2012), Popular Problems (2014), and You Want It Darker (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death. His posthumous, fifteenth, and final studio album Thanks for the Dance, was released in November 2019.
Leonard Cohen – Suzanne (Live At The Isle of Wight 1970). Pretty sure when you hear this you will know it. It has a bit of a tune, despite being a right old dirge.
Leonard Cohen – Bird on the Wire (Live 1979), little bit of a country sound on this, so passable.
Leonard Cohen – The Partisan in Helsinki 2010 – Not my cup of tea, but it charted. Well it did on France)
Leonard Cohen – Lover, lover, lover (With Laura Branigan) – Again not my cup of tea, but not quite a death dirge of a tune.
Leonard Cohen – Dance Me to the End of Love (Official Video) – One that you may well have heard before.
Leonard Cohen Take This Waltz (Live in Spain, 1988) – Hardy breaking new ground.
Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah (Live 1988). This is from the first release in 1984, came back into the charts for him in 2009. Since covered by many artists such as Alexandra Burke, Bon Jovi, K.D.Lang. On searching though I found this version: “The Most Beautiful Version of “Hallelujahv” You Have Ever Heard” Sung by a girl called Lucy Thomas on an American talent show, rather nice I thought, certainly for me is the best version I have heard.
A very distinctive sound, you either like it or do not. I will never understand why people like this old sausage though.
Tribute – Terry Hall
I should also like to pay a tribute to Terry Hall from The Specials who died this week at the age of just 63, which is 3 years younger than myself. I do remember wearing two-tone clothes! The Specials – Ghost Town (Glastonbury 2009) for me. Not just because it was a great tune, but because of my daily joke when I used to run training courses in hotels for a week at a time, the waitress would come over each evening after the main meal and asked if we would like to hear the specials for dessert. I of course always say “I got this”, then burst into “This town is coming like a ghost town”. In fairness to the patience of the nice waitress, I did learn all the special deserts and would say them for her afterwards. So not all bad.
Singalong, enjoy and be happy!
Links to previous Legend and Leg End articles:
Featured image: Leonard Cohen, Edinburgh Castle” by jonl1973 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
© Phil the ex test manager 2022
