(his first recording, Smithsonian Folkways CD, 1957; several tracks, with other readings by A.J.M. Smith, Irving Layton, Louis Dudek, F.R. Scott, and A.M. Klein; scarce 1959 pb collection, published in 500 copies, also includes Phyllis Webb)
(rare wrap-around pb, McClelland & Stewart, 1961; design by Frank Newfeld)
(UK dj version Secker & Warburg, 1963, cover: Barry Trengove; right: US dj version: Viking, 1963, cover with nude dressing R.M. Powers, photo: Harry Hess)
(left: Avon pb, 1965, cover with nude: Mort Engle; middle: Avon, 1970 pb, unacknowledged cover photo; right: movie later made from novel, Alliance Atlantis–Film Tonic DVD, 2002, directed by Bernar Hebert, includes Cohen songs)
(left: 1965 documentary released on DVD in 2004 by NFB, contains 4 extra Cohen-related videos; right: actually his first title originally released in 1956, later rereleased in this 1966 McClelland & Stewart pb, photo: NFB)
(left: the 1967 Bantam pb, uncredited art; 1966 McClelland & Stewart dj; drawings: Harold Town, design: Frank Newfeld; after this novel, Cohen turned more to songwriting and recording)
(left: rare 1966 CBC LP featuring 7 Cohen poems–some featured in the 1965 documentary above; right: scarce Aug/Sept 1967 issue of Sing Out! folkie songwriter magazine, there are 2 articles on Cohen, 1 by Buffy Sainte-Marie, and the music chart for “Suzanne” which become an iconic Cohen anthem, first popularized by Judy Collins and Noel Harrison–45 rpm version)
(left: Cohen’s 1st album for Columbia, 1967, after he was signed by the great John Hammond in Cohen’s room at the Chelsea Hotel; right: his 1st songbook with photos, Amsco/Collier-Macmillan, 1969, cover photo: John Berg)
(left: 1968 McClelland & Stewart pb,cover design: Mel Williamson, photomontage: C.P. Noyes; Cohen turned down the Governor-General award for it; right: Cohen’s 1972 European tour as captured by Tony Palmer, DVD 2010, Machat, cover: Picasso “Dove of Peace”, Succession Picasso/DACS)
(the companion book for the odd meandering ’80s documentary Harry Rasky made, shown on CBC, which hasn’t yet made it to DVD; Mosaic pb, 2001, cover: Amy Land; Rasky also made a significant documentary on Northrop Frye called “The Great Teacher”, likewise shown on tv but never released on DVD)
(rare inscribed McClelland & Stewart dj, 1984, design: Michael van Elsen)
(left: rare 1988 Sony VHS long out-of-print, 15 live performances, originally shown on BBC; packing artwork: CBS Records; right: illustrated souvenir program from Cohen’s 1993 tour, which was in Edmonton at the Jubilee Auditorium–flowers passed out to all ladies in the lobby after the show)
(rare signed with early chop of Cohen’s ‘unified heart’ design, 1993 US ed., Pantheon dj; photo; Edward Gajdel, design: Kathleen Di Grado)
(left: rare 1997 Wise Publications pb songbook never released in US or Canada, cover photoGered Mankowitz, design: Redferns; middle: 50 songs as listed on back cover; right: yet another comeback and perhaps his strongest album of new/er songs, Columbia, 2001 CD)
(rare signed and stamped US 2006 HarperCollins dj; jacket design: Michael Petit, jacket art: Cohen; in fact there are many drawings throughout this book)
(rare photo of Cohen signing the above book with Anjani doing the stamping)
(Philip Glass had long wanted to do a song cycle about the above book with Cohen reading and other voices and music; 2007 Orange Mountain Music; CD cover on left; middle: art by Cohen; right: Lorca Cohen photo of collaborators for this not-so-well-publicized project)
(left: as good as it gets: one of Cohen’s best live incarnations–2008, London; 2009 Sony DVD; photos & design: Lorca Cohen, Michael Petit, Robert Yager, James Cumpsty; right: another unexpected release: Chrome Dreams, 2009 CD, 72 mins., of interviews from 1961 to 2008)
(left: another nice, unexpected Cohen poem collection by Everyman Library Pocket Poets series, Knopf, 2001 dj; photo & design: Dominique Issermann, Barbara de Wilde; right: 2012 Columbia CD; cover design & photo: Cohen & Kezban Ozcan; in the first of the last three albums, you can sense Cohen preparing for death)
(And when you thought he was done touring and had nothing else new to say–left: another remarkable 2013 live concert, 2014 Sony CDs and DVD, design & photos: Gary Kelly, BrendanDuffy.ie; right: 2014 Columbia LP & CD, design & photo: Michael Petit & Kezban Ozcan)
(Cohen speaks for himself, 1966-2012–a labor of love by ed. Jeff Burger; Chicago Review Press, 2014 dj; design: Jonathan Hahn, photo: Ann Johansson) With the publication of this book and several other bios, You Want it
Born in Westmount, Montreal, Leonard(Norman) Cohen (1934-2016) attended McGill U and Columbia U before spending a lot of his 20s in Greece. He began his career by writing poetry and novels (The Favourite Game, 1963, Beautiful Losers, 1966) before deciding to change directions, and move more into performing and recording with his growing song catalogue. His early cynicism about literature culminated in him turning down the 1968 GG Award for his Selected Poems. His work and reputation are not likely to be equalled in the future by any Canadian poet, songwriter, and solo male performer.
As Cohen had said, music paid much better and he went into it full-time with the help of musical friends like Judy Collins. As shown above, his many albums of mostly romantic, dark, cynical songs have transformed him into a major iconic pop figure and cult figure on the international music scene. He was and still is Canada’s best known singer-songwriter and poet.