This series of posts considers the question, “What makes a song a Leonard Cohen song?” The answer, it turns out, is simpler than one might expect. Notwithstanding the requirements implicitly set forth by the spate of publications explicating Leonard Cohen’s corpus, one can comprehend the key elements and organizing principles of his songs — the DNA of his music — without a mastery of arcane poetics, kabbalistic allusions, biographical details of Cohen’s life, musicological theory, mythological lore, or the geopolitical nuances of Canada, Greece, and Los Angeles.

Characteristic #1. Embracing The Predicament

• The Human Predicament In Leonard Cohen’s Music
• Embrace The Suck: An Expansion Of The Human Predicament In Leonard Cohen’s Music

Characteristic #2. Self-Investigation Without Self-Indulgence

• Self-Examination and Self-Revelation In Leonard Cohen’s Music

Characteristic #3. Artistic Design

• Artistic Design – Introduction
• Artistic Design – Sacred Mechanics
• Artistic Design – Working With The Gift Of A Golden Voice & Other Instruments
• Artistic Design – Musical Influences
• Artistic Design – The Mystery & The Practicality Of Songs
• Artistic Design – Resonance

Credit Due Department: Photo by Antonio Olmos