{"id":1094,"date":"2012-07-01T09:51:35","date_gmt":"2012-07-01T15:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/?p=1094"},"modified":"2012-07-01T09:51:35","modified_gmt":"2012-07-01T15:51:35","slug":"a-lazy-bastard-living-in-a-suit-leonard-cohens-old-ideas-is-superb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/2012\/07\/a-lazy-bastard-living-in-a-suit-leonard-cohens-old-ideas-is-superb.html","title":{"rendered":"A Lazy Bastard Living in a Suit: Leonard Cohen’s “Old Ideas” is Superb!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

http:\/\/youtu.be\/-saMZaooAbE<\/p>\n

<\/em>(See the lyrics for \u201cDifferent Sides\u201d below).<\/p>\n

This is the best Cohen since Ten New Songs.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now I enjoy Dear Heather<\/em> too. \u201cThere for You,\u201d for example, is a powerful dharma<\/a> tune with a biting double meaning as an old Zen dog, long-time practitioner with Sasaki-roshi, shows his zazen heart.<\/p>\n

But on my Omaha road trip last weekend, I listened to his new offerings on Old Ideas<\/em>. Repeatedly. The old boy delivers on every track with irony, longing, biting self-reflection and humor:<\/p>\n

I know it really is a pity<\/em>
\n The way you treat me now<\/em>
\n I know you can\u2019t forgive me<\/em>
\n But forgive me anyhow <\/em>(\u201cAnyhow\u201d)
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

And \u2026
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I got no future,<\/em>
\n I know my days are few.<\/em>
\n The presents not that pleasant,<\/em>
\n Just a lot of things to do <\/em>(\u201cThe Darkness\u201d)
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just a brief elaboration of a tube,\u201d sings Leonard in \u201cGoing Home.\u201d And also from \u201cGoing Home:\u201d<\/p>\n

I love to speak with Leonard<\/em>
\n He\u2019s a sportsman and a shepherd<\/em>
\n He\u2019s a lazy bastard<\/em>
\n Living in a suit<\/em><\/p>\n

My current favorite, though, is \u201cDifferent Sides.\u201d Now if you think this is only a relationship song, well, \u201c\u2026we find ourselves on different sides of a line nobody drew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seems more like Genesis to me:<\/p>\n

32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. <\/em><\/p>\n

The whole thing is permeated with what Cohen calls \u201ca blessed fatigue.\u201d Sounds like a mature human being to me.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

We find ourselves on different sides<\/em>
\n Of a line nobody drew<\/em>
\n Though it all may be one in the higher eye<\/em>
\n Down here where we live it is two<\/em>
\n I to my side call the meek and the mild<\/em>
\n You to your side call the Words<\/em>
\n By virtue of suffering I claim to have won<\/em>
\n You claim to have never been heard<\/em>
\n Both of us say there are laws to obey<\/em>
\n Yeah, but frankly I don\u2019t like your tone<\/em>
\n You want to change the way I make love<\/em>
\n (But) I want to leave it alone<\/em>
\n The pull of the moon, the thrust of the sun<\/em>
\n Thus the ocean is crossed<\/em>
\n The waters are blessed while a shadowy guest<\/em>
\n Kindles a light for the lost<\/em>
\n Both of us say there are laws to obey<\/em>
\n But frankly I don\u2019t like your tone<\/em>
\n You want to change the way I make love<\/em>
\n But) I want to leave it alone<\/em>
\n Down in the valley the famine goes on<\/em>
\n The famine up on the hill<\/em>
\n I say that you shouldn\u2019t, you couldn\u2019t, you can\u2019t<\/em>
\n You say that you must and you will<\/em>
\n You want to live where the suffering is<\/em>
\n I want to get out of town<\/em>
\n Come on, baby, give me a kiss<\/em>
\n Stop writing everything down\u2026.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

http:\/\/youtu.be\/-saMZaooAbE (See the lyrics for \u201cDifferent Sides\u201d below). This is the best Cohen since Ten New Songs. Now I enjoy Dear Heather too. \u201cThere for You,\u201d for example, is a powerful dharma tune with a biting double meaning as an old Zen dog, long-time practitioner with Sasaki-roshi, shows his zazen heart. But on my Omaha […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":182,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nA Lazy Bastard Living in a Suit: Leonard Cohen's "Old Ideas" is Superb!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"http:\/\/youtu.be\/-saMZaooAbE (See the lyrics for "Different Sides" below). This is the best Cohen since Ten New Songs. Now I enjoy Dear Heather too. 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