I’m a huge fan of Leonard Cohen. Many of his songs capture sadness and yearning.
This song is another of my attempts to emulate Leonard. I have a history of chronic, severe clinical depression: at times, music has rescued me; some of what I write reflects my sadder moments. I understand this song is quite gloomy: there is hopefulness in there.
Brian
Hi Brian!
I enjoyed your rendition of this Leonard Cohen song! Nicely played and sung!!! Well done!!!
I hear you about depression… it’s definitely good to have music in your life to help with the “downs”… whenever I find myself feeling low I “binge listen” to happy music! Gotta stay away from the Blues or I get ‘em!!!
My wife sends me this sometimes… it always makes me smile!!!
Tod
Tod
Thanks for the appreciation. The song was written by me: I am aware it’s a bit Cohen like, or should that be Cohen lite?
Brian
Oh Brian… so sorry that I didn’t realize… but you’re “channeling” Mr, Cohen pretty well!!!
As an aspiring songwriter, I truly appreciate your hard work and the effort required to create new music out of your heart and soul.
Well done!!!
Tod
Well done, Brian. I agree that music and writing music or just simply journaling is very therapeutic. I’m not really a songwriter, but when I lost my pup, I wrote a song and it truly helped me with my sadness. Also, as I think I heard in your song, reaching out to a friend or two will help.
Anyway, you made a beautiful song. Your lyrics, your playing and vocals were lovely.
Pamela
Thanks for listening. I think many people would surprise themselves by writing more: we all have something to say, somethings more important than others. I know how sad the loss of a pet can be: we’re cat people rather than dogs: many of the pet-owner experiences overlap.
I’ve mentioned elsewhere on the site my absolute muscical hero, Mickey Newbury who came from Texas. Mickey wa a songwriter/singer whose work is astounding. I met him in his home in Oregon in 2000. I started here Cortelia Clark - Cover of Mickey Newbury with a cover of one of his songs.
Brian
Yes, I left this post and went back and looked at your earlier topics and just finished listening to it. I loved your cover. I even went and listened to the original and found the lyrics. Thanks for introducing me to Micky Newbury.
Lovely song, well played and sung, Brian.
From a mix perspective my taste would be for the vocal to be a little louder, more matching the volume of the guitars.
I enjoy Leonard Cohen. But maybe not well enough. What I heard immediately listening to this was a John Denver vibe. I hope that’ll land as the compliment it is intended to be.
That is a very beautiful song, Brian! And a quite touching one, too.
It’s good to read that music can bring you some comfort during more dark phases of live and helps you overcome it in a way. That’s one true magic power of music and making music and I can relate to that as well. Also I agree: The song you wrote has a spark of hope in it, it is shining through clearly.
The picking pattern sounded lovely and I liked the way you panned the guitar parts (was quite obvious listening through headphones), giving it a true depth. Your singing was great as well, especially liked the vibratos you put at the end of some phrases, it had a folky touch to my ears. Lovely. Overall, another great original that is perfectly delivered. Thanks for sharing such a personal song.
David
Thank you: any comparison to John Denver is welcome. I play a version of ‘My Sweet Lady’ which, thanks to Justin’s teaching, I now realise is partly accompanied using triads. Another of John’s songs, ‘This Old Guitar’, is a brilliant account of the guitar’s importance to him.
Brian
Lisa
Thank you for listening. Folk music, from early John Renbourne to current artists like Courtney Marie Andrews and Katherine Priddy, has always been a big part of what I listen to and perhaps most influences what I try to write. I am very impressed when anyone singing and playing guitar can ‘hold the room’. I’m very pleased you liked this song of mine.
Brian
What a lovely song Brian. Beautifully played and sung and definitely more Denver than Cohen in my opinion.
Well done.
Thankyou Gordon: I’ll happily bask in any comparison with either of them.
Brian
Brian, this is so very beautiful! Thanks a lot for sharing it! Songwriting comes difficult to me, not so much the Music, but dragging out of myself the lyrics of what I’m expressing through the Music I’ve been creating…I tried but it was painful and I gave it up soon…
Great vocals and very good guitar playing. I really liked the song in your performance!
Mike
Silvia
Thank you for listening and for the kind appreciation of my song. I understand what you’re saying about lyrics: I suspect oone of the secrets to making any progress at all is to keep on writing, trying to record events, memories, feelings; the more you write the easier it becomes and you move beyond plain prose towards poetry.
Brian
Mikhail
Thank you for listening.
Brian
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Thank you Allaxx
Brian
this is real good