What are you listening to?

[Geof Nanto]

One of my favourite artists of all time is Leonard Cohen and his last album is one of his greatest.  There's a Japanese tradition of writing a brief poem when at death's door. I bought a book of these poems expecting deep revelations as many are by Zen monks - but I was disappointed as most feel contrived to me. However, that's certainly not the case with Cohen's You Want it Darker. The whole album is excellent and contains the best death songs / poems I've ever heard. Totally authentic emotion from a master communicator - a magical weaving of darkness and light; of embodied humanness with its worldly desires and very real suffering interplaying with profound spiritual longing. But perhaps only deeply meaningful for few. I suspect he's too honest for most, for the many who seem to like their spirituality sugar coated.

 

 

 

(At the end of the chorus Cohen sings “Hineni, hineni; I’m ready, my lord.” Hineni is Hebrew for “here I am,” and is the response Abraham gives when God calls on him to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is also the name of a prayer of preparation and humility, addressed to God, chanted by the cantor on Rosh Hashanah.)

 

 

[silent thunder]

2 minutes ago, Yueya said:

One of my favourite artists of all time is Leonard Cohen and his last album is one of his greatest.  There's a Japanese tradition of writing a brief poem when at death's door. I bought a book of these poems expecting deep revelations as many are by Zen monks - but I was disappointed as most feel contrived to me. However, that's certainly not the case with Cohen's You Want it Darker. The whole album is excellent and contains the best death songs / poems I've ever heard. Totally authentic emotion from a master communicator - a magical weaving of darkness and light; of embodied humanness with its worldly desires and very real suffering interplaying with profound spiritual longing. But perhaps only deeply meaningful for few. I suspect he's too honest for most, for the many who seem to like their spirituality sugar coated.

 

 

 

(At the end of the chorus Cohen sings “Hineni, hineni; I’m ready, my lord.” Hineni is Hebrew for “here I am,” and is the response Abraham gives when God calls on him to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is also the name of a prayer of preparation and humility, addressed to God, chanted by the cantor on Rosh Hashanah.)

 

 

What a treasure he is and was to me!

Thanks for sharing this... and at this time... synchronistically resonant.

*bow

 

“I greet you from the other side of sorrow and despair,

with a love so vast and shattered

it will reach you everywhere.”

 

~ L Cohen

[Eduardo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVffrrRDFPQ

 

Proclamación para iluminar

Los Jaivas

 

 

Vengo de la cordillera al mar

Estoy de paso por esta ciudad

Traigo lunas para tu jardín

Y ramitas de sonrisa en flor también traigo dulce amistad

Por las penas y el dolor Amor dulce amor

Amor dulce amor traigo lunas para tu jardín

Y de paso una cancion

Amor dulce de amor

Amor dulce de amor

Traigo lunas para tu jardín Y de paso una canción Y la luz baña los cerros

(Hágase la luz) Debajo del abrigo (Hágase la luz)

La luz en la cabeza tan fuerte (Que haya luz)

Y en todos los corazones

(Que haya luz) Que se enciendan las velas

(Que se haga la luz) Y el amor también gotea en los escritorios (Que se haga la luz) Que se baile en las aceras

(Hágase la luz)

Luz en el cerebelo

(Sea la luz) En los guantes del caballero (Sea la luz) Más luz para los que viven

(Hágase la luz)

Deja que esta tierra negra brille, ay (Que haya luz)

Y las caderas se mueven (Que haya luz) Y que todos bailen felices (Que haya luz)

Y el amor también gotea en los escritorios (que haya luz)

Y el amor también gotea en los escritorios (que haya luz)

Y el amor también gotea en los escritorios

 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Eduardo

[Geof Nanto]

Bob Dylan once commented that Cohen’s songs were increasingly sounding like hymns.  Here’s another one of spiritual longing and human despair from his last album:

 

 

[RobB]

 

[doc benway]

 

[silent thunder]

My absolute favorite Queen song.  '39 written and sung by Brian May.

 

Brian May.  Rock Guitar God, and PhD Astro-Physicist.

He combined both into my favorite Queen song '39

 

For a long time, I assumed it was about a ship-wreck and the eventual return of the survivors and I deeply resonated with the paradox of the line 'for the day I take your hand in the land that our grandchildren knew'.  When I tried to research what shipwreck the song was based on, I disovered it wasn't.

 

'39 is a hypothetical accout about a crew of Astronauts who experience Time Dilation.

After leaving Earth in '39 and traveling for a one year at near light speed then returning, only to find it's still '39 but 100 years later... and all they knew has passed and now resides 'in the land that our grandchildren knew'. 

 

So '39 has got Theoretical Physics, Freddie Mercury singing backup and happens to also be played on a 12 string ^(sigh)

 

 

Edited August 12, 2021 by silent thunder

[Taomeow]

I remember when I first heard this song, I had this feeling it was somehow a dark prophecy, one of those that come in a vision you can only understand viscerally...  until it comes true.  Gave me such goosebumps.

 

   

[doc benway]

 

 

[zerostao]

I am listening to the drummer

 

 

 

[Ano Eremita]

Stomu Yamash'ta ‎– Red Buddha (1971)

 

Red Buddha 0:00

As Expanding As 15:20

 

Stomu Yamash'ta
metal strings, tambury, cymbal, musical saw & mandorin harp,

steel drum, marimba, cow bell, wood block & skin drum,

composer & arranger

Edited August 25, 2021 by Ano Eremita

[Apech]

 

[Miroku]

On 3. 8. 2021 at 12:56 AM, Yueya said:

One of my favourite artists of all time is Leonard Cohen and his last album is one of his greatest.  There's a Japanese tradition of writing a brief poem when at death's door. I bought a book of these poems expecting deep revelations as many are by Zen monks - but I was disappointed as most feel contrived to me. However, that's certainly not the case with Cohen's You Want it Darker. The whole album is excellent and contains the best death songs / poems I've ever heard. Totally authentic emotion from a master communicator - a magical weaving of darkness and light; of embodied humanness with its worldly desires and very real suffering interplaying with profound spiritual longing. But perhaps only deeply meaningful for few. I suspect he's too honest for most, for the many who seem to like their spirituality sugar coated.

 

 

 

(At the end of the chorus Cohen sings “Hineni, hineni; I’m ready, my lord.” Hineni is Hebrew for “here I am,” and is the response Abraham gives when God calls on him to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is also the name of a prayer of preparation and humility, addressed to God, chanted by the cantor on Rosh Hashanah.)

 

 

I absolutely adore 'You Want It Darker" it is the most perfect album. I have been listening to it for several years now and it always begs a full listen, not just one song, but full and in the order it was made. The atmosphere it creates is just amazing.

While Cohen was jewish until his last breath I cannot help but think the songs "Treaty" and "It seemed a better way" can be read as songs about his zen master who spent last years in infamy as his sexual escapades went public and Leonard Cohen was with him in his last days, taking care of him. But of course that is just one way to view it and that is the genius of the author. "Treaty" can also be read as a classical jewish way of relating to G*d, however there literally is a treaty as they have a coven. Anyway, sorry for my rambling I am just so excited about Cohen. There is a great article written by his rabbi who explains a bit the theological background behind this album.  

[Miroku]

Thought you guys could enjoy some nice Czech artist singing about hot it would be nice to hear sth nice in the news.

[C T]

 

[Ano Eremita]

 

The Bravery of Being Out of Range
by Roger Waters

 

You have a natural tendency
To squeeze off a shot
You're good fun at parties
You wear the right masks
You're old but you still
Like a laugh in the locker room
You can't abide change
You're at home on the range

 

You opened your suitcase
Behind the old workings
To show off the magnum
You deafened the canyon
A comfort a friend
Only upstaged in the end
By the Uzi machine gun
Does the recoil remind you
Remind you of sex

 

Old man what the hell you gonna kill next
Old timer who you gonna kill next

 

I looked over Jordan and what did I see
Saw a U.S. Marine in a pile of debris
I swam in your pools
And lay under your palm trees
I looked in the eyes of the Indian
Who lay on the Federal Building steps

 

And through the range finder over the hill
I saw the frontline boys popping their pills
Sick of the mess they find
On their desert stage
And the bravery of being out of range
Yeah the question is vexed

 

Old man what the hell you gonna kill next
Old timer who you gonna kill next

 

Hey bartender over here
Two more shots
And two more beers
Sir turn up the TV sound
The war has started on the ground
Just love those laser guided bombs
They're really great
For righting wrongs
You hit the target
And win the game
From bars 3,000 miles away
3,000 miles away

 

We play the game
With the bravery of being out of range
We zap and maim
With the bravery of being out of range
We strafe the train
With the bravery of being out of range
We gained terrain
With the bravery of being out of range
With the bravery of being out of range
We play the game
With the bravery of being out of range

 

[Geof Nanto]

I lost a dear friend a few days ago. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis a year ago and treatments failed to curtail its rapid progression.  She was 66 years old, a little younger than me. Thankfully, she died in peace, no acute suffering throughout her illness.  She was able to stay in her own home until the last few days when her lungs irreversibly collapsed. She was fully conscious and lucid until the end, when at her request they switched off the machines keeping her alive in intensive care. There was no hope for her survival. She had accepted with great equanimity in the preceding months that her end was approaching.  She reread The Tibetan Book of the Dead, and had a strong, long-term Bhakti yoga practice. Yet, understandably, she said it was very hard to finally let go. Without oxygen, she rapidly faded into the world beyond this one.  But sad, oh so sad. The second close friend I’ve lost this year.

 

In her memory: 

 

 

[silent thunder]

The longer I live, the more loved ones I lose to the next phase.

It's rather relentless.  But with each one... I am reminded how unbelievably fortunate I am.

 

For out of the spinning of this remarkable universe of billions of years.

I had the indescribable good fortune to meet and love them.

 

Treasure of treasures.

 

I'm always gutted by the loss, while shining with gratitude.

Life encompasses all of it.  Be well friend and heal up.

So grateful you share here @Yueya

[Ano Eremita]

Miles Davis : Human Nature

 

 

 

Miles Davis – Live in Germany 1988 (Munich Philharmonic Concert Hall) 

Miles Davis – Trumpet

Kenny Garrett – Saxophone 

Bobby Irving – Keyboards 

Adam Holzman – Keyboards Joseph „Foley” 

Mccreary – Guitar 

Benjamin Rietveld – Bass 

Marilyn Mazur – Percussion 

Ricky Wellman – Drums

[doc benway]

My condolences for your losses @Yueya.

I am also deeply grateful to have connected with you here.

 

[RobB]

https://youtu.be/3q8nGnls1Ow

Edited September 19, 2021 by RobB

[Eduardo]

Govinda Kula Shaker en directo 1997

Revelación

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by Eduardo

[Ano Eremita]

Paco de Lucia - Entre dos aguas (1976)

 

 

[Nungali]

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

Monday morning
Why so boring?
Standing in line
Doesn't matter anymore, I'll be just fine

You're so square sitting comfy in your box
I don't care, go to work in my cool socks
Got no patterns on your plain old tie
Are you really gonna be that guy?

There's nothing wrong with your jeans
I think there's something wrong with me
The sun goes down, the day's over
I guess I'm just another three leaf clover

 

 

 

 

[silent thunder]