Legends gone: Leonard Cohen and Leon Russell

Leonard Cohen, maverick poet, novelist, songwriter, singer, guitarist and music producer who was born in Quebec, Canada, died last Nov. 7 in his home in Los Angeles. No cause of death was disclosed. He was 82 years old and had just released his 14th studio album, You Want It Darker, a few months ago.

A scant six days later, he was followed by Leon Russell, songwriter, pianist, session musician, band leader, producer and top concert draw of his time. Russell, most identifiable by his long white hair and beard, died in his sleep in Nashville, Tennessee.  He was recovering from heart surgery. He had a heart attack last July but was feeling better and looking forward to resume touring in January. He was 74 years old.

So this week, the world of music said goodbye to two of the most literate, most perceptive and definitely most gifted songwriters of all time.  Given the quality of the songs we get nowadays, and that includes those that make it to the charts, I can say that Cohen and Russell were indeed irreplaceable giants in their field.

The dark, brooding, bassed-voiced Cohen was already an established poet and novelist when he came to New York to try his luck as a songwriter. It was the time of Dylan and Joplin and Baez and he felt right a home. There were times when he wandered off away from the music business. Sometimes in frustration as he was no big hitmaker. Sometimes to find himself, he was an ordained Buddhist monk and lived for several years in a monastery. But he always came back to the music and his following, which had grown to cult proportions over the years, always gladly took him back.

Cohen composed Joan of Arc, Bird On A Wire, Chelsea Hotel, Tower Of Song, Famous Blue Raincoat, Closing Time, Avalanche, Suzanne, Hand In Glove, I’m Your Man, For My Secret Life, Alexandra Living, Go Go Marianne and others.  Chances are many of you have not yet heard these songs. Cohen’s singing and writing are an acquired taste. Not easy to get into but most mind-blowing when you do. Think of ecstasy and depression coming together and you will get what I mean.

Those emotions together with the merger of the sexual and the spiritual are brilliantly explored in Hallelujah, the Cohen composition that has become one of the most covered songs of all time, 200 in various languages according to a recent count. Born in Various Positions, a 1994 album that his label found not commercial enough to release, the song has become a modern classic. It has been performed by Bob Dylan, Bono, Bon Jovi, k.d.lang, Rick Price, Il Divo, Neil Diamond and many others. The most popular version is by the late Jeff Buckley while a recent recording by Pentatonix has turned it into a Christmas song.

Like Cohen, Hallelujah is not easy to decipher. In fact, books have been written and documentaries produced about the baffling theme and appeal of the song. I believe though that it was Cohen himself who summed up the song’s strange appeal in its last verse. “And even though it all went wrong/ I’ll stand before the Lord of Song with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah.” It must be quite a Hallelujah that he soared to heaven with.

In Russell’s case, I think the words that best sum up his legacy come from his masterpiece A Song For You.  “I love you in a place where there’s no space or time/ I love you for in my life you are a friend of mine/ and when my life is over/ remember when we were together/ we were alone and I was singing this song for you.” 

A true musician to the end, Russell never allowed illness to get in the way of his career. And he had a lot, including brain fluid leaking in his head six years ago that required surgery.  But before this brought about a period of lesser fame during the ’90s, Russell was arranging for the likes of the Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra, singing with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and writing songs like A Song For You, This Masquerade, Superstar, Delta Lady and many others for stars like The Carpenters, Joe Cocker, George Benson, Rey Charles and others.

It was Elton John, who used to open Russell’s concerts during his younger days, who pulled him back to the spotlight. “It makes me so angry that he’s been forgotten,” said Elton then. They recorded the Grammy-nominated duet album The Union in 2010.  The success of the record brought about renewed interest in Russell and resulted in a steady stream of gigs. 

Most of the accounts of Russell’s death these past few days came with mention of what Elton had to say. “My darling Leon Russell passed away last night. He was my biggest influence as a piano player, a singer and a songwriter.  He was a mentor, inspiration and so kind to me.”