 Cohen Live (1997) [ larger cover art ] |
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And who by fire, who by water,
Who in the sunshine, who in the night time,
Who by high ordeal, who by common trial,
Who in your merry merry month of may,
Who by very slow decay,
And who shall I say is calling?
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate,
Who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,
And who by avalanche, who by powder,
Who for his greed, who for his hunger,
And who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident,
Who in solitude, who in this mirror,
Who by his lady's command, who by his own hand,
Who in mortal chains, who in power,
And who shall I say is calling?
| iam_overlord (Brighton, MA) | Posted: May 01, 2013 - 05:54 Sometimes I feel like I'm missing something. Like I appreciate good music about as much as a dog would appreciate Michelangelo or the Rijksmuseum. |
| scraig (Santa Barbara, CA) | Posted: Apr 17, 2013 - 14:56 I find this palatable, unlike the other pieces he sings in. |
| hagz21 (somewhere between here and there) | Posted: Feb 27, 2013 - 15:37 His son does a great version of this song too!! |
| kjf06 | Posted: Feb 13, 2013 - 18:58 At the Quiet Knight in Chicago circa 1975. Two nights in a row... |
| michaelgmitchell (Stirling, ON) | Posted: Jan 28, 2013 - 17:39 I would have loved to have seen him perform this on The Gong Show back in the day. He wouldn't have stood a chance. |
| joelbb | Posted: Nov 11, 2012 - 17:14 This is morbid and depressing even by LC standards! |
| hippiechick (topsy turvy land) | Posted: Sep 23, 2012 - 18:11 An appropriate time for this song, since the words relate to the prayer said on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, taking place this Weds. |
| BCarn (Victoria, B.C.) | Posted: Aug 24, 2012 - 16:05 Tried to like this guy but it just isn't happening. Poet or not (they all are), Canadian or not (so what) Simply boring. |
| (former member) (hotel in Las Vegas) | Posted: Jul 22, 2012 - 20:20 Cynaera wrote: I'll take 'em all. Love Mr. Cohen. My very short list of people I want to see in concert before I die: Leonard Cohen Jackson Browne Joni Mitchell Aerosmith (original band, WITH Steven Tyler) Bruce Cockburn Bruce Springsteen Iggy Pop (I've seen the late Warren Zevon, and Dan Fogelberg passed before I ever got the chance to see him in concert.) I'm sure there will be more, but off the top of my head, the above artists are people I'd work extra hours and perhaps take a second job to earn the money to buy a ticket to see in concert. That is so incredibly profound and poignant now, Ann... I miss you so much... rest in peace... |
| haresfur (Bendigo Australia) | Posted: Jul 08, 2012 - 21:22 I think Leonard Cohen's songs are great until you hit the point where you get sensitized and after that, every time you a particular tune it is like breaking out in poison-ivy. Enjoy them while you can. |
| bluecshells | Posted: Jun 21, 2012 - 09:02  |
| LizK (Houston, Texas) | Posted: May 20, 2012 - 13:57 MarkCareerCycles wrote: One of the great things about this song is its link to the Jewish holy day of yom kippur. In fact, he's taken the lyrics directly from the prayer about coming year, and the unknowable ways people may perish. Dark thoughts for sure, but focuses the mind on who you want to be, what you want to do, in the year ahead, as you too might perish in this unpredictable world. When the prayer comes around, I sing along to Leonard Cohen in my head. The analysis of song origins, meaning, influence, construction, etc is so very helpful to really understanding music. I enjoy it all, in the best sense - that kind of learning is one kind of pleasure. Thank you for your comments on this song. |
| wlpendley (New Mexico) | Posted: May 20, 2012 - 13:52 Who By Fire lyrics Songwriters: Cohen, Leonard; And who by fire? Who by water? Who in the sunshine? Who in the night time? Who by high ordeal? Who by common trial? Who in your merry merry month of May? Who by very slow decay? And who shall I say is calling? (Who shall I say is calling?) And who in her lonely slip? Who by barbiturate? Who in these realms of love? Who by something blunt? Who by avalanche? Who by powder? Who for his greed? Who for his hunger? And who shall I say is calling? (Who shall I say is calling?) And who by brave assent? Who by accident? Who in solitude? Who in this mirror? Who by his lady's command? Who by his own hand? Who in mortal chains? Who in power? And who shall I say is calling? (Who shall I say is calling?) |
| Paul_Skybreakers (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) | Posted: Apr 20, 2012 - 06:02 Darlington wrote: So don't agree! I don't agree either, even though I understand... |
| Darlington (Columbia, South Carolina) | Posted: Mar 19, 2012 - 13:20 ckcotton wrote: SOO AGREEE! BLAAAAAAAA So don't agree! |
| RKeaton | Posted: Mar 19, 2012 - 13:19 This live version breathes much needed life into the original song. Just lovely. |
| MiracleDrug (Earth) | Posted: Mar 19, 2012 - 13:17 coy wrote: this song is frighteningly beautiful well you're half-correct... and beautiful it's not. |
| coy (san antonio) | Posted: Feb 17, 2012 - 08:56 this song is frighteningly beautiful |
| meinthecorner (Past the gravy, far beyond the golden fries) | Posted: Feb 16, 2012 - 22:34 drcrnp wrote: Ugh I've tried to grow into liking this song. It reminds me of those tunes they forced us to sing in nursery school. Ugh. Please stop! Wow, that must've been some wicked nursery school. |
| ferwoman | Posted: Feb 16, 2012 - 19:34 ckcotton wrote: SOO AGREEE! BLAAAAAAAA Watch that the door doesn't hit you on the way out.  |
| ferwoman | Posted: Feb 16, 2012 - 19:33 MarkCareerCycles wrote: One of the great things about this song is its link to the Jewish holy day of yom kippur. In fact, he's taken the lyrics directly from the prayer about coming year, and the unknowable ways people may perish. Dark thoughts for sure, but focuses the mind on who you want to be, what you want to do, in the year ahead, as you too might perish in this unpredictable world. When the prayer comes around, I sing along to Leonard Cohen in my head. Never knew that. Like the song even more now! Thanks for the clue! |
| ziakut (Unmoon) | Posted: Feb 16, 2012 - 19:31 Yep...this is GOOD! |
| ckcotton (Adding snarky comments since 2007) | Posted: Feb 16, 2012 - 19:31 iTuner wrote: The recent tear of this guy on RP is driving me away. Holy crap enough of him. SOO AGREEE! BLAAAAAAAA |
| iTuner | Posted: Feb 15, 2012 - 09:10 drcrnp wrote: Ugh I've tried to grow into liking this song. It reminds me of those tunes they forced us to sing in nursery school. Ugh. Please stop! The recent tear of this guy on RP is driving me away. Holy crap enough of him. |
| mrtuba9 (most likely near Normal) | Posted: Feb 01, 2012 - 08:20 MarkCareerCycles wrote: One of the great things about this song is its link to the Jewish holy day of yom kippur. In fact, he's taken the lyrics directly from the prayer about coming year, and the unknowable ways people may perish. Dark thoughts for sure, but focuses the mind on who you want to be, what you want to do, in the year ahead, as you too might perish in this unpredictable world. When the prayer comes around, I sing along to Leonard Cohen in my head. Thanks for that. |
| rrberman (Toronto) | Posted: Feb 01, 2012 - 08:20 Thanks for this insight. I will listen to the lyrics more closely. RRB MarkCareerCycles wrote: One of the great things about this song is its link to the Jewish holy day of yom kippur. In fact, he's taken the lyrics directly from the prayer about coming year, and the unknowable ways people may perish. Dark thoughts for sure, but focuses the mind on who you want to be, what you want to do, in the year ahead, as you too might perish in this unpredictable world. When the prayer comes around, I sing along to Leonard Cohen in my head. |
| coding_to_music (Beantown) | Posted: Jan 14, 2012 - 14:54 sirdroseph wrote: The guitar is just fabulous! yes |
| MarkCareerCycles | Posted: Dec 31, 2011 - 13:53 One of the great things about this song is its link to the Jewish holy day of yom kippur. In fact, he's taken the lyrics directly from the prayer about coming year, and the unknowable ways people may perish. Dark thoughts for sure, but focuses the mind on who you want to be, what you want to do, in the year ahead, as you too might perish in this unpredictable world. When the prayer comes around, I sing along to Leonard Cohen in my head. |
| bam23 (Berkeley) | Posted: Nov 29, 2011 - 19:58 drcrnp wrote: Ugh I've tried to grow into liking this song. It reminds me of those tunes they forced us to sing in nursery school. Ugh. Please stop! Why don't you just log off? |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Aug 11, 2011 - 04:23 The guitar is just fabulous! |
| Dinges,_the_Dude (under sea-level, N52°22', E4°52') | Posted: Jun 09, 2011 - 04:07 Dinges,_the_Dude wrote: A great CD!! Hé, almost a year ago I wrote my former comment. And still: great album, cool dude (imo)!! |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: May 08, 2011 - 13:49 peacockangel wrote: Leonard Cohen ~ Live in London DVD I think there are a thousand songs on it I'll take 'em all. Love Mr. Cohen. My very short list of people I want to see in concert before I die: Leonard Cohen Jackson Browne Joni Mitchell Aerosmith (original band, WITH Steven Tyler) Bruce Cockburn Bruce Springsteen Iggy Pop (I've seen the late Warren Zevon, and Dan Fogelberg passed before I ever got the chance to see him in concert.) I'm sure there will be more, but off the top of my head, the above artists are people I'd work extra hours and perhaps take a second job to earn the money to buy a ticket to see in concert. |
| kobkob (alloney aba israel) | Posted: Apr 23, 2011 - 01:38 peter_james_bond wrote: Who By Fire - Cohen was in Australia during the recent terrible wildfires. He donated $160,000.00 of the profits from the tour to the victims.....classy guy. this is heart warming , especsialy since he is touring at his age cos of financel problems, his book keeper ran of with most of his money a few years ago |
| helgigermany (Germany) | Posted: Apr 06, 2011 - 22:20 His Lyrics are very deep and a bit to dark fpr my taste. But Cohen is one of the best poets in music scene!! |
| drcrnp (Philly) | Posted: Apr 06, 2011 - 22:13 Ugh I've tried to grow into liking this song. It reminds me of those tunes they forced us to sing in nursery school. Ugh. Please stop! |
| scmerriam | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 12:24 Ah! That really hits the spot. Fabulous lyrics. And speaking of Lyrics: And who by fire, who by water, who in the sunshine, who in the night time, who by high ordeal, who by common trial, who in your merry merry month of may, who by very slow decay, and who shall I say is calling? And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate, And who by brave assent, who by accident, |
| vit | Posted: Mar 22, 2011 - 12:16 Wow for the first 15 seconds I thought this was Cat Stevens reaching to some newfound baritone level (that's not a dis). |
| Galateea | Posted: Dec 18, 2010 - 10:41 i love this song! |
| sirdroseph (Yes) | Posted: Dec 02, 2010 - 05:07 Man, hadn't heard this one! Cool tune!  |
| peacockangel (Phoenix) | Posted: Jul 12, 2010 - 08:07 peacockangel wrote: who by fire... some rise ~ some fall ~ some climb ~ some crawl  |
| peacockangel (Phoenix) | Posted: Jul 12, 2010 - 08:06 who by fire... |
| calypsus_1 | Posted: Jun 10, 2010 - 13:08  OldMan3 by ~NassIce Stéphane ©2006-2010 ~NassIce Commissioned portrait of Québécois singer/songwriter, poet and writer Leonard Cohen. (Graphite, Photoshop CS) |
| calypsus_1 | Posted: May 08, 2010 - 12:19 Leonard Cohen - Montreal interview, (2006) |
| BluEyes | Posted: Mar 22, 2010 - 20:49 peter_james_bond wrote: Who By Fire - Cohen was in Australia during the recent terrible wildfires. He donated $160,000.00 of the profits from the tour to the victims.....classy guy. It is kind of cool to know little facts like that. |
| peacockangel (Phoenix) | Posted: Feb 19, 2010 - 06:29 Leonard Cohen ~ Live in London DVD I think there are a thousand songs on it |
| cohifi (Denver) | Posted: Feb 03, 2010 - 21:42 On_The_Beach wrote: Sounds good. Why not have a tasty beverage while you shave? ; ) Exactly, let's turn it up a knotch. I appreciate the dude, don't get me wrong. |
| On_The_Beach (Vancouver BC, Bud) | Posted: Feb 03, 2010 - 21:36 michaelc wrote: Soooo upbeat - he always makes me want to take a bottle of whiskey and razor to the bath tub. Sounds good. Why not have a tasty beverage while you shave? ; ) |
| peter_james_bond (The Burg) | Posted: Dec 18, 2009 - 11:07 michaelc wrote: Soooo upbeat - he always makes me want to take a bottle of whiskey and razor to the bath tub. Who by his own hand? |
| Bleyfusz | Posted: Dec 18, 2009 - 11:02 That's great: I have just - today - bought me a beautiful old edition (Macmillan Company, 1930) of Frazer's Myths of the Origin of Fire. I ain't supersticious. But I take it as a good omen. |
| michaelc (Walnut Creek, CA) | Posted: Dec 18, 2009 - 10:59 Soooo upbeat - he always makes me want to take a bottle of whiskey and razor to the bath tub. |