David Gilmour and his daughter Romani performed Leonard Cohen's golden hits live!
On April 4, 2020, the leader of Pink Floyd delighted fans by performing Leonard Cohen's classic hits live! By the way, the whole Gilmore couple, including their dog, took part in the mini-concert!
Everything happened during the broadcast of David's wife - novelist Polly Samson, who talked about her new book "A Theater for Dreamers" ("The Theater of Dreamers"). It was originally planned that Samson would celebrate his project with a public event in London's Westminster Central Hall! But due to the coronavirus pandemic, the whole holiday came together in one evening ...
Between Polly's conversations about the book itself, Gilmour picks up a guitar, and a magical sound envelops the living room ... The musician chose "So Long, Marianne" (1968) and "Bird on the Wire" (1969) for a reason: these songs are the best personify era of the 1970s, and her main idol Leonard Cohen. Their daughter Romani and Polly added harmony to both compositions, and Samson herself and the younger children simply enjoyed what was happening!
In today's article, we invite you to plunge into the history of music and remember how the legendary hits of Leonard Cohen were created!
The Story of "So Long, Marianne" (1968)
This composition has a touching story… It is not difficult to guess that such a soulful song as "So Long, Marianne" has a real muse. Cohen dedicated the work to Marianne Jensen (later Ilene). The woman and her son from her first marriage to the Norwegian writer Axel Jensen lived with Leonardo for a long time.
Cohen wrote this song when they parted: Marianne made an indelible impression on the composer ... She later said:
"Leonardo is a man of great compassion..."
The composition was released as part of the album "Songs from the Room", on the back of which the same Marianne is depicted, sitting in front of Cohen's typewriter ...
Whether it's a coincidence, or an evil twist of fate, but Marianne Ilene and Leonard Cohen died of cancer in 2016, with a difference of 4 months: Ilene in July, and Cohen in November. When the composer found out that Marianne was ill, he wrote her the following letter:
“Well, Marianne, the time has come when we are really so old that our bodies are falling apart! And I think that I will follow you very soon ... Know that I am so close to you that if you reach out your hand, you can reach mine. I have always loved you for your beauty and wisdom ... I think you already know about it. For now, I just want to wish you a good journey. Farewell, my old friend, and my endless love! We will definitely see you in the future!”
A little about "Bird on the Wire" (1969)...
The history of this song began in Greece, where Cohen lived for some time. It is curious that her recording was given to Leonardo only on the fourth day! As the composer himself admitted:
“This song has never sounded honest enough to me, sincerely…”
Since then, Cohen has always started his shows with "Bird on the Wire":
“This song brings me back to my duties. It is very important to me, because it has an oath… Every time I try to understand what I did wrong in my life… I often think about it, but I still can’t find the answer…” he shared with the press.
