Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan

[Rianne]

I'm struggling which is the better poet. Recently revisiting Leonard Cohen songs/lyrics and think he's just as brilliant as Bob Dylan. Thoughts?

 

[braumeister]

Seriously?

What's the prize for the winner?

 

[Fedup]

One put me to sleep faster than the other. Lol
When I want to sleep, that’s when we listen to Leonard Cohen.

 

[Huston55]

30 yrs ago I’d have voted for Dylan. Now that I’m old & wise I vote for Cohen.

 

[Huston55]

One put me to sleep faster than the other. Lol
When I want to sleep, that’s when we listen to Leonard Cohen.

You just have to start listening sooner....before Closing Time!

 

[Koogie]

Leonard Cohen was just one of those guys that oozed cool. Not a poseur but the real deal. One of my clients went to school with him at McGill in Montreal... he was also a lifelong devotee.

Dylan though, probably writes better.

If you're looking for a poet though, best to forget Bob and go to the original Dylan.
The Bard of Laugharne.

"Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light"

 

[Janet H]

My 2 cents... Dylan has more depth although Cohen is likely the better musician. It's interesting to listen to their songs as done by others. This ones been a recent ear worm:

 

[Bamaman]

Never like either of them. Painful to listen to their voices.

 

[joeea]

I'm struggling which is the better poet. Recently revisiting Leonard Cohen songs/lyrics and think he's just as brilliant as Bob Dylan. Thoughts?

Cohen was very good, but he was no Bob Dylan.

 

[RobbieB]

I believe this can be easily done, just take everything to highway sixty one

 

[HFWR]

Both

 

[target2019]

Tie. Each won 10 world cups.

 

[mn54]

why the competition? why does one have to be "better" than the other. They both are talented and I enjoy listening to both of them.

 

[Nemo2]

First listened to a full Cohen album some 50+ years ago......thought it was "slash your wrists" music.

I'll take Dylan.

 

[BobbyBitchin]

I'm of Dylan's generation but like him ( and Miles Davis ) much more now than i did when I was younger. Much stronger body of work, although I like Cohen also, in spots.

 

[stepford]

The better poet is the one whose work speaks more directly to you. As it turns out for me that's true of both Cohen and Dylan. For our culture as a whole, however, I think there's little doubt whose work has spoken to more of us.

 

[yakers]

As a poet: Cohen; there is a crack in everything-that’s how the light gets in

 

[Huston55]

As a poet: Cohen; there is a crack in everything-that’s how the light gets in

THANK YOU!

I was wondering how long that would take.

Evidently, it took a ‘companion who’s a 100 but, she’s wearing something tight.’

 

[Cessna152]

First listened to a full Cohen album some 50+ years ago......thought it was "slash your wrists" music.

I'll take Dylan.

You mean like “Everybody got this broken feeling, like their father or their dog just died.”

Same song and lead, performed about 26 years apart, tells its own tale:

 

[Richard4444]

Even much better... someone who showed up at the same time as Dylan but was never 'discovered' until he was in his 60's (40 years later). Rodriguez. The Documentary (Searching for Sugarman) won the Best Documentary of the Year for the 2012 Oscars. I had the pleasure of seeing him last year and although he is now in his 70's, it was wonderful to be at his concert. If you watch this Documentary, you will not be disappointed.

Rich

 

[big-papa]

Is this a contest for who has the worst singing voice or who writes the best lyrics? I'd say a tie in both categories.

 

[braumeister]

I actually like them both.
But for a good laugh, here's one of my favorite parodies:

 

[Rianne]

Each has a hint of religious verse as Dylan turned Christian and Cohen obviously sites bible stories but they do it on the dark side. Cohen's David and Bathsheba's reference is gut wrenching and that whole story is pretty brutal. Their raw voices bring the message across with depth. Bob Dylan winning a Nobel Prize in Literature is well deserved, although he couln't figure out why he won it.

 

[candrew]

Even much better... someone who showed up at the same time as Dylan but was never 'discovered' until he was in his 60's (40 years later). Rodriguez. The Documentary (Searching for Sugarman) won the Best Documentary of the Year for the 2012 Oscars. I had the pleasure of seeing him last year and although he is now in his 70's, it was wonderful to be at his concert. If you watch this Documentary, you will not be disappointed.

Rich

+1

An incredible story. Rodriguez was re-discovered after living for decades in a ramshackle area of Detroit not far from where I grew up.

 

[mn54]

Even much better... someone who showed up at the same time as Dylan but was never 'discovered' until he was in his 60's (40 years later). Rodriguez. The Documentary (Searching for Sugarman) won the Best Documentary of the Year for the 2012 Oscars. I had the pleasure of seeing him last year and although he is now in his 70's, it was wonderful to be at his concert. If you watch this Documentary, you will not be disappointed.

a

Rich

I had gone to see this movie not knowing the story behind it. A wonderful documentary. Attended a concert he had here a year ago. Possibly due to his failing health it was very disappointing.