Two years ago I 'sang' Len Cohen's "Dance me to the end of love" to a captive audience with a Canadian friend

whose good voice made the duet bearable although some still say I tortured the song. 'Halleluja' sung by Alexandra Burke at number 1 (some say she gave it a 'thunderous slaughtering'), Jeff Buckley at no. 2 (generally considered to be the definitive one although for my money K D Lang knocks everybody into touch, watch it on YouTube, boy she can sing) and the great croaker imself at number 36 (with apparently his first ever Top 40 entry) shows I've always been a bit ahead of the field even if I cannot sing. There are apparently another 167 recorded versions, working out royalties must be a nightmare! It is wonderful that Jeff Buckley has finally hit the charts, his stunning musicality echoing that of his  father Tim whose voice was probably even better than his progeny's in range. Buckley Senior also created "Song To The Siren" which rivals Cohen's work for the most haunting and evocative sound ever written.

Artists' crossovers from their main field of activity don't always work out. Cohen is one who succeeds in several. His public life began as a poet, his first book being, "Let us compare Mythologies." From the start is writing had that elusive air of mystery, that "I am not quite certain what he is onto but if I was clever enough to see through the veil I am sure it would be profound" thing which inhabits the words of a good poet. When he was persuaded by Judy Collins that his voice had a beautiful resonance he began to write songs which allowed him to slice through the veil of obscurity and be more direct because the written word when spoken or sung needs subtle re-arrangement in order that it flows better from the tongue. This led him to write and sing songs which over 40 years people have loved not least for their sexuality and humour but also when sung by countless others.

In the late sixties whilst living in retreat on a Greek Island and taking a concoction of drugs he speed wrote a 'novel' entitled 'Beautiful Losers' in a stream of consciousness style similar to his contemporary singer-writer friend Bob Dylan's book 'Tarantula', both have qualities but both authors were to produce better later on.

I am certain that Cohen must have seen the work of my hero Kenneth Patchen and that it may have encouraged him to include imagery in his own writings. If you take a look at his recent work, "Book of Longing" you'll find him incorporating images, mostly from his own pen or design, of himself, his women and everyday mundane objects. Drawings like the one on page 52 could have been done by Patchen and the thought-cum-poem, "I believe that you are standing in the place where I am supposed to be
standing" echoes similar hand-written thoughts of the earlier poet," I got the Fat Poet into a corner and told him he was writing shet and couldn't get away with it."

Finally, the singing of poems goes back, at least, to Dante Alighieri whose poems of love for Beatrice would have been accompanied with music, song and dance. Writing is about getting in touch with that chord which resonates a true feeling of living, what it's like to be human. Singing is a great way to deliver the words to the heart and soul of other humans. Happy Len's words easily turn to songs, in his hands at least even if so often interpreted so well by others I think it is a fallacy that his voice lacked bardic qualities or his words lacked  humour. Like all great voices Len's has depth and difference that take him outside the normal, usually poor standards accepted as 'quality' by buyers of popular music. His humour is sardonic and worldly wise and now as he reaches greater age looks upon our life condition with a wise wit. I love his insight into the way relationships change as we get older and how we at best accomodate our partner's decreasing eagernesses. I love his balls to stand before the Lord of Song with just one word of defence, Halleluja!

apulheds@googlemail.com

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