Cohen-Waits-Walker

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Poll Results

OptionVotes
Scott Walker46
Tom Waits 31
Leonard Cohen 26


That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:47 (eighteen years ago)

Scott! No contest!!

Dr.C, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:49 (eighteen years ago)

Paul Heaton

Dom Passantino, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:50 (eighteen years ago)

Tom Waits doesn't belong within a million miles of the other two. What have any of them got in common?

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:52 (eighteen years ago)

music for mondeo-deniers

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:55 (eighteen years ago)

They were all DJs on Radio Forth in the late seventies. How we used to chuckle at Leonard Cohen's Comedy Corner of a Sunday lunchtime, followed by two hours of Scott's Sport and finally Tam's Tasty Trippers; I recall that he was particularly keen on Frankie Miller.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:55 (eighteen years ago)

none of them are Great Artists. Waits.

gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:56 (eighteen years ago)

none of them are Great Artists.

what the fuck does this even mean.

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:57 (eighteen years ago)

They're not Paul Heaton

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:57 (eighteen years ago)

Well have you ever seen Rolf recreate a Leonard Cohen painting in Trafalgar Square? I think not.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 14:59 (eighteen years ago)

what the fuck does this even mean.

you're a big girl, you can figure it out. but i'll make it easy - none of them have made a really great album, and even in singles form they're just another notable artist.

gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:02 (eighteen years ago)

How many really great albums have you ever made?

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:03 (eighteen years ago)

tbh i think they all basically suck, but not as much anyone who gets called a Great Artist.

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:03 (eighteen years ago)

Scott! No contest!!

^^^^^
truth

none of them have made a really great album

nonsense. scott alone has made at least six really great albums.

m the g, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:05 (eighteen years ago)

isn't the answer to this basically whose accent/affect you like best?

gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:06 (eighteen years ago)

the answer is who you think is best -- or worst.

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:07 (eighteen years ago)

Give me that Ohio accent every time

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:07 (eighteen years ago)

YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP MENTIONING PAUL HEATON OKAY?

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:08 (eighteen years ago)

Why do they all basically suck?

Zelda Zonk, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

Give me that Ohio accent every time

brits for walker, of course

gabbneb, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:11 (eighteen years ago)

They all pale next to the unanswerable majesty of Biffy Clyro.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:14 (eighteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39278000/jpg/_39278525_walker1_story203.jpg

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:14 (eighteen years ago)

"Tom Waits doesn't belong within a million miles of the other two."

Aaaah c'mon - I know he's better than them, but he ain't that much better than them!

Stewart Osborne, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:20 (eighteen years ago)

i think it's cohen on account of him not having a silly voice.

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:20 (eighteen years ago)

Wait, which one of these guys did "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"?

Dom Passantino, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:23 (eighteen years ago)

Scott's the only one who could have

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:24 (eighteen years ago)

None of them can hold a candle to angry punk rocker Billy Joel. "JFK! BLOWN AWAY! WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE TO SAY?" That's telling those Famous Blue Raincoats who's boss!

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:40 (eighteen years ago)

taking sides: Robbie Williams vs Scott Walker

Zelda Zonk, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:44 (eighteen years ago)

i don't listen to Cohen or Walker, so Waits.

Jordan, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:47 (eighteen years ago)

I would call Leonard Cohen a great artist, in fact, because of the awesome and detailed artistry that he put into many of his songs (and novels and poems). If anything is not great it is "albums"

people explosion, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:49 (eighteen years ago)

i love leonard cohen, but if i quietly acknowledge that he put out a lot of shit, it narrows it down to walker and waits.

and in such a play off, waits has to win, because even if i obsess over 'the drift' and tell all my friends about it, i can't vote against tom

Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

Next year it's the Swordfishtrombones Silver Jubilee: the 25th anniversary of Tom Waits making the same album over and over.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 15:58 (eighteen years ago)

poor form kid

Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:04 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, I wouldn't say Tom Waits has been making the same album over and over again, he's branched out into other areas I've disliked just as much

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:07 (eighteen years ago)

Contest to be decided on Saturday's X-Factor:

- Rhydian will essay "Dress Rehearsal Rag"
- Leon to tackle "Shore Leave"
- Same Difference to perform "Jolson And Jones"

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:12 (eighteen years ago)

TW only actually re-made Swordfishtrombones twice (Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years); and Rain Dogs is actually substantially better (if you can take something that's already great and make it even better, then that's sufficient justification for doing so in my book).

Big Time doesn't count as a re-make because it was a live album.

Stewart Osborne, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:14 (eighteen years ago)

Tom Waits is the kind of artist who should maybe only make one album every 50 years.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen

da croupier, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:17 (eighteen years ago)

sorry, i don't get the tom waits hatred.

Mark Clemente, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:17 (eighteen years ago)

Some people just don't like him

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:18 (eighteen years ago)

in any case i'll probably vote waits, as i only have one album each by cohen and walker, both of which are excellent, though. i've got about 7 or 8 waits albums and i love them all.

Mark Clemente, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:20 (eighteen years ago)

Indifference rather than hatred, really.

Like too many artists these days, he was perfectly fine until he started making records for Wire readers.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:20 (eighteen years ago)

The correct answer is Joe Frank.

unperson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:20 (eighteen years ago)

Like too many artists these days, he was perfectly fine until he started making records for Wire readers.

what does this mean?

Mark Clemente, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:21 (eighteen years ago)

Surely Scott Walker is the one who's making records for Wire readers?

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:22 (eighteen years ago)

Nobody else is buying them!

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:22 (eighteen years ago)

You're probably right there but he doesn't do Corporate/Cosmetic Weird like Laswell, Sakamoto, Waits, Stereolab and so forth.

Dingbod Kesterson, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:29 (eighteen years ago)

"Contest to be decided on Saturday's X-Factor:"

Brilliant idea, but I don't agree with your song choices. I reckon it should be:

Rhdyian - "Farmer In the City"
Leon - "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)"
Same Difference - "Sisters Of Mercy"

Stewart Osborne, Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:31 (eighteen years ago)

And Leon could rename it "The Panel Has Been Drinking (Not Me)"

Tom D., Thursday, 13 December 2007 16:32 (eighteen years ago)

i'd grant waits 7 great albums, and walker and cohen 2 a-piece.

Charlie Howard, Friday, 14 December 2007 15:59 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen's the one I find least totally fucking ridiculous.

da croupier, Friday, 14 December 2007 16:09 (eighteen years ago)

i think of being totally fucking ridiculous as being the raison d'être of all three of these fine artists.

M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 14 December 2007 16:46 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen > Waits >>>> Walker

Though for many years, Waits would have beat out Cohen. I really only like the "weird" Waits records (though "Alice" is fairly conventionally pretty & I love that one.) For whatever reason I can't get as into the sadman piano bar stuff. Cohen's first two records are 100% solid classics, and I've never felt that way about anything by Scott Walker.

ian, Friday, 14 December 2007 16:49 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen, just.

Lostandfound, Friday, 14 December 2007 22:35 (eighteen years ago)

His being a Jewish French Canadian Buddhist Poet was the tiebreaker for me. And for singing about Janis Joplin giving him head.

Lostandfound, Friday, 14 December 2007 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

none of them have made a really great album

u fool

BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 14 December 2007 22:47 (eighteen years ago)

I bet I would like some Cohen and Waits stuff, if I bothered to really dig in. Judging solely on the stuff I've heard, though, I've gotta go with Walker on this one.

jaymc, Friday, 14 December 2007 22:50 (eighteen years ago)

Leonard Cohen: beautiful, natural voice. Lovely instrumentation up until The Future, but despite all these MIDI keyboards the work still holds up due to the power of the lyrics... One of Us Cannot Be Wrong = greatest song ever.

Unlike Tom Waits, who writes the odd great tune, recycling ancient criminal cant into something golden (e.g. Walking Spanish Down the Hall and most of the rest of Raindogs) - but has a disturbing predeliction for appaling schmaltz that makes me want to crush his throad (e.g. that song about "what happens to the boys that don't comb their hair?" and House where Nobody Lives, Downtown Train). C'mon - who gets off on that sentimental crap? I can't imagine most folks who appreciate good music curling up by a log fire to listen shed a tear to that boys-who-don't-comb-their-hair rubbish.

As for Walker solo - I've never got past his upappealing, plummy, affected croon. Montague Terrace in Blue is OK, I suppose... as is his version of Amsterdam, but not a patch on Brel.

For the record, I'm drunk and opinionated.

Rombald, Saturday, 15 December 2007 01:44 (eighteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

ILX System, Monday, 17 December 2007 00:01 (eighteen years ago)

Rombald utterly wrong about Tom IMHO - Walking Spanish is a snoozefest. Cod-something-or-other boorishness and probably one of his worst songs. Most of his other stuff is awesomahj.

the next grozart, Monday, 17 December 2007 00:40 (eighteen years ago)

they're all very great.

Walker > Waits >>>Cohen >>>>>>>>>....∞....>>>>>>>>that one guy that hit it and quit it.

jed_, Monday, 17 December 2007 00:48 (eighteen years ago)

Tom is almost as great as Scott but a new SW album would be a must hear. a new TW album would be worth hearing if you could be bothered getting round to it.

jed_, Monday, 17 December 2007 00:50 (eighteen years ago)

also: Franks Wild Years>>>>>>>> Rain Dogs>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SFtrombones.

jed_, Monday, 17 December 2007 00:51 (eighteen years ago)

neither Walker nor Waits can really hope to stand in Cohen's shadow as a lyricist, but there's more to music than lyrics

J0hn D., Monday, 17 December 2007 02:01 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen has the best debut. Scotty has the best song (Cowbells Shakin' mostly for the immortal line Your headwaiter brother won't give me a job) Tom has the best album and best career so he wins!

kornrulez6969, Monday, 17 December 2007 02:17 (eighteen years ago)

neither Walker nor Waits can really hope to stand in Cohen's shadow as a lyricist

True fact. I voted for Cohen.

but there's more to music than lyrics

-- J0hn D.

!?!

St3ve Go1db3rg, Monday, 17 December 2007 03:11 (eighteen years ago)

All these guys, the persona can overwhelm the songwriting. Cohen's songs seem the most flexible outside the persona, but Waits (or Waits/Brennan) have racked up the largest set of great music. A lot of chaff and overly mannered stuff, too. Walker, I haven't found a way in, though I haven't put a ton of effort into it either. The 10 best Cohen songs are better than the 10 best of the other two. Cohen.

bendy, Monday, 17 December 2007 03:25 (eighteen years ago)

Walker > Waits >>>Cohen >>>>>>>>>....∞....>>>>>>>>that one guy that hit it and quit it.

-- jed_, Monday, December 17, 2007 12:48 AM (2 hours ago)

where did you get an infinity key and can i have one

BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 17 December 2007 03:26 (eighteen years ago)

"Tom Waits" ... is this some kind of joke ?

loser doesn't belong within a million miles of the other two.

Stormy Davis, Monday, 17 December 2007 04:18 (eighteen years ago)

and yet, there he is.
Tom Waits.

tremendoid, Monday, 17 December 2007 06:20 (eighteen years ago)

cohen in a fucking walk

gershy, Monday, 17 December 2007 06:28 (eighteen years ago)

Cohen>>Waits>>>>Walker (who I can only appreciate on a camp level but I get the impression that most of his supporters woud be offended by that)

Kevin John Bozelka, Monday, 17 December 2007 06:35 (eighteen years ago)

wow. really surprised at all the Waits hate here. I mean, I can't stand him but...

I guess I'll go Walker for being involved in the only song any of these dudes ever did that I actually enjoy hearing ("The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"), though I'm woefully unfamiliar with his solo catalog.

will, Monday, 17 December 2007 06:52 (eighteen years ago)

Walker on the account that his music, even his old stuff, is so uniquely weird.

I enjoy Waits in doses, but his schtick has been beaten so deeply into the ground that I can't get too excited about him these days.

The Cohen stuff I've heard I really like (first three albums), but I get bored with it quickly. Kinda samey, which is to expect from spare, folky stuff I suppose. Still, I dig him and enjoy his lyrics.

So in conclusion: Walker>Cohen>Waits.

circa1916, Monday, 17 December 2007 07:56 (eighteen years ago)

neither Walker nor Waits can really hope to stand in Cohen's shadow as a lyricist

True fact. I voted for Cohen.

but there's more to music than lyrics

-- J0hn D.

!?!

not sure whether this is a mild elbow-to-the-ribs over my known lyrics-first bias, but: Cohen writes lovely understated melodies, but is musically the least interesting of the the three to me - dude leans even harder on the I/IV/I/V than me, which is saying something.

I still voted Cohen because lyrically he has pretty much no competition at all. Also because owing to that whole thing with his manager a few years back he can really use the money he'll get from winning this contest.

J0hn D., Monday, 17 December 2007 10:59 (eighteen years ago)

not sure whether this is a mild elbow-to-the-ribs over my known lyrics-first bias

Yeah, mostly that. However: sure, it goes like this the fourth the fifth, but I think Cohen wrote I IV V songs that are good enough that I don't really hear them as I IV V songs (which is no small feat). Plus he wrote plenty of interesting chord progressions and unexpected melodies. Sisters of Mercy is a great one, and Suzanne has weird changes, plus all those cool minor key tunes like Famous Blue Raincoat and Everybody Knows and First We Take Manhattan. I mean, Brian Wilson he's not, but I think he threw in lots of tasty curveballs.

St3ve Go1db3rg, Monday, 17 December 2007 17:13 (eighteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

ILX System, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:01 (seventeen years ago)

this is some bullshit

That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:03 (seventeen years ago)

Man, I guess I should have voted, but I couldn't decide between Cohen and Walker. Still can't really, but seeing Tom Waits placing on top of Leonard Cohen is filling me with rage and sadness.

askance johnson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:14 (seventeen years ago)

hahaha, hooray! ILM wins again!

poortheatre, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:34 (seventeen years ago)

I'm not that into Waits' schtick, but I don't care if he's not as great an artiste as Cohen - I'll take him over that depresso pretentious Canadian bullshit any day.

gabbneb, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:41 (seventeen years ago)

http://www.bowblog.com/archives/images/wrong.jpg

Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:42 (seventeen years ago)

and Cohen's a better songwriter too, obv. get one sense of humor, even a bad one.

gabbneb, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:44 (seventeen years ago)

Dude, Leonard Cohen is the funniest man ever born!

askance johnson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:51 (seventeen years ago)

Ridiculous ILM jokesters strike again!

da croupier, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:52 (seventeen years ago)

is there any poll they won't render ridiculous here?

da croupier, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 00:53 (seventeen years ago)

Tom WANKS morelike!

Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 11:49 (seventeen years ago)

Real results:

Paul Heaton 84
Scott Walker 7
Tom Waits 6
Leonard Cohen 6

Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 11:52 (seventeen years ago)

Actual results:
Leonard Cohen 6
Tom Waits 6
Scott Walker 7
Paul Heaton 84
LEON 84.5 OH WHAT A SHAME SO CLOSE!

Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 11:59 (seventeen years ago)

is there any poll they won't render ridiculous here?

co-sign, the sacredness of our poll traditions must be preserved

J0hn D., Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:04 (seventeen years ago)

"and Cohen's a better songwriter too, obv. get one sense of humor, even a bad one."

the ironings are out of control captain!

Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:10 (seventeen years ago)

But Tom Waits loves his mum and he was crying on the show poor lad plus he is FIT

Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:20 (seventeen years ago)

for purpose

Dingbod Kesterson, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:20 (seventeen years ago)

Walker (who I can only appreciate on a camp level but I get the impression that most of his supporters woud be offended by that)

Wrong... that his supporters would be offended by that I mean

Tom D., Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:36 (seventeen years ago)

Or maybe just wrong that some Scott Walker "supporters", would be offended by that. I fear there are some Scott fans who are unable to listen to a Scott Walker album without bursting out laughing at least once.

Tom D., Tuesday, 18 December 2007 12:38 (seventeen years ago)

... strike that last sentence it should read:

I fear there are some Scott fans who are able to listen to a Scott Walker album without bursting out laughing at least once.

Tom D., Tuesday, 18 December 2007 15:09 (seventeen years ago)

It's pretty impossible to deny that those 60s orch pop albums are intrinsically camp, and none the worse for it. There's an interview with him in his sixties heydey on youtube somewhere, and he sounded pretty camp in person as well. The later stuff is a different kettle of fish though: I hear a curdled eroticism in songs like The Electrician or The Cockfighter, but nothing camp.

Zelda Zonk, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 15:23 (seventeen years ago)

and who doesn't like their eroticism curdled?

da croupier, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 17:27 (seventeen years ago)

Curdled OR camp is fine with me!

Soukesian, Tuesday, 18 December 2007 18:03 (seventeen years ago)


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