King Charles’ strange love of Leonard Cohen
The incredible songwriting talent of Leonard Cohen has earned him fans across the globe, a rich and illustrious legacy, and a place in the history books of folk and popular music. The songwriter earned seemingly endless praise and appreciation during his lifetime for his work, which often covered topics of love and loss as well as more politically charged social issues. His music is still being enjoyed by legions of dedicated fans after his passing in 2016, but an unexpected admirer of Cohen’s work comes in the form of King Charles.
While you would be forgiven for imagining the King of England sitting down to listen to a medley of classical composers, The King’s Guard Band, or even just the national anthem on a constant loop, Charles once revealed on BBC Radio Three that he was a great admirer of Cohen’s songwriting.
As a monarch, Charles has always had a special interest in the arts and music in particular. The King attributes this appreciation to his grandmother, who would take him to see the Bolshoi Ballet as a child. “I’m one of those people who believes in the importance of arts education and music education in schools,” the then-Prince said on Radio Three, “Apart from anything else, I think people forget – or may not realise – what an enormous contribution the creative arts make to the whole economy. It’s immense.”
Throughout the programme, in which Charles was tasked with picking out some of his favourite tracks, the future monarch discussed his love of opera and classical music, such as Jean-Marie Leclair’s ‘Scylla et Glaucus’. Among his picks, however, Charles also chose Leonard Cohen’s 1986 single ‘Take This Waltz’.
The track, originally released as a tribute to the poet Federico García Lorca, is a loose translation of the poem Pequeño vals vienés delivered in Cohen’s instantly recognisable tones. There is a certain narrative quality to the song; it could almost be a song from a play or a musical, which is perhaps one of the things that endears it to King Charles, who has a love of the theatre and performing arts.
“I’ve always loved Leonard Cohen’s voice and his whole approach to the way he sang,” Charles revealed, “He was obviously incredibly sophisticated in the way he sang, but also wrote”. Although the lyrics themselves are simply a translation of somebody else’s writing, upon listening to the song, you get the impression that only Cohen could have done them justice. His talented lyricism and delivery shines through in virtually all of his work.
Continuing on his appreciation for the Canadian songwriter, Charles said: “I find it very moving, the words are so extraordinary, sort of Salvador Dalí-like, they lead you into this remarkable Dalí-like world”. It certainly feels odd to hear the King of England discussing Leonard Cohen, but it is difficult to disagree with any of his comments, ‘Take This Waltz’ is an undeniably beautiful track.
