Some of my favorite songs by Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen is a Canadian songwriter/performer born in 1934 -- my own generation.  He is a poetic genius who has an incredible ability to reach into his heart and express his own life experiences -- and make his listeners experience them with him.  His voice has a resonance that is soothing and almost hypnotic as it pulls you into its mastery of words that resonate with your own deepest emotions.  After a life of performing during the drug days of rock n' roll, and experiencing a failed marriage and further failed relationships, he met a Zen roshi, entered a Zen monastery--and became a monk.  He said he became a monk because it was "part of the tradition" and he considered the roshi as a dear friend from whom he learned much about life. He no longer lives in the monastery and still performs worldwide.  Here is Leonard performing some of his most beautiful songs, each one of which tells a story.  You might notice how the melody of Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye is very like his song Suzanne, which has been recorded by so many artists, it is probably his most famous song.  My favorite of all his songs is IF IT BE YOUR WILL -- the most beautiful prayer I have ever heard. It brings tears to my eyes each time I listen to it:

IF IT BE YOUR WILL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkEYkUxdhcU&feature=related 

EVERYBODY KNOWS:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q63plx5NClI&feature=related

I'M YOUR MAN:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r24_T-HOcyg&feature=related

A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0j14GrB-u8&feature=related

HEY THAT'S NO WAY TO SAY GOODBYE:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jexNsBjz1r8&feature=related

FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT: (A song in the form of a letter that includes some touching lyrics): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh9l_DzRwlg&feature=related