--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Leonard Cohen can give you \"Leonard…" description: "\"Leonard Cohen can give you \"Leonard Cohen\" - the self-deprecating wit, the slow, considered speech, the perfectly-honed anecdote - Tom Waits is far mor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg" --- # Leonard Cohen can give you "Leonard Cohen" - the… ![“Leonard Cohen can give you "Leonard Cohen" - the self-deprecating wit, the slow, considered speech, the perfectly-honed anecdote - Tom Waits is far more comfortable giving a journalist "Tom Waits" the character, whose conversation is really a series of strange tales, learned or ad-libbed.” quote by Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg) > “Leonard Cohen can give you "Leonard Cohen" - the self-deprecating wit, the slow, considered speech, the perfectly-honed anecdote - Tom Waits is far more comfortable giving a journalist "Tom Waits" the character, whose conversation is really a series of strange tales, learned or ad-libbed.” [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing two artists, highlighting Tom Waits' comfort in storytelling versus Leonard Cohen's self‑aware wit. **In simple terms:** Contrast of artistic personas and storytelling styles. Key Takeaway Recognize each artist’s unique voice. Themes art storytelling comparison authenticity persona Mood analytical reflective Type critical observational When to use this quote - music journalism - artist interviews - cultural analysis Key Concepts musical identity narrative voice media perception Questions to Reflect On - How does comfort in storytelling affect audience connection? - What role does self‑deprecation play in artistic identity? A Different Perspective One artist may be more authentic but less accessible to mainstream audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anecdotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self deprecating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-deprecating/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [“Oh, maybe Leonard Cohen. Leonard Cohen is my hero. He’s like Zorba the Buddha. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the Indian guru who I think was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-altman/oh-maybe-leonard-cohen-leonard-cohen-is-my-hero-he-s-like-zorba-the/) [Mara Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-altman/) > [ I love Tom \[Waits\] for the same reason I love Leonard Cohen, which is that they are both one-offs, templates; they both seemed old,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-love-tom-waits-for-the-same-reason-i-love-leonard-cohen-which-is/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [I would love to work with Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, B.B. King. I'd love to do something with Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane, and The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/i-would-love-to-work-with-leonard-cohen-tom-waits-b-b-king-i-d-love/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [I'm moved by song lyrics, particularly Tom Waits' 'Take It With Me.' It's about a man on his deathbed, wanting to take the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-young/i-m-moved-by-song-lyrics-particularly-tom-waits-take-it-with-me-it-s/) [Paul Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-young/) > [My friend Danny Clinch, who's a photographer, gave me a big, signed, numbered print of a photo he took of Eddie Vedder in Seattle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/my-friend-danny-clinch-who-s-a-photographer-gave-me-a-big-signed/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [Tom Waits is someone who has really struck me, ever since I was a kid. He's really a big deal for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/tom-waits-is-someone-who-has-really-struck-me-ever-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [“I tell her that I don't like my numer to be passed around, but if John Lennon, Bob Dylan or Tom Waits ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-oliver-everett/i-tell-her-that-i-don-t-like-my-numer-to-be-passed-around-but-if-john/) [Mark Oliver Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-oliver-everett/) > [I never got a chance to do Tom Waits or PJ Harvey kind of stuff in the Gaslight Anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/i-never-got-a-chance-to-do-tom-waits-or-pj-harvey-kind-of-stuff-in/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [Tony Black is the Tom Waits of Crime Fiction, yes, that good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bruen/tony-black-is-the-tom-waits-of-crime-fiction-yes-that-good/) [Ken Bruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bruen/) > [“Like one of his heroes, Tom Waits, whenever Yorke feels like his songwriting is getting too comfortable or stale, he’ll pick up an instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/like-one-of-his-heroes-tom-waits-whenever-yorke-feels-like-his/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [What else don’t women like besides the Three Stooges? Tom Waits. Being hurt physically or emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/what-else-don-t-women-like-besides-the-three-stooges-tom-waits-being/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [The first time I heard Tom Waits, it was like everything just flipped. It was just this fascination with him. My cousin showed me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/the-first-time-i-heard-tom-waits-it-was-like-everything-just-flipped/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [I would just think that I would remember modeling for the cover of an album with Tom Waits, who I've always loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-would-just-think-that-i-would-remember-modeling-for-the-cover-of-an/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [One of the things that's kind of persistent is that I am the model on the cover of Tom Waits' album, Small Change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/one-of-the-things-that-s-kind-of-persistent-is-that-i-am-the-model-on/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [When I'm in the car sometimes it's like, 'Yeah, man, just put on the pop music.' You know what I mean? I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-greenfield/when-i-m-in-the-car-sometimes-it-s-like-yeah-man-just-put-on-the-pop/) [Max Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-greenfield/) ## More by Sylvie Simmons > [Even though it felt completely natural - strangely enough - recording an album, I was very shy about making it public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/even-though-it-felt-completely-natural-strangely-enough-recording-an/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [The difference between fiction and journalism is that you can disguise the characters, so you won't get your legs broken, and there's no interview…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/the-difference-between-fiction-and-journalism-is-that-you-can/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [There's that old cliché which has a lot of basis in truth, that all music journalists are failed rock stars. They all harbour the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/there-s-that-old-clich-which-has-a-lot-of-basis-in-truth-that-all/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“You finish listening to a song of Leonard's and you know he's said everything he had to say, he didn't let the song go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/you-finish-listening-to-a-song-of-leonard-s-and-you-know-he-s-said/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“She also asked him his views on marrige and monogamy given the imminent arrival of his second child with Suzanne. "I think marrying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/she-also-asked-him-his-views-on-marrige-and-monogamy-given-the/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“He wrote how he "needed to be by himself, so he could miss her, to get some perspective”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/he-wrote-how-he-needed-to-be-by-himself-so-he-could-miss-her-to-get/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“I had wonderful love but I did not give back wonderful love, I was unable to reply to their love. Because I was obsessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-had-wonderful-love-but-i-did-not-give-back-wonderful-love-i-was/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“It’s the first time I’ve really enjoyed dancing. I sometimes even forget I belong to an inferior race. The Twist is the greatest ritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/it-s-the-first-time-i-ve-really-enjoyed-dancing-i-sometimes-even/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“What I mean by depression isn't just the blues, it's not just like a hangover from the weekend,or the girl didn't show up or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/what-i-mean-by-depression-isn-t-just-the-blues-it-s-not-just-like-a/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [Everybody was in tears. You turned on the radio or the television, and it was nothing but Gainsbourg. With typical British music journalist disdain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/everybody-was-in-tears-you-turned-on-the-radio-or-the-television-and/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [ I love Tom \[Waits\] for the same reason I love Leonard Cohen, which is that they are both one-offs, templates; they both seemed old,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-love-tom-waits-for-the-same-reason-i-love-leonard-cohen-which-is/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [I'm not trying to ally myself with the rock stars of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-m-not-trying-to-ally-myself-with-the-rock-stars-of-the-universe/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [I didn't want to live in LA again, although I'd go back every couple of months to do an interview, usually with a heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-didn-t-want-to-live-in-la-again-although-i-d-go-back-every-couple/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [“I don’t know which side everybody’s on any more, and I don’t really care. There is a moment when we have to transcend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/i-don-t-know-which-side-everybody-s-on-any-more-and-i-don-t-really/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [Not so much that I wanted to give up rock writing, but I also wanted to try something new. So I moved to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/not-so-much-that-i-wanted-to-give-up-rock-writing-but-i-also-wanted/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) [Explore all 17 Sylvie Simmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) ## More Ads quotes > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) > [As a Fundamentalist I had discovered while I was in college that it is possible to dismiss the entire Church as having gone off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-howard-3rd-duke-of-norfolk/as-a-fundamentalist-i-had-discovered-while-i-was-in-college-that-it/) Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk > [ The most recent incarnation of \[Bob\] Dylan has been the traveling journeyman/ charlatan who sings roots music, snarls dark lyrics that make "All Along… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/the-most-recent-incarnation-of-bob-dylan-has-been-the-traveling/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [One performer whose band played my music better than I could myself was Art Farmer. He recorded 'Sing Me Softly of the Blues' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/one-performer-whose-band-played-my-music-better-than-i-could-myself/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That's it. Animal protein is bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/what-every-human-being-should-do-is-eat-a-vegetarian-diet-based-on/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [There is nothing personal about a personal ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/there-is-nothing-personal-about-a-personal-ad/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [Google has - at least at this point - maintained the line where it keeps organic results separate from the advertisements. But over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-has-at-least-at-this-point-maintained-the-line-where-it-keeps/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I am terrible at memorizing things. Hence, ad-libbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-weatherly/i-am-terrible-at-memorizing-things-hence-ad-libbing/) [Michael Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-weatherly/) > [In a recent attack ad, the NRA claims that President Obama cares about his own children more than he cares about other children. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/in-a-recent-attack-ad-the-nra-claims-that-president-obama-cares-about/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Nothing's going to keep me from making music. If I were in the want-ads in the back of the paper or playing to six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/nothing-s-going-to-keep-me-from-making-music-if-i-were-in-the-want/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [For me, being on set is no different than being at a dinner table or riding the subway next to someone; inevitably their life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-mahoney/for-me-being-on-set-is-no-different-than-being-at-a-dinner-table-or/) [Victoria Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-mahoney/) > [We assumed the customers were smart and that they'll buy what they like, not what the ads tell them to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-rosso/we-assumed-the-customers-were-smart-and-that-they-ll-buy-what-they/) [Renzo Rosso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-rosso/) Browse all 856 Ads quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Leonard Cohen can give you \"Leonard Cohen\" - the self-deprecating wit, the slow, considered speech, the perfectly-honed anecdote - Tom Waits is far more comfortable giving a journalist \"Tom Waits\" the character, whose conversation is really a series of strange tales, learned or ad-libbed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvie Simmons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen-the-self-deprecating-wit-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ads" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen-the-self-deprecating-wit-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cd/sylvie-simmons-30238_ads_leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen_1076605.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Leonard Cohen can give you \"Leonard Cohen\" - the self-deprecating wit, the slow, considered speech, the…” — Sylvie Simmons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sylvie Simmons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Leonard Cohen can give you \"Leonard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen-the-self-deprecating-wit-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/leonard-cohen-can-give-you-leonard-cohen-the-self-deprecating-wit-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```