Ah, the "this isn't music" retort... Music = not restricted to musical tones. The title of 'music' is misleading, as it encompasses many abstract forms of art that don't necessarily inherit playing any instrument. Poetry is one of them. Many artists have been, for decades, using spoken word passages in their music. It's an entirely new way of surprising and intriguing the listener. Throwing in elements other than melodic sounds, deliberate cacophony, finding new ways to surprise and intrigue people...
Though that argument should not come into play here, considering Cohen DOES have music in his compositions... So what if his lyrics overshadow the music? Of course his lyrics are fantastic; he's a poet. Though he integrates his musical pursuits into his works seamlessly. Without the lonely guitar part in "Famous Blue Raincoat", his words wouldn't sound nearly as painful or meaningful. His voice is both a vehicle for words and a way to excrete emotion. His work is a combination of tortured language and lonely music that fits the picture, if you will. The musical part is an embellishment on the words, to give them mood and power, and even though it's usually the other way around, it works out.
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