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  #11  
Unread 01-31-2015, 11:45 PM
ross hamilton hill ross hamilton hill is offline
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He was a serious composer, his orchestral pieces have been played world wide, he received two academy award nominations for soundtracks to movies, one was The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. His achievements, listed on Wiki, are impressive.

Last edited by ross hamilton hill; 01-31-2015 at 11:48 PM.
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  #12  
Unread 02-01-2015, 01:09 AM
Michael Cantor Michael Cantor is offline
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Well, if he received two Academy Award nominations he must be a world class musician and poet. How silly of me to have though otherwise.
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  #13  
Unread 02-01-2015, 02:32 AM
ross hamilton hill ross hamilton hill is offline
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Rod smiled down from heaven,
he really was amused.
All those schmucks bought my books,
and now I am accused
of being second-rate,
do you really think I care?
I had a ball, I spent it all
and now I am thin air.

Last edited by ross hamilton hill; 02-01-2015 at 06:05 AM.
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  #14  
Unread 02-01-2015, 10:09 PM
Julie Steiner Julie Steiner is offline
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Well, here's a poet I recognize!
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  #15  
Unread 03-02-2015, 09:37 AM
Roger Slater Roger Slater is offline
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He's often cited with delightful scorn by "real" poets, and not unjustly given how bad so much of his poetry was. I joined in the scorn myself, but not long ago I came across this song that Johnny Cash sang, and I liked it well enough to be surprised that Rod McKuen wrote it.

I do think it's somewhat ridiculous to compare Rod McKuen and Leonard Cohen, however. Leonard Cohen towers above Rod McKuen in almost every way. Check out Tower of Song (which starts "My friends are gone and my hair is gray, I ache in the places where I used to play"). Or if you find his idiosyncratic voice a distraction, listen to this song of his sung by Madeleine Peyroux (who sounds a lot like Billie Holiday).

I don't know the state of his health at the moment, but two years ago I saw him in concert and he performed with great vigor and energy for over three hours. He was 78 years old.
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  #16  
Unread 03-02-2015, 01:17 PM
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Allen Tice Allen Tice is offline
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Music helps enorpously. Just enorpously.
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