Clebrating Leonard Cohen's Birthday

Celebrating Leonard Cohen on his birthday! ‘I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel…’

Despite his immense fame and talent, Leonard suffered from stage fright throughout much of his career. He turned to wine and whiskey to help, but on his 2012 tour he seemed to have finally beat the nerves by introducing a pre-stage ritual.

His backup singers, The Webb Sisters, reported he would lead his band through a Latin song that went, ‘Pauper sum ego, nihil habeo,’ meaning ‘I am poor, I have nothing.’ The band would start the chant a half hour before a show and go on stage singing it together, unified and ready to share their gifts.

‘I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel, you were famous, your heart was a legend…’

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​#poet #legend