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Did Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan ever meet?

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In 1983, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen met in Paris to discuss music.

They both went on to sell millions of records.

Their conversation perfectly captures two ends of a spectrum: the spectrum of how creators produce work.

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Did Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan ever meet?

Adam Cohen (Leonard’s son) recalls the conversation his father told him.

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This is a reenactment of how I imagine the conversation went:

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are sitting in a cafe in Paris, the morning after a Dylan concert that Cohen attended.

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Leonard Cohen: “Great show yesterday, Bob.”

Bob Dylan: “Thank you! Btw I loved your song ‘Hallelujah.’”

Leonard Cohen: “Thanks man.”

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Bob Dylan: “How long did it take you to write?”

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Leonard Cohen: “Hmm about 2 years. I loved your song ‘I and I.’ How long did it take to write?”

Bob Dylan: “15 minutes.”

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Leonard Cohen: “…Nice.”

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Actually Leonard Cohen lied.

It took him FIVE YEARS to write ‘Hallelujah.’

Multi award-winning journalist.