Look at the detail

I am wondering if the situation is that corpus linguistics can't pick up the subtleties of a writer like Cohen and that all I can do is a few basic metrics and then analyse some individual lyrics. Perhaps my findings will be as much about the state of corpus linguistics as they are about Cohen. How can a computer deal with Field Commander Cohen, when the narrator seems to be at least two people having an argument? And maybe there is a third in there somewhere?

Next week we are having a number of house guests for a few days. Bed linen mostly ready. Menu spreadsheet done. First shopping list prepared.

What to do

I keep thinking about my Supervisor's suggestion to measure Cohen against other artists. This is not how I envisaged this going. I think there is enough in Cohen's complexity of portrayal to be a study in itself. I don't want to do the usual of counting up words and then reaching conclusions like 'Cohen uses words for parts of the body 3 times as often as Dylan, who uses words for geographical places and features 10 times more than Cohen'. (Note: I made those figures up)  Cohen presents himself as a lover in songs like 'Marianne' and as a (flawed) revolutionary leader in 'Field Commander Cohen'. He is a helpless pawn in 'Tower of Song' and some think he is conversing with his younger self in 'Famous Blue raincoat'. All of this is much more fascinating to me. I need to get S on-side.