| Leonard Cohen – The Guests Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I completely forgot to mention what the explanation of the song is! Although you'll want to hear Cohen saying it - his explanation is, of course, a kind of poetry. Anyway, the song is about new souls being born and feeling isolated and separate and how God pulls them in to this world and into the feast of life. His description of the world is pretty telling of his take on it all, actually. How does that grabya?! Certainly not what I was expecting or would have guessed. |
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| Leonard Cohen – The Guests Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I found a link on Youtube where we are gifted with Cohen actually explaining, in some detail, the meaning of this song. That makes it impossible to refute - still I was quite surprised by his explanation. Here's the link if you want to hear him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxj5fvHpCpc&feature=share&list=PL51517727BD744E73 |
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| Leonard Cohen – Alexandra Leaving Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| I have to disagree on your take about certain parts of "Suzanne". She's a real person and I heard her interviewed about the song. The river Cohen writes about is the St.Lawrence in Montreal,Canada where he grew up. That's where they would meet up - she lived in a place right on the river edge - I think it was a trailer if I remember well. She really did get her clothes from the Salvation Army, she really did prepare food that included tea and oranges from China. In the interview, she comes across as slightly bitter that, after the fame that song brought him, he began to change (according to her) and pulled away. | |
| Leonard Cohen – Night Comes On Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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For me, he's singing about a lot of things - he's brilliant at writing in layers; listening to his music is like peeling an onion. I hear references to Nazi Germany, to sex, to the Yom Kippur war, to sadness and grief, to the pain of loss, to religion, and even - ultimately - to hope. And I always feel there's more to be heard. I'm not sure I'll ever get enough of this song. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Night Comes On Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| You're right but you have to go back about one more generation for that to be the case. | |
| Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Lyrics | 12 years ago |
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I read your interpretation with great interest and learned from it, thank you. Given some of the information you shared, I thought you might find it really interesting to learn - if you don't know already - that there is verse written by Cohen that he has used, although not often. I think it confirms exactly some of what you shared: "You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did Well really, what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter what you heard The holy or the broken Halleluyah" |
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| Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Actually, you are not wrong. There were many verses Cohen wrote - some he used at different times, some not at all. But when the song was originally recorded by him in 1984, this verse was present. And it is sad - I can't listen without crying - takes me back to early days with my (now ex) husband. I think your interpretation of that verse is right on the money - it certainly echoes mine. | |
| Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Actually, you are not wrong. There were many verses Cohen wrote - some he used at different times, some not at all. But when the song was originally recorded by him in 1984, this verse was present. And it is sad - I can't listen without crying - takes me back to early days with my (now ex) husband. I think your interpretation of that verse is right on the money - it certainly echoes mine. | |
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