Well I stepped into an avalanche
It covered up my soul
When I am not this hunchback that you see
I sleep beneath the golden hill
You who wish to conquer pain
You must learn, learn to serve me well

You strike my side by accident
As you go down for your gold
The cripple here that you clothe and feed
Is neither starved nor cold
He does not ask for your company
Not at the centre, the centre of the world

When I am on a pedestal
You did not raise me there
Your laws do not compel me
To kneel grotesque and bare
I myself am the pedestal
For this ugly hump at which you stare

You who wish to conquer pain
You must learn what makes me kind
The crumbs of love that you offer me
They're the crumbs I've left behind
Your pain is no credential here
It's just the shadow, shadow of my wound

I have begun to long for you
I who have no greed
I have begun to ask for you
I who have no need
You say you've gone away from me
But I can feel you when you breathe

Do not dress in those rags for me
I know you are not poor
And don't love me quite so fiercely now
When you know that you are not sure
It is your turn, beloved
It is your flesh that I wear


Lyrics submitted by Hosimosi, edited by Wyzygy, tobeortobe, Mignon

Avalanche Lyrics as written by Leonard Cohen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Avalanche song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

45 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    My interpretation is that it's an aspect of Chen's muse talking to him, and those inspired in a similar way. Which is not to say anyone else's is wrong or unsupported. But, recently, I hear the lines like this, possibly because I am a one man band partially named after this song:

    Well I stepped into an avalanche, (I entered the world of senses) It covered up my soul; (but could not be properly expressed)
    When I am not this hunchback that you see, (When I am not this negative ugliness I project) I sleep beneath the golden hill. (I remain as an eternal archetype of desire)

    You who wish to conquer pain,
    (To defeat what I express) You must learn, learn to serve me well. (You must find it's perfect expression through yourself)

    You strike my side by accident (You come across my dark vein of creativity) As you go down for your gold. (As you search for your own voice and meaning/success L.C often said he got into music cause it paid better than poetry)

    The cripple here that you clothe and feed (This archetype to which you give musical form) Is neither starved nor cold;
    (Does not actually need you, many others do the same) He does not ask for your company,
    (You are not necessary), Not at the centre, the centre of the world. [Because I (the archetype) am essential and eternal in the human spirit]

    When I am on a pedestal,
    You did not raise me there. ( I made you famous and relevant, not the other way around) Your laws do not compel me
    To kneel grotesque and bare. (You can't invoke me for your art without experiencing me on my own terms) I myself am the pedestal (Everyone listens to your dark songs because I am inside them too) For this ugly hump at which you stare. (And that's why you find me compelling to write about)

    You who wish to conquer pain,
    You must learn what makes me kind; (If you want to stop suffering, find the key to the redemption of the archetype and it's real meaning.) The crumbs of love that you offer me, (Fake, maudlin, rehashed emotions will not do the trick) They're the crumbs I've left behind. (They have already been expressed.) Your pain is no credential here, (Your personal suffering is not special, and entitles you to nothing) It's just the shadow, shadow of my wound. (But it shows you where I am inside your psyche)

    I have begun to long for you, (You are feeling the need to say) I who have no greed (What does not need or want to be said) I have begun to ask for you, (You are becoming a chosen vehicle of my expression) I who have no need. (Although I am omnipresent in everyone already) You say you've gone away from me, (You want to separate your life from the force you invoked, and find a gentler muse)
    But I can feel you when you breathe. (But I'm in you now, constantly, like it or not.)

    Do not dress in those rags for me, (Don't pretend your personal experience of suffering is unique and worthy of sympathy) I know you are not poor (It isn't, and we both know it.) And don't love me quite so fiercely now (I gave you ideas, and you were proud, but lose the pride) When you know that you are not sure, (You have not yet fully experienced me) It is your turn, beloved,
    It is your flesh that I wear (But you will. And so will others, through you.).

    astralmuckon December 02, 2012   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Album art
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms. “Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.