I think however many kinds of war are mentioned in the song the real one Cohen has in mind is the war "between the man and the woman". This is the most ancient and cruelest of the human fights. Men and woman are biologically different: we have different instincts and different desires and maybe we'll never be able to fully understand each other... still we are so deeply entangled!
That's why most of the people prefer not to think about it ("the ones who say there isn't") but the conflict is unavoidable. A man and woman will never be completely happy together. They are always enemies and never allies. The only choice we have is to fight the war untill the end or to reach a compromise were both the partners make some sacrifices. Pretty much like a cease-fire or at least a stall. I guess the marriage is the most common and consolidated name for this kind of deal:
why don't you come on back to the war, you can still get married -
The war is not bad all togheter but it can be very dangerous. If both the partners are strong and independent they can try to survive it but and many good relationships have been simply wore off by the continuous fight:
why don't you come on back to the war, before it hurts us -
In the end it all comes down to repress our instincts (and live monogamous relationship) or follow them (and live an open relationship). The decision is up to us...
The only important thing is to realize that the "romantic love" is just an utopia and the only possible love is this kind of "service" and especially always talk about it with our lover:
why don't you come on back to the war, can't you hear me speaking? -
I think it is really amazing how Cohen was able to condensate all this thorny problems in these few, simple but piercing, lines; leaving all the torment of the final decision to the passion in his voice.
I think however many kinds of war are mentioned in the song the real one Cohen has in mind is the war "between the man and the woman". This is the most ancient and cruelest of the human fights. Men and woman are biologically different: we have different instincts and different desires and maybe we'll never be able to fully understand each other... still we are so deeply entangled!
That's why most of the people prefer not to think about it ("the ones who say there isn't") but the conflict is unavoidable. A man and woman will never be completely happy together. They are always enemies and never allies. The only choice we have is to fight the war untill the end or to reach a compromise were both the partners make some sacrifices. Pretty much like a cease-fire or at least a stall. I guess the marriage is the most common and consolidated name for this kind of deal:
The war is not bad all togheter but it can be very dangerous. If both the partners are strong and independent they can try to survive it but and many good relationships have been simply wore off by the continuous fight:
In the end it all comes down to repress our instincts (and live monogamous relationship) or follow them (and live an open relationship). The decision is up to us... The only important thing is to realize that the "romantic love" is just an utopia and the only possible love is this kind of "service" and especially always talk about it with our lover:
I think it is really amazing how Cohen was able to condensate all this thorny problems in these few, simple but piercing, lines; leaving all the torment of the final decision to the passion in his voice.