I've given it a lot of thought and still can't come up with anything deep. I guess Leonard is allowed one shallow song after over a hundred deep ones.
Anyway, I assume it's written from the POV of Glenn Quagmire kind of guy. He doesn't have a loving wife at home to satisfy him sexual, emotionally and spiritually, so he has to go to the bars and find strangers to meet those needs. It fits in with the themes of infidelity and promiscuity present on Death of a Ladies Man.
I'm still not sure about the verses though. Why mention his father's trade, etc?
I must say, I couldn't agree more with that analysis. Perfect. It doesn't hurt that both Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg sing quite an effectual backup vocal on this track either.
I must say, I couldn't agree more with that analysis. Perfect. It doesn't hurt that both Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg sing quite an effectual backup vocal on this track either.
I believe he mentions that "I follow my father's trade" to denote the commonality of his philandering state, to express that this sort of behavior has become an immoral lineage of sorts and a role that he has perhaps witnessed others portray.
I believe he mentions that "I follow my father's trade" to denote the commonality of his philandering state, to express that this sort of behavior has become an immoral lineage of sorts and a role that he has perhaps witnessed others portray.
Becoming a hairdresser is not a typically masculine aspiration, and herein, I believe, is the significance. Cohen slyly likens the emasculating effects of the narrator's inability to coax carnal satisfaction out of his lover (or, for that matter, the girls "that smile you down to your knees") to becoming a hairdresser.
Becoming a hairdresser is not a typically masculine aspiration, and herein, I believe, is the significance. Cohen slyly likens the emasculating effects of the narrator's inability to coax carnal satisfaction out of his lover (or, for that matter, the girls "that smile you down to your knees") to becoming a hairdresser.
I've given it a lot of thought and still can't come up with anything deep. I guess Leonard is allowed one shallow song after over a hundred deep ones.
Anyway, I assume it's written from the POV of Glenn Quagmire kind of guy. He doesn't have a loving wife at home to satisfy him sexual, emotionally and spiritually, so he has to go to the bars and find strangers to meet those needs. It fits in with the themes of infidelity and promiscuity present on Death of a Ladies Man.
I'm still not sure about the verses though. Why mention his father's trade, etc?
I must say, I couldn't agree more with that analysis. Perfect. It doesn't hurt that both Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg sing quite an effectual backup vocal on this track either.
I must say, I couldn't agree more with that analysis. Perfect. It doesn't hurt that both Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg sing quite an effectual backup vocal on this track either.
I believe he mentions that "I follow my father's trade" to denote the commonality of his philandering state, to express that this sort of behavior has become an immoral lineage of sorts and a role that he has perhaps witnessed others portray.
I believe he mentions that "I follow my father's trade" to denote the commonality of his philandering state, to express that this sort of behavior has become an immoral lineage of sorts and a role that he has perhaps witnessed others portray.
Becoming a hairdresser is not a typically masculine aspiration, and herein, I believe, is the significance. Cohen slyly likens the emasculating effects of the narrator's inability to coax carnal satisfaction out of his lover (or, for that matter, the girls "that smile you down to your knees") to becoming a hairdresser.
Becoming a hairdresser is not a typically masculine aspiration, and herein, I believe, is the significance. Cohen slyly likens the emasculating effects of the narrator's inability to coax carnal satisfaction out of his lover (or, for that matter, the girls "that smile you down to your knees") to becoming a hairdresser.