Musically, Cohen’s early songs are based in folk music, in terms of both melody and instrumentation; from the 1970s, though, his work begins to show the influence of various types of popular and cabaret music. Since the 1980s he has typically sung in a deep bass register, accompanied by synthesisers and female backing vocals.
Cohen’s songs are often emotionally heavy and lyrically complex, owing more to the metaphoric word play of poetry than to established conventions of songcraft. His work often explores the themes of religion, isolation, and complex interpersonal relationships.
Cohen’s music has become highly influential to other singer-songwriters, and more than a thousand cover versions of his works have been recorded. He is also popular in his native land, having been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and awarded the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
Suzanne
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
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You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you wanna to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer that you've always been her lover
And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
And then you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind
And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him
He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
And you want to travel with him, and you want to travel blind
And then you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind
Now, Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river
She's wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey on our Lady of the harbor
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
And then you know that you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
The song "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen is a ballad about a woman named Suzanne who takes the listener down to her place near the river. The singer sings of Suzanne's strange behavior, calling her "half-crazy" but also noting that it is what draws him to be with her. Suzanne provides him with tea and oranges from China and somehow manages to get the listener on her wavelength. They travel together and the listener touches her perfect body with his mind.
The song also refers to Jesus as a sailor who walked upon the water and spent time watching from his lonely wooden tower. When he knew for certain only drowning men could see him, he proclaimed that all men would be sailors until the sea freed them. The song concludes with Suzanne leading the listener to the river wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters, and showing him where to look for the heroes among the garbage and the flowers. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and metaphors, inviting the listener to engage with the emotions and themes evoked in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
Suzanne invites you to come with her to a specific place she knows near the river
You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night beside her
While you stay with Suzanne, you can relax and hear the sounds of the boats passing by
And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you want to be there
You're aware of Suzanne's peculiarities, yet you're drawn to her because of them
And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China
Suzanne offers you tea and oranges that have been imported all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her
Right when you're about to express your inability to love Suzanne,
Then she gets you on her wavelength
Suzanne manages to connect with you on a deeper level
And she lets the river answer that you've always been her lover
The river subtly hints that you and Suzanne have always had a connection and that you have a special place in her heart
And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
You desire to remain with Suzanne and explore the world, even if it means taking risks and not knowing what's ahead
And then you know that she will trust you
You're aware that Suzanne will have faith in you and rely on you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind
You've connected with Suzanne intellectually and emotionally, which further strengthens your bond
And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
The singer makes a comparison between Jesus, who is known to walk on the water, and a sailor
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower
Jesus spent a long time observing the world from a place of isolation
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him
Jesus realized that he could only be fully understood by people who were going through tough times
He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them
Jesus prophesized that every individual would resemble a sailor, fighting against the struggles of life until they finally succeed
But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Jesus, just like any other human being, was vulnerable and had broken moments long before his death
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone
Despite Jesus' divine nature, he was left feeling abandoned and close to humanity, and his final moment of understanding weighed him down heavily
And you want to travel with him, and you want to travel blind
You aspire to take a journey with Jesus, without knowing where it might lead
And then you think maybe you'll trust him
You begin to feel like you'll be able to have faith in Jesus
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind
Jesus has made a profound impact on you through his divine intellect and insight
Now, Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river
Suzanne once again takes the lead and guides you towards the river
She's wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters
Suzanne's clothes look worn out and patched up but have been sourced from a charity
And the sun pours down like honey on our lady of the harbor
The sun shines gloriously down on Suzanne, who's often seen near the harbor
And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers
Suzanne demonstrates where you should focus, even amongst the chaos and beauty of the world
There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning
Amidst the unappreciated seaweed and the new day, there are still heroes and children who give us hope
They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever
These heroes and children will always seek out love and continue to do so forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror
Amidst all the chaos and hope, Suzanne helps you reflect on yourself and the world in a meaningful way
And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind
Just as before, you desire to keep travelling with Suzanne, even without being certain of the path ahead
And then you know that you can trust her
You have confidence in Suzanne, knowing that she's there to help guide you
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind
Through her emotional connectivity and intellectual capacity, Suzanne has made a lasting impact on you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Leonard Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@susandurell9986
In the early 60', I was in school in Charleston and met a German sailor. He took me to a music store and bought me this Album. 50 years later, we still write letters to each other. When I listen to this, I and 20 again.
@quogir1
That‘s the way.
@petercrouch6090
Such a lovely story.
@fay3532
I love to hear such tales. Growth.
@raviolipaw9015
Oh this is such a beautiful story. Truly moving! :) I hope that you’re healthy and doing well :)
@MrJohanOne
He was in love with you. That lyrics was a message to tell you his feeling but you didn't sailed with him.
@suzannegarcia2849
I was named after this song ...my Dad listened to it every day the year before I was born and then the night I was born...I listen to it when I'm missing him.
@anthonyturner4377
So sweet.
@radam282
RIP to your dad.
@jzk3919
So if you send your e-address I can send you a Hungarian song that will match this one for you. BTW: Are you related to Frank Garcia who lives in Hungary?