Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s; he did not launch a music career until 1967, at the age of 33. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). His 1977 record Death of a Ladies' Man, co-written and produced by Phil Spector, was a move away from Cohen's previous minimalist sound. In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional Recent Songs, which blended his acoustic style with jazz, Oriental, and Mediterranean influences. Perhaps Cohen's most famous song, "Hallelujah", was first released on his studio album Various Positions in 1984. I'm Your Man in 1988 marked Cohen's turn to synthesized productions and remains his most popular album. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, The Future, which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest.
Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, which was a major hit in Canada and Europe. His 11th album, Dear Heather, followed in 2004. Following a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2013, Cohen released three albums in the final four years of his life: Old Ideas (2012), Popular Problems (2014) and You Want It Darker (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death.
Leonard Cohen was born into a middle-class Jewish family in Westmount, Quebec, on September 21, 1934. His Lithuanian mother, Marsha Klonitsky ("Masha"; 1905–1978), was the daughter of a Talmudic writer, Rabbi Solomon Klonitsky-Kline, and emigrated to Canada in 1927. His paternal grandfather, whose family had moved from Poland to Canada, was Lyon Cohen, the founding president of the Canadian Jewish Congress. His father, Nathan Bernard Cohen (1891–1943), who owned a substantial clothing store, died when Cohen was nine years old. The family observed Orthodox Judaism, and belonged to Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, to which Cohen retained connections for the rest of his life. On the topic of being a Kohen, Cohen told Richard Goldstein in 1967, "I had a very Messianic childhood. I was told I was a descendant of Aaron, the high priest."
Cohen attended Roslyn Elementary School and completed grades seven through nine at Herzliah High School, where his literary mentor Irving Layton taught, then transferred in 1948 to Westmount High School, where he studied music and poetry. He became especially interested in the poetry of Federico García Lorca. Cohen involved himself actively beyond Westmount's curriculum, in photography, on the yearbook staff, as a cheerleader, in the arts and current events clubs, and even served in the position of president of the Students' Council while "heavily involved in the school's theater program". During that time, Cohen taught himself to play the acoustic guitar, and formed a country–folk group that he called the Buckskin Boys. After a young Spanish guitar player taught him "a few chords and some flamenco", Cohen switched to a classical guitar. He has attributed his love of music to his mother, who sang songs around the house: "I know that those changes, those melodies, touched me very much. She would sing with us when I took my guitar to a restaurant with some friends; my mother would come, and we'd often sing all night.
Cohen frequented Saint Laurent Boulevard for fun and ate at such places as the Main Deli Steak House. According to journalist David Sax, Cohen and one of his cousins would go to the Main Deli to "watch the gangsters, pimps, and wrestlers dance around the night". Cohen enjoyed the formerly raucous bars of Old Montreal as well as Saint Joseph's Oratory, which had the restaurant nearest to Westmount, for him and his friend Mort Rosengarten to share coffee and cigarettes. When Cohen left Westmount, he purchased a place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, in the previously working-class neighbourhood of Little Portugal. He would read his poetry at assorted nearby clubs. In that period and that place, Cohen wrote the lyrics to some of his most famous songs.
10
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
This I could not do
I took my gun and vanished.
I have changed my name so often,
I've lost my wife and children
And some of them are with me.
An old woman gave us shelter,
Kept us hidden in the garret,
Then the soldiers came
She died without a whisper.
There were three of us this morning
I'm the only one this evening
But I must go on
The frontiers are my prison.
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
Freedom soon will come,
Then we'll come from the shadows.
Les Allemands étaient chez moi,
Ils me dirent, "résigne toi,"
Mais je n'ai pas peur,
J'ai repris mon âme.
The Germans were at my home
They said, "sign yourself,"
But I am not afraid
I have retaken my soul.
J'ai changé cent fois de nom,
J'ai perdu femme et enfants
Mais j'ai tant d'amis
J'ai la france entière.
I've changed names a hundred times
I have lost wife and children
But I have so many friends
I have all of France
Un vieil homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a caché,
Les Allemands l'ont pris,
Il est mort sans surprise.
An old man, in an attic
Hid us for the night
The Germans captured him
He died without surprise.
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
Freedom soon will come,
Then we'll come from the shadows.
10 Spår 10 by Leonard Cohen includes his rendition of the famous song "The Partisan," which was composed in 1943 by Anna Marly and made famous by the French Resistance during World War II. Cohen's version of the song features a haunting melody and a moving portrayal of a person's life as a partisan.
The song tells the story of a partisan soldier who is willing to give up everything, including his identity, status, and family, to fight for his country's freedom. He has lost everything but has loyal friends that share his cause. An old woman gave them shelter, but she died tragically when soldiers hunted them down. The soldier's fate is uncertain but knows the fight for liberty is his duty. The final verse alludes to the Germans telling the soldier to surrender; however, he refuses, knowing that he has retaken his soul and has friends and has lost everything except his love for France.
Overall, the song reflects the human cost of war, particularly on those who are willing to put their lives on the line to attain freedom. It captures the rousing spirit of the resistance, which often had to operate underground to avoid capture and death, which was a daily threat.
Line by Line Meaning
When they poured across the border
Referring to a group of enemy soldiers, upon their arrival to his land
I was cautioned to surrender,
He was warned to submit and give up
This I could not do
He could not comply with this request
I took my gun and vanished.
He removed himself from sight with his firearm
I have changed my name so often,
He has frequently altered his identity
I've lost my wife and children
He no longer has his spouse and offspring
But I have many friends,
Despite his circumstances, he has a considerable amount of allies
And some of them are with me.
Specifically, some of his comrades are present alongside him
An old woman gave us shelter,
They received lodging from an elderly female
Kept us hidden in the garret,
She concealed them in the uppermost part of the building
Then the soldiers came
The enemy troops arrived subsequently
She died without a whisper.
The woman expired without making a sound
There were three of us this morning
There were three members in their party earlier today
I'm the only one this evening
Currently, he is the sole member remaining in the group
But I must go on
However, he must persist
The frontiers are my prison.
He feels confined by the borders of his country
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
He notes the presence of wind, with repetition for emphasis
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
The wind is blowing over deceased individuals in their burial sites
Freedom soon will come,
Imminently, they will experience liberation
Then we'll come from the shadows.
At that point, they will emerge from their obscurity
Les Allemands étaient chez moi,
The Germans were within his residence
Ils me dirent, "résigne toi,"
They instructed him to forfeit and give in
Mais je n'ai pas peur,
However, he is not afraid
J'ai repris mon âme.
He recovered his sense of self and spirit
J'ai changé cent fois de nom,
He has gone through numerous name changes
J'ai perdu femme et enfants
He has lost his wife and children
Mais j'ai tant d'amis
Yet he has a significant amount of friends
J'ai la france entière.
He possesses all of France, symbolically suggesting his strong network and support across the country
Un vieil homme dans un grenier
An old man hid them in his attic
Pour la nuit nous a caché,
He concealed them for the night
Les Allemands l'ont pris,
The Germans apprehended him
Il est mort sans surprise.
The old man died without any sudden shock or disturbance
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
The wind is still present and constant, as before
Through the graves the wind is blowing,
The wind still flows over the graves of the deceased, yet to rest
Freedom soon will come,
Demonstrating that liberty will arrive in the future
Then we'll come from the shadows.
Implying that upon regaining their freedom, they will no longer have to hide and can reveal themselves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANNA MARLY, HY ZARET
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
g s
0:00 Everybody Know
6:17 Hallelujah
10:58 Dance me to the end of love
16:09 Suzanne
20:12 Famous Blue Raincoat
25:25 the stranger songs
30:10 The Future
36:51 So Long Marlanne
43:07 Diamonds in the mine
48:28 Hey that is no way to say goodbye
52:54 Avalanche
57:40 Sisters of Mercy
1:00:30 Chelsea Hotel No
1:05:39 Take this waltz
1:11:11 Waiting for the miracle
1:19:00 going home 2013
1:30:26 coming back to you
Богдан Гордасевич
0:00 Everybody Knows
6:17 Hallelujah
10:58 Dance me to the end of love
16:09 Suzanne
20:12 Famous Blue Raincoat
25:25 the stranger songs
30:10 The Future
36:51 So Long Marlanne
43:07 Diamonds in the mine
48:28 Hey that is no way to say goodbye
52:54 Avalanche
57:40 Sisters of Mercy
1:00:30 Chelsea Hotel No
1:05:39 Take this waltz
1:11:11 Waiting for the miracle
1:19:00 going home 2013
1:30:26 coming back to you
g s
0:00 Everybody Know
6:17 Hallelujah
10:58 Dance me to the end of love
16:09 Suzanne
20:12 Famous Blue Raincoat
25:25 the stranger songs
30:10 The Future
36:51 So Long Marlanne
43:07 Diamonds in the mine
48:28 Hey that is no way to say goodbye
52:54 Avalanche
57:40 Sisters of Mercy
1:00:30 Chelsea Hotel No
1:05:39 Take this waltz
1:11:11 Waiting for the miracle
1:19:00 going home 2013
1:30:26 coming back to you
Cow~EL
Thank you for this
legato1016
Thanks!!👍🏻👍🏻
Esther Cohen
ק11¹1¹¹¹
vacatio
Danke! Very kind!
aebalc
And thank you for spelling correctly. Hallelijah and Watting for the Miracle on the the video drove me nuts.
Julie Gonzaga
Thank you for sharing...love LC his music his poems his voice 1:00:54 ❤️ 💕 💜
nadine pierce
He was and always will be one of the most talented men of all time. His music is timeless... with love and affection 💕
Bonnie Johnson
He was a genius. Uniquely able to combine the light with the dark, the deep sensuality with the broken heart, the sacred with the mundane. The voice of a prophet.
Daniel Appleton
@Bonnie Johnson That gravelly voice sounds like he's addressing the listener directly. It's spiritual which is somewhat overused, but it serves