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.
Blessed Is the Memory
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you made in the barn
When the kittens were born
And you could not keep warm
So you moved away the mountain
That the sun rose behind
And you said yourself a prayer
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
And the vow of compassion
That you swore through your teeth
When the war began to end
And the photographs weep
Well, nobody blames you
As the train pulls away
With its cargo of snow
For these German paper-weights
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Well, its five in the morning
There's no one home
Except for your wife
And your child on the phone
Somebody's got to listen
To a promise or two
Oh, this room is far too small
For a pilgrim like you
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
So, now that you've decided
To follow the sun
Like a shadow of birds
Or a King on the run
Oh, your chains are too dark
For the seas you must swim
You're smiling at the seaweed
But your smile is too grim
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
In "Blessed Is the Memory," Leonard Cohen reflects on promises made and abandoned, and the toll that freedom takes on relationships. The song opens with a memory of warmth and intimacy, with a promise made in a barn during the birth of kittens. The singer remembers someone who once had a strong sense of purpose and compassion, but who was later consumed by their need for freedom. The lyrics hint at a loss of innocence, and the guilt and regret that comes with it.
The second verse speaks to the theme of war and the consequences it has on individuals and their relationships. The singer suggests that people are not solely responsible for the atrocities committed during war, but that the cost of freedom is often high, and deeply felt by those affected. The scene shifts in the third verse to a more personal interaction, with the singer addressing someone who is struggling. Here, the song becomes more intimate, with the singer suggesting that the person needs to make amends and take responsibility for their actions. The final verse continues to use imagery of freedom - this time, taking flight like a bird or king. But again, the message is bittersweet: freedom comes at a cost, and it's often accompanied by loneliness and guilt.
Overall, "Blessed Is the Memory" is a sobering reflection on the consequences of our choices, and the importance of connection and responsibility in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember the promise
I recall the commitment you made
That you made in the barn
When we were in the shed together
When the kittens were born
At that time the baby cats came into the world
And you could not keep warm
You were feeling cold
So you moved away the mountain
You took the responsibility of facing the extreme challenge
That the sun rose behind
Which blocked the sun each morning
And you said yourself a prayer
You prayed for strength
And laid down with the blind
You slept with the less fortunate
But you lost them in your freedom
But as you gained your independence, you let them go
And you need him now, you're wild
And now you require someone to assist you as you've become uncontrollable
Blessed is the memory
Grateful is the remembrance
Of everybody's child
Of each and every person's offspring
And the vow of compassion
And the pledge of mercy
That you swore through your teeth
That you took an oath to show
When the war began to end
When the fight was coming to a close
And the photographs weep
And the photos were sorrowful
Well, nobody blames you
Certainly, nobody holds you responsible
As the train pulls away
When the train is departing
With its cargo of snow
Carrying its load of frozen precipitation
For these German paper-weights
For these paperweights from Germany
Well, its five in the morning
It's presently five o'clock in the morning
There's no one home
Nobody else is at home
Except for your wife
With only your spouse being there
And your child on the phone
And your youngster talking over the phone
Somebody's got to listen
Someone has to listen
To a promise or two
To one or more commitments
Oh, this room is far too small
Oh, this room feels cramped
For a pilgrim like you
For an adventurer like yourself
So, now that you've decided
Therefore, because you've decided
To follow the sun
To go wherever the sun leads you
Like a shadow of birds
Like a silhouette of a flock of birds
Or a King on the run
Or a monarch on the move
Oh, your chains are too dark
Oh, your restraints are too oppressive
For the seas you must swim
For the waters that you have to cross
You're smiling at the seaweed
You're looking on the bright side of the issue
But your smile is too grim
But you're feeling sadness deep down
Blessed is the memory
Grateful is the remembrance
Of everybody's child
Of each and every person's offspring
Blessed is the memory
Grateful is the remembrance
Of everybody's child
Of each and every person's offspring
Blessed is the memory
Grateful is the remembrance
Of everybody's child
Of each and every person's offspring
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Leonard Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ariefpermono3727
I remember the promise
That you made in the barn
When the kittens were born
And you could not keep warm
So you moved away the mountain
That the sun rose behind
And you said yourself a prayer
And laid down with the blind
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
And the vow of compassion
That you swore through your teeth
When the war began to end
And the photographs weep
Well, nobody blames you
As the train pulls away
With its cargo of snow
For these German paper-weights
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Well, its five in the morning
There's no one home
Except for your wife
And your child on the phone
Somebody's got to listen
To a promise or two
Oh, this room is far too small
For a pilgrim like you
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
So, now that you've decided
To follow the sun
Like a shadow of birds
Or a King on the run
Oh, your chains are too dark
For the seas you must swim
You're smiling at the seaweed
But your smile is too grim
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
@fiorellafenati5395
I can't tear myself away from this song. I've had it in my head for a week! it's too much for me.
@ariefpermono3727
I remember the promise
That you made in the barn
When the kittens were born
And you could not keep warm
So you moved away the mountain
That the sun rose behind
And you said yourself a prayer
And laid down with the blind
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
And the vow of compassion
That you swore through your teeth
When the war began to end
And the photographs weep
Well, nobody blames you
As the train pulls away
With its cargo of snow
For these German paper-weights
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Well, its five in the morning
There's no one home
Except for your wife
And your child on the phone
Somebody's got to listen
To a promise or two
Oh, this room is far too small
For a pilgrim like you
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
So, now that you've decided
To follow the sun
Like a shadow of birds
Or a King on the run
Oh, your chains are too dark
For the seas you must swim
You're smiling at the seaweed
But your smile is too grim
But you lost them in your freedom
And you need him now, you're wild
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
Blessed is the memory
Of everybody's child
@fiorellafenati5395
powerful. tender, beautiful.
She was so young when she wrote it. Velvet item
@fiorellafenati5395
he, sorry
@simonjager9259
@fiorella fenati no worries
@dreamcatcher3397
Best Leonard Cohen song
@moondancer9066
Music for the mystic hours when the person is alone (B. Dylan).
Just think how many years we missed out on this song because someone decided to cut it from the album.
@andrejbezak1522
That's an actual quote from Dylan?
@jackmoody5992
"moment of realization is worth...a thousand prayers"
@diecastinnracing6638
Mickey Knox