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.
Coming Back to You
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't turn the other cheek
But you know that I still love you
It's just that I can't speak
I looked for you in everyone
And they called me on that too
I lived alone but I was only
Coming back to you
Ah they're shutting down the factory now
Just when all the bills are due
And the fields they're under lock and key
Tho' the rain and the sun come through
And springtime starts but then it stops
In the name of something new
And all the senses rise against this
Coming back to you
And they're handing down my sentence now
And I know what I must do
Another mile of silence while I'm
Coming back to you
There are many in your life
And many still to be
Since you are a shining light
There's many that you'll see
But I have to deal with envy
When you choose the precious few
Who've left their pride on the other side of
Coming back to you
Even in your arms I know
I'll never get it right
Even when you bend to give me
Comfort in the night
I've got to have your word on this
Or none of it is true
And all I've said was just instead of
Coming back to you
The opening lines of Leonard Cohen's song "Coming Back to You" suggest emotional turmoil, indicating that the singer is still in pain and unable to simply forgive and forget. He laments that he can't turn the other cheek but still loves the subject of the song. He then shares that he searched for the person through others but was called out for doing so. He acknowledges how lonely he was but clarifies that he was always coming back to the person he loved.
The second verse provides metaphorical descriptions of closures and transitions, where a factory shutting down is a signal of economic turmoil and the coming of financial woes. He observes both rain and sun but he is faced with a similar situation where things start and then stop abruptly in the name of new beginnings. The singer points out that his senses rise against the idea of starting over once again. The third verse talks about the singer’s sentencing, and he knows what he must do. However, it seems that it may take another mile of silence while coming back to the one he loves.
In conclusion, the song Coming Back to You speaks to the complexities of relationships that are often riddled with mixed emotions, transitions, closures, and new beginnings that can cause turmoil in a great deal of people's lives. This song emphasizes the complexities of human emotions that cannot be easily resolved.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm still hurting
It's possible that I'm still feeling the pain of our past relationship
I can't turn the other cheek
I cannot ignore what happened between us and pretend everything is okay
But you know that I still love you
Despite everything, I still have deep feelings of love for you
It's just that I can't speak
I am struggling to express my feelings to you
I looked for you in everyone
I searched for someone who would be like you, but no one compares
And they called me on that too
Others noticed that I was trying to find you in others
I lived alone but I was only
I may have been physically alone, but my heart was always with you
Coming back to you
Yearning for you was always on my mind, and I wanted to come back to you
Ah they're shutting down the factory now
Changes are happening, and life is shifting for me
Just when all the bills are due
The timing of these changes is difficult, as I have financial responsibilities
And the fields they're under lock and key
As obstacles present themselves, things feel more challenging
Tho' the rain and the sun come through
Despite these obstacles, I am still hopeful for brighter days
And springtime starts but then it stops
It seems like good things are starting, but then they are cut short
In the name of something new
These changes are happening for a reason, even if I don't understand them yet
And all the senses rise against this
My emotions are heightened and fighting against these changes
Coming back to you
Despite everything, I still long to be with you
And they're handing down my sentence now
I am facing consequences for my actions
And I know what I must do
I understand the situation and what needs to be done
Another mile of silence while I'm
I must continue to be patient
Coming back to you
My focus is still on reuniting with you
There are many in your life
I know that there are other people in your life
And many still to be
You will meet even more people in the future
Since you are a shining light
You are a beautiful person, with a brightness that draws others to you
There's many that you'll see
You will make connections with many people
But I have to deal with envy
I struggle with feeling jealous of those who get to be close to you
When you choose the precious few
I am envious of those who you choose to keep close
Who've left their pride on the other side of
I envy those who can put their pride aside for your sake
Coming back to you
Despite my envy, I still yearn to be with you
Even in your arms I know
Even when I am close to you physically
I'll never get it right
I still feel like I am doing something wrong, or cannot be the partner you deserve
Even when you bend to give me
Even when you try to comfort me
Comfort in the night
When things are darkest and most difficult
I've got to have your word on this
I need to hear from you that everything will be okay
Or none of it is true
Without your reassurance, I cannot believe that things will be okay
And all I've said was just instead of
What I've said thus far has been a way of expressing my deep desire to be with you
Coming back to you
Despite everything, my mind and heart always return to the hope of one day being with you again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LEONARD COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stjop2798
Maybe I'm still hurting
I can't turn the other cheek
But you know that I still love you
It's just that I can't speak
I looked for you in everyone
And they called me on that too
I lived alone but I was only
Coming back to you
Ah they're shutting down the factory now
Just when all the bills are due
And the fields they're under lock and key
Tho' the rain and the sun come through
And springtime starts but then it stops
In the name of something new
And all the senses rise against this
Coming back to you
And they're handing down my sentence now
And I know what I must do
Another mile of silence while I'm
Coming back to you
There are many in your life
And many still to be
Since you are a shining light
There's many that you'll see
But I have to deal with envy
When you choose the precious few
Who've left their pride on the other side of
Coming back to you
Even in your arms I know
I'll never get it right
Even when you bend to give me
Comfort in the night
I've got to have your word on this
Or none of it is true
And all I've said was just instead of
Coming back to you
@aviralkumar1393
Coming Back to You Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Maybe I'm still hurting, I can't turn the other cheek
But you know I still love you, it's just that I can't speak
I looked for you in everyone and they called me on that too
I lived alone but I was only coming back to you
[Verse 2]
They're shutting down the factory now, just when all the bills are due
And the fields, they're under lock and key though the rain and the sun come through
And springtime starts but then it stops in the name of something new
And all the senses rise against this coming back to you
[Bridge]
And they're handing down my sentence now
And I know what I must do
Another mile of silence while I'm coming back to you
[Verse 3]
There are many in your life and many still to be
Since you are a shining light, there's many that you'll see
But I have to deal with envy when you choose the precious few
Who've left their pride on the other side of coming back to you
[Verse 4]
Even in your arms, I know I'll never get it right
Even when you bend to give me comfort in the night
I've got to have your word on this or none of it is true
And all I've said was just instead of coming back to you
@dwaynewladyka577
It's so good to hear this great music from Leonard Cohen. May he rest in peace. Cheers! ✌️🇨🇦
@hemil
I was seventeen when this record was released... Oh my God, now I am 52!! It's been a good travel with you Mr Cohen
@paquimoyalopez6167
Una hermosa voz aunque no entiendo el inglés pero escuchar a Leonard Cohen es muy gratificante y agradable para mí ❤️❤️😊
@zoritzar.2840
I never turn the other cheek. I just turn my back and "Coming back to You", to Your refined notes, sophisticated words and Your voice that gives refuge to the soul. ❤️🌹
@limelight1397
These lyrics are awesome comforting. They are a wave of love. 💞
@brianbrino4310
Your songs were so good and meaningful Leonard that they really feel immortal every time I listen to you!
Simply excellent and thank you for sharing!
@doloresdrew7570
Like all his music, so much of him from his heart and soul..
RIP. I know so many in heaven that loves your voice. Please sign to all of them. 🙏
@Annie-ZA
LOVE IT! 😍🥰
@catherinetobin5757
Thanks Leonard I can listen to you forever ❤
@empsmith
Definitely my favourite artist. For most I love a song or two or maybe even a few albums, but only with Leonard do I love their stuff from start to finish. (With the exception of Death of a Ladies man. Great songs, terrible production)