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.
Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm
Yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new
In city and in forest they smiled like me and you
But now it's come to distances and both of us must try
Your eyes are soft with sorrow
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye
Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme
You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me
It's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea
But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie
Your eyes are soft with sorrow
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye
I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm
Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm
Yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new
In city and in forest they smiled like me and you
But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie
Your eyes are soft with sorrow
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye
The lyrics "Hey, that's no way to say goodbye" in Leonard Cohen's song are a poignant and emotional reflection on the ending of a relationship. The beginning of the song reminisces about the deep love and affection shared with the other person, with warm and tender kisses in the morning and soft golden hair on the pillow. Despite the knowledge that many others have loved before them, they still feel this love is unique to them.
However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the relationship is coming to an end and both people must try to deal with the distance between them. The singer is clearly heartbroken and can see the same sadness reflected in their partner's eyes. The line "Your eyes are soft with sorrow" suggests that the other person is also struggling to come to terms with the end of their relationship.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that their love will always be with the other person, but also recognizes that things are changing like the shoreline and the sea. The song ends with a plea not to talk about love or chains that bind them together, as they try to find a way to say goodbye to each other without causing more pain.
Overall, the song is a moving reflection on the pain of heartbreak, and the difficulty of ending a long and meaningful relationship. Through his beautiful and evocative lyrics, Leonard Cohen captures the complex and often conflicting emotions that come with saying goodbye to someone we love.
Line by Line Meaning
I loved you in the morning, our kisses deep and warm
I cherished our shared moments in the morning when our kisses were sincere, meaningful, and passionate.
Your hair upon the pillow like a sleepy golden storm
Your hair, resting on the pillow like a beautiful golden mess, reminds me of our intimate moments together.
Yes, many loved before us, I know that we are not new
I am aware that we are not the first to experience love, many others have come and gone before us.
In city and in forest they smiled like me and you
Love is universal and people, regardless of where they come from or where they go, experience love just like we do.
But now it's come to distances and both of us must try
Our relationship is being tested by the physical distance between us, but we must try to overcome it.
Your eyes are soft with sorrow
I can see the sadness and pain in your eyes, which makes it difficult for us to part ways.
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye
Parting with sadness and sorrow is not the right way to say goodbye, it should be done with love, respect, and dignity.
I'm not looking for another as I wander in my time
I am not interested in pursuing any other relationships as I journey through life, my love for you remains.
Walk me to the corner, our steps will always rhyme
Even as we go our separate ways, we will always share the memories of our times together, and our steps will always be in sync.
You know my love goes with you as your love stays with me
Our love transcends the physical distance between us, my love goes with you, and your love stays with me.
It's just the way it changes, like the shoreline and the sea
Our love, like the shoreline and the sea, changes over time, but its essence remains the same.
But let's not talk of love or chains and things we can't untie
Talking about our love and the ties that bind us will only cause more pain and sorrow, let's just part ways with love and respect.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Leonard Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheXynos7
That's No Way To Say Goodbye
(Ce N'est Pas La Bonne Façon De Dire Adieu) is a song by Leonard Cohen
I loved you in the morning,
Je t'ai aimée le matin,
Our kisses deep and warm,
Nos baisers profonds et brûlants
Your hair upon the pillow
Ta chevelure sur l'oreiller
Like a sleepy, golden storm,
Comme une tornade d'or ensommeillée
Yes many loved before us,
Oui beaucoup se sont aimés avant nous
I know we are not new,
Je sais que nous ne sommes pas les premiers
In city and in forest
En ville et en forêt
They smiled like me and you,
Ils souriaient comme toi et moi
But now it's come to distances
Mais maintenant nous en sommes arrivés à la froideur
And both of us must try,
Et nous devons tous deux faire des efforts
Your eyes are soft with sorrow,
Tes yeux sont adoucis de chagrin
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
Hey ce n'est pas la bonne façon de dire adieu
I'm not looking for another
Je ne recherche pas quelqu'un d'autre
As I wander in my time,
Alors que j'erre jour après jour
Walk me to the corner,
Accompagne-moi jusqu'au coin de la rue
Our steps will always rhyme
Nos pas s'accorderont toujours
You know my love goes with you
Tu sais mon amour part avec toi
As your love stays with me,
Comme ton amour reste avec moi
It's just the way it changes,
C'est seulement la façon qu'il change
Like the shoreline and the sea,
Comme la limite de la grève et de la mer change avec les marées
But let's not talk of love or chains
Mais ne parlons pas d'amour ou de chaînes
And things we can't untie,
Ou de choses que nous ne pouvons défaire
Your eyes are soft with sorrow,
Tes yeux sont adoucis de chagrin
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
Hey ce n'est pas la bonne façon de dire adieu
I loved you in the morning,
Je t'ai aimée le matin,
Our kisses deep and warm,
Nos baisers profonds et brûlants
Your hair upon the pillow
Ta chevelure sur l'oreiller
Like a sleepy golden storm,
Comme une tornade d'or ensommeillée
Yes many loved before us,
Oui beaucoup se sont aimés avant nous
I know that we are not new,
Je sais que nous ne sommes pas les premiers
In city and in forest
En ville et en forêt
They smiled like me and you,
Ils souriaient comme toi et moi
But let's not talk of love or chains
Mais ne parlons pas d'amour ou de chaînes
And things we can't untie,
Ou de choses que nous ne pouvons défaire
Your eyes are soft with sorrow,
Tes yeux sont adoucis de chagrin
Hey, that's no way to say goodbye.
Hey ce n'est pas la bonne façon de dire adieu Leonard Cohen
Mehdy Hassan
Also let's have a big round of applause for the person playing Harmonica
cosette
it's the most beautiful lyrics i've ever heard, so true, so raw
Geraldine Corrigan
He’s so classy l love his works
Eunita Pitout
And Leonard did say goodbye ,as he wanted it darker. The depth and feeling of his music is mesmerizing .
Thank you Leonard.
SOLIMAN THE GOÉLAND
When leonard cohen sings his angels are silent!
Zack Zallie
"I forget to pray for the angels and then the angels forget to pray for us."
Poisen Ivie
Heaven sounds like LC now I bet
waywardmusiclabel
Absolutely!! -''Ten Francs'' about busking Leonard Cohen's "'That's No Way"' song in a Paris subway in the 80's. https://youtu.be/ucuv4fEwxJs
Mirela Ivanova
"But let's not talk of love or chains, and things we can't untie..."
Thank you, sir Leonard Cohen!!
rt'09 *pachuau
This version has an even more somber tone. And i like it even more..