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"; 1905โ1978), 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 (1891โ1943), 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 Garcรญa 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 countryโfolk 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.
I Can't Forget
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got ready for the struggle
I smoked a cigarette
And I tightened up my gut
I said this can't be me
Must be my double
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't forget but I don't remember what
I'm heading down to Phoenix
I got this old address
Of someone that I knew
It was high and fine and free
Ah, you should have seen us
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't forget but I don't remember who
I'll be there today
With a big bouquet of cactus
I got this rig that runs on memories
And I promise, cross my heart,
They'll never catch us
But if they do, just tell them it was me
Yeah I loved you all my life
And that's how I want to end it
The summer's almost gone
The winter's tuning up
Yeah, the summer's gone
But a lot goes on forever
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't forget but I don't remember what
In Leonard Cohen's song "I Can't Forget," the singer wakes up and prepares for a challenge ahead, all while questioning the identity of the person he sees in the mirror. He then sets out on a journey to Phoenix with an old address of someone he once knew, but he can't quite remember who they are. As he drives, he reflects on memories of his past, promising to never be caught and to end his life with the love he's always known. The song constantly plays with the idea of forgetting and remembering, showcasing the complexities and contradictions of memory.
The lyrics of "I Can't Forget" can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but one common reading is that the singer is haunted by the past and struggling to reconcile it with his present. His journey to try and remember someone he once knew can be seen as an attempt to grapple with nostalgia and the inevitability of change. The promise to end things with the love he's always known also speaks to the power of memory to comfort and guide us through difficult times.
One interesting aspect of "I Can't Forget" is that it was originally written and recorded for Cohen's 1988 album "I'm Your Man," but a different version of the song appeared on his 1992 album "The Future." The new version features a more upbeat tempo and a fuller, more polished sound. Another fact is that the song was covered by artists such as Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave, and Jennifer Warnes, showcasing its enduring popularity. Additionally, the lyrics "I promise, cross my heart, they'll never catch us" are a reference to the childhood oath "cross my heart and hope to die."
Chords: D - G - D - A - D
Line by Line Meaning
I stumbled out of bed
I got up from my bed in a clumsy manner
I got ready for the struggle
I prepared myself for a difficult day ahead
I smoked a cigarette
I smoked a cigarette to calm my nerves
And I tightened up my gut
I tensed my stomach muscles to brace for impact
I said this can't be me
I didn't recognize myself in my current situation
Must be my double
I thought that perhaps there was another version of myself causing my troubles
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't shake the memories and emotions that haunt me
I can't forget but I don't remember what
I can't forget the pain, but I can't remember exactly why it hurts
I'm burning up the road
I'm driving fast and recklessly
I'm heading down to Phoenix
I'm on my way to Phoenix, Arizona
I got this old address
I have an address to an old acquaintance
Of someone that I knew
The address belongs to someone I used to know
It was high and fine and free
The memories associated with this person are positive and carefree
Ah, you should have seen us
We were happy and carefree together
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't shake the memories and emotions that haunt me
I can't forget but I don't remember who
I can't forget the good times, but I can't remember who I shared them with
I'll be there today
I plan on visiting this old acquaintance today
With a big bouquet of cactus
As a gift, I will bring a large bouquet of cactus plants
I got this rig that runs on memories
My mind is constantly running on memories of the past
And I promise, cross my heart,
I swear with complete sincerity
They'll never catch us
We will always be free from the constraints of society
But if they do, just tell them it was me
If we are caught, I will take full responsibility
Yeah I loved you all my life
I have loved you for my entire life
And that's how I want to end it
I want to end my life still loving you
The summer's almost gone
Summer is ending and time is passing quickly
The winter's tuning up
Winter is approaching and change is coming
Yeah, the summer's gone
Summer is over and time is moving on
But a lot goes on forever
Despite the passage of time, some things stay with us forever
And I can't forget, I can't forget
I can't shake the memories and emotions that haunt me
I can't forget but I don't remember what
I can't forget the pain, but I can't remember exactly why it hurts
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEONARD COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@terryannjohnson623
I can't forget that I miss you Leonard...
@reneedavies9231
They don't notice me forgetting
@Timur-nu5uz
V grudi dva serdca UA i Geo.
@iainstevenson6658
Who does so much w so little for so many and so much down the years?
Our geniuses like Dylan, Mitchell and Cohen.
Peace and praises
@AndreaCorrea-dy3bm
Great song! I always thought this song was too short and wish it was longer.
@paulinesmalley2481
You will never be forgotten.
@janinedookun7116
Beautiful. R.I.P.
@peedee1262
RIP n thank you for your light n force๐
@jonbryan330
This and "It's Closing Time" are my fav of his. R.I.P. you did well on earth.
@anitaberberich6079
I love him and his beautiful songs. I miss him ๐๐๐๐โโ๏ธ