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.
In My Secret Life
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
I saw you this morning
You were moving so fast
Can't seem to loosen my grip
And I miss you so much
There's no one in sight
And we're still making love
In my secret life
In my secret life
I smile when I'm angry
I cheat and I lie
I do what I have to do
To get by
But I know what is wrong
And I know what is right
And I'd die for the truth
In my secret life
In my secret life
Hold on, hold on, my brother
My sister, hold on tight
I finally got my orders
I'll be marching through the morning
Marching through the night
Moving cross the borders
Of my secret life
Looked through the paper
Makes you wanna cry
Nobody cares if the people
Live or die
And the dealer wants you thinking
That it's either black or white
Thank God it's not that simple
In my secret life
I bite my lip
I buy what I'm told
From the latest hit
To the wisdom of old
But I'm always alone
And my heart is like ice
And it's crowded and cold
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
In my secret life
Leonard Cohen's "In My Secret Life" is a poignant, introspective stay on the secret, personal thoughts of the singer. The repeated "In my secret life" phrase anchors the song and is an admission that there are deep, hidden parts of him that most people don't get to see. He deals with the sadness of a broken relationship in his everyday life, but in his secret life, he's still with his lover. As he thinks about moving on, he acknowledges that he may have to lie or cheat along the way, but he still stands by his convictions to do the right thing when it matters.
The song's second half takes a turn and becomes outwardly critical of the world we live in, Cohen laments about how people's lives are disregarded and how the media and society keep us in a state of confusion. Yet, in his secret life, Cohen selects to maintain his values and continues to support his beliefs. The chorus of the song, with the strings and bass in the background, creates a somber tune throughout the song, reflecting the underlying tone of melancholic nostalgia for what was and no longer is.
Line by Line Meaning
In my secret life
The singer has a secret life that is filled with feelings, thoughts, and actions that they keep private from the rest of the world.
I saw you this morning
The singer saw someone they love, but they're unable to let go of the past and its memories.
You were moving so fast
The person they saw is moving on while the singer is stuck in the past.
Can't seem to loosen my grip
On the past
The artist is holding on to the past and is unable to let go and move on.
And I miss you so much
The artist misses the person they love who is gone and unreachable.
There's no one in sight
The singer is alone and doesn't have anyone to confide in or share their secret life with.
And we're still making love
In my secret life
The singer still has feelings for the person they love, and in their secret life, they're still together.
I smile when I'm angry
The artist puts on a brave face despite their true emotions and feelings.
I cheat and I lie
The artist admits to doing things they're not proud of in their secret life.
I do what I have to do
To get by
The artist does what they need to do to survive and cope with their problems.
But I know what is wrong
And I know what is right
Despite their actions, the singer still has a moral compass and knows the difference between right and wrong.
And I'd die for the truth
In my secret life
The artist values the truth and is willing to die for it if necessary.
Hold on, hold on, my brother
My sister, hold on tight
The singer encourages others to hold on and stay strong despite their struggles.
I finally got my orders
I'll be marching through the morning
Marching through the night
Moving cross the borders
Of my secret life
The singer has decided to take action and move forward with their secret life, even if it means crossing borders and boundaries.
Looked through the paper
Makes you wanna cry
The news and events in the world are depressing and disheartening.
Nobody cares if the people
Live or die
The artist believes that society is apathetic and indifferent towards the suffering of others.
And the dealer wants you thinking
That it's either black or white
The artist criticizes the media for oversimplifying complex issues and creating false dichotomies.
Thank God it's not that simple
In my secret life
The singer is grateful that life is more nuanced and complicated than what is presented in the media, especially in their secret life.
I bite my lip
I buy what I'm told
From the latest hit
To the wisdom of old
The singer acknowledges that they're not always authentic and often conform to societal norms and expectations.
But I'm always alone
And my heart is like ice
And it's crowded and cold
In my secret life
Despite having a secret life, the artist is still lonely and unhappy, even if they try to conceal it from the world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Leonard Cohen, Sharon Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@naonaonia
I miss you, Leonard... From Poland. Farewell my Master, ferewell...
@briancharles1141
Love his music and he ain't depresing or boring so fuc. Off people who don't like it. I love it he sings from the heart
@sayran111
słyszałem że Leonard miał koncert w Polsce i pluje sobie w brodę że mnie tam nie było
@naonaonia
@@sayran111 Mnie niestety też nie było((( Ale cóż...jego muzyka nam pozostała. Pozdrawiam.
@Re-bl5sr
Did you get so see him live?
@naonaonia
@@Re-bl5sr Tak.
@andrewlowe9969
If every human being experienced Leonard Cohen's music we might live in a better world. He was an amazing talent and mind. For those of us who have experienced him he will never be forgotten. We all must pass his legacy on to our children and make sure they do the same. RIP Leonard you were and still are a legend!
@olgamountain9904
How beautifully said, sweetheart.
@marcusrasborg6874
I’m 19 years old but Leonard Cohen is my favourite artist! It shall be one of my life goals to keep his music alive and spread it out to the younger generations.
@leiper72
Congratulations for tihs, Leonard's songs can be a very big trust and also pleasure to the most of emotions we have.. I found him even in the late 80s and was hooked from the first stroke.. ;)