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.
Is This What You Wanted
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was the morning after
You were Jesus Christ my Lord
I was the money lender
You were the sensitive woman
I was the very reverend Freud
You were the manual orgasm
I was the dirty little boy
And is this what you wanted
To live in a house that is haunted
By the ghost of you and me?
Is this what you wanted...
You were Marlon Brando
I was Steve Mcqueen
You were k.y. jelly
I was vaseline
You were the father of modern medicine
I was Mr. Clean
You where the whore and the beast of Babylon
I was Rin Tin Tin
And is this what you wanted...
And is this what you wanted...
You got old and wrinkled
I stayed seventeen
You lusted after so many
I lay here with one
You defied your solitude
I came through alone
You said you could never love me
I undid your gown
And is this what you wanted...
And is this what you wanted...
I mean is this what you wanted...
That's right, is this what you wanted...
In Leonard Cohen's song "Is This What You Wanted," the lyrics depict a relationship between two individuals with starkly contrasting identities. Each stanza introduces different opposing pairs of characteristics, such as "You were the promise at dawn/I was the morning after" and "You were Marlon Brando/I was Steve Mcqueen." The tone of the song is melancholic, as the chorus continuously asks the question, "Is this what you wanted?" The lyrics suggest that the relationship was not built on genuine connection or understanding, but rather on surface-level impressions and expectations. The final verse indicates that the singer has grown old while the other person has lost their beauty and lust, yet they are still together - highlighting the theme of a relationship that is not built on love, but rather on other motivations.
Line by Line Meaning
You were the promise at dawn
You represented hope and potential for the future.
I was the morning after
I was the aftermath of the excitement and anticipation you brought.
You were Jesus Christ my Lord
You held an idealized, godlike position in my mind and heart.
I was the money lender
I was focused on material possessions and profit.
You were the sensitive woman
You were in touch with your emotions and empathetic towards others.
I was the very reverend Freud
I was an authority figure who believed in the power of the mind and analyzed people's behaviors and motivations.
You were the manual orgasm
You were passionate and intimate with others on a physical level.
I was the dirty little boy
I was crude and immature in my actions and desires.
And is this what you wanted
Are you satisfied with the way things have turned out?
To live in a house that is haunted
By the ghost of you and me?
To be constantly reminded of our past and unfulfilled expectations?
You were Marlon Brando
You were cool, iconic, and respected.
I was Steve Mcqueen
I was slick and stylish, but not as memorable or legendary.
You were k.y. jelly
You were sensual and desirable.
I was vaseline
I was less effective and less desired as a lubricant.
You were the father of modern medicine
You were a pioneer and innovator in your field, saving lives and inspiring others.
I was Mr. Clean
I was average and not particularly remarkable.
You where the whore and the beast of Babylon
You had a dark, sexual side and an intimidating presence.
I was Rin Tin Tin
I was loyal and obedient, but not a standout or memorable.
You got old and wrinkled
You aged and lost your youthful appearance.
I stayed seventeen
I stayed young and immature in my thinking and behavior.
You lusted after so many
You were unfaithful and constantly seeking new sexual partners.
I lay here with one
I stayed committed to one partner, despite their unfaithfulness.
You defied your solitude
You refused to be alone and constantly sought out new people and experiences.
I came through alone
I embraced being on my own and didn't rely on others for my happiness.
You said you could never love me
You were honest about your lack of romantic feelings for me.
I undid your gown
I was able to break down your emotional barriers and have an intimate moment with you.
And is this what you wanted...
Are you truly happy and satisfied with what you have, or do you feel a sense of disappointment and regret?
That's right, is this what you wanted...
Yes, this is the reality of our situation, and we need to confront it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LEONARD COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark TheRegularDude
The Last Shadow Puppets brought me here, and now I'm exploring the legendary work of Mr. Cohen... amazing
Otavio Augusto
Me too
stream2watch
That's some body of work to discover. About half a century worth. Congratulations. I was once like you :) Feeling sentimental now.
Roger Bennett
A very rich seam you have discovered.
rain505
me too
fer ♡
this! <3
Lisa Smith
Amazing artistry... We miss you, Mr Cohen. You are in the soundtrack to my life.
Mimille
Yeah so all of these are old already released songs right ?
common autumn
@Mimille yup. 1974.
Ed Bethea
Best