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.
Sing Another Song
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah his fingernails, I see they're broken,
His ships they're all on fire.
The moneylender's lovely little daughter
Ah, she's eaten, she's eaten with desire.
She spies him through the glasses
From the pawnshops of her wicked father.
That some poor singer, just like me, had to leave her.
She tempts him with a clarinet,
She waves a Nazi dagger.
She finds him lying in a heap;
She wants to be his woman.
He says, "Yes, I might go to sleep
But kindly leave, leave the future,
Leave it open."
He stands where it is steep,
Oh I guess he thinks that he's the very first one,
His hand upon his leather belt now
Like it was the wheel of some big ocean liner.
And she will learn to touch herself so well
As all the sails burn down like paper.
And he has lit the chain
Of his famous cigarillo.
Ah, they'll never, they'll never ever reach the moon,
At least not the one that we're after;
It's floating broken on the open sea, look out there, my friends,
And it carries no survivors.
But lets leave these lovers wondering
Why they cannot have each other,
And let's sing another song, boys,
This one has grown old and bitter.
The lyrics of Leonard Cohen's "Sing Another Song" depicts a tale of unrequited love and the despair that it brings. The song tells the story of a man whose ships are all on fire, and whose fingernails are broken; it is implied that he is in trouble and struggling. This man is then discovered by a woman, who is the daughter of a moneylender. She is eaten with desire for him and tries to seduce him through a microphone that was left to her by a poor singer. She also tempts him with a clarinet and a Nazi dagger. The man is lying in a heap, and the woman says she wants to be his woman. However, the man replies that he might go to sleep, but she should leave the future open.
The man seems to be lost and in despair, while the woman is filled with desire for him. But neither of them can have each other. The song then goes on to describe how the woman will learn to touch herself while all the sails burn down like paper. The man lights a cigarillo, and the lyrics state that they will never reach the moon, at least not the one that they are after. The moon is floating broken on the open sea with no survivors. Then, the singer asks to leave these lovers wondering why they cannot have each other and sing another song, indicating that the first one has grown old and bitter.
Fact 1. "Sing Another Song" is a track on Leonard Cohen's third studio album, "Songs of Love and Hate," released in 1971.
Fact 2. The album's original title was "Songs of Love and Despair," but Cohen's producer, Bob Johnston, preferred "Songs of Love and Hate."
Fact 3. The album initially received a mixed response from critics but has since been considered one of Cohen's finest works.
Fact 4. The album cover features a photo by Cohen's longtime collaborator, friend, and lover, Suzanne Elrod.
Fact 5. Cohen spent several years on the Greek island of Hydra, where he wrote many of the songs that appear on the album.
Fact 6. Cohen was heavily influenced by Federico Garcia Lorca and his style of poetry and songwriting.
Fact 7. "Sing Another Song" has been covered by several artists, including Jeff Buckley, who was heavily inspired by Cohen's work.
Fact 8. The song's theme of unrequited love and despair is a recurring theme in Cohen's work.
Fact 9. Cohen's father, Nathan Cohen, was a successful businessman who died when Leonard was only nine.
Fact 10. Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
Chords (from Ultimate Guitar):
Verse: Em, Bb, A, Em
Chorus: G, D, A, B
Line by Line Meaning
Ah his fingernails, I see they're broken,
The man being described is physically worn out and exhausted, his fingernails are broken.
His ships they're all on fire.
The man's life is falling apart, he's losing everything he has.
The moneylender's lovely little daughter
The woman mentioned is a financial predator who preys on vulnerable people.
Ah, she's eaten, she's eaten with desire.
The woman is full of greed, she wants more and more money and power.
She spies him through the glasses
The woman is watching the man, she's interested in his vulnerability.
From the pawnshops of her wicked father.
The woman comes from a bad family background and has inherited her father's greedy and manipulative tendencies.
She hails him with a microphone
The woman is using her power and influence to exploit the man.
That some poor singer, just like me, had to leave her.
The woman has acquired the microphone from a musician who was forced to give it up because he was exploited by her.
She tempts him with a clarinet,
The woman is using music as a tool to manipulate the man and get what she wants.
She waves a Nazi dagger.
The woman has a threatening and aggressive nature, she's willing to use violence if necessary.
She finds him lying in a heap;
The man is in a vulnerable position, physically and emotionally.
She wants to be his woman.
The woman wants to have control over the man and to own him like a possession.
He says, 'Yes, I might go to sleep
The man is aware that he's in a dangerous situation, but he's too weak to fight back or to do anything about it.
But kindly leave, leave the future,
The man is asking the woman to stop manipulating him and to let him go, to not tie him down to a future that he doesn't want.
Leave it open.'
The man wants to have freedom and the possibility to make his own choices, he doesn't want to be trapped in a hopeless situation.
He stands where it is steep,
The man is standing at the edge of a cliff or a dangerous situation, he's about to make a dangerous decision.
Oh I guess he thinks that he's the very first one,
The man thinks that he's unique and special, that he can handle the dangerous situation that he's in.
His hand upon his leather belt now
The man is trying to look tough and cool, holding onto his leather belt like it's a helm or a steering wheel.
Like it was the wheel of some big ocean liner.
The man is imagining himself as a captain of a big ship, but in reality, he's in a very different situation.
And she will learn to touch herself so well
The woman will become so skilled at manipulating and exploiting people that she'll be able to do it without any effort or hesitation.
As all the sails burn down like paper.
Everything that the man had and relied on is gone, it's all burning down.
And he has lit the chain
The man has accepted his fate and is ready to take action, to make a decisive move.
Of his famous cigarillo.
The man is trying to look cool and collected, smoking his cigarillo as if he doesn't have a care in the world.
Ah, they'll never, they'll never ever reach the moon,
The man has lost all hope, he knows that he'll never achieve his dreams or his goals.
At least not the one that we're after;
The man's dream is different from what other people are chasing, his goals are unique and personal.
It's floating broken on the open sea, look out there, my friends,
The man's dream is dead and gone, he's lost at sea, adrift and without direction.
And it carries no survivors.
The man's dream is so destructive that it can't be shared or sustained by others, it only leads to loss and despair.
But lets leave these lovers wondering
The man is using the story of the woman and himself as an example to illustrate a larger point.
Why they cannot have each other,
The woman and the man can't have each other because they're both selfish, manipulative, and destructive.
And let's sing another song, boys,
The man is suggesting that they move on from this sad story and try to find something more positive and uplifting in life.
This one has grown old and bitter.
The story of the woman and the man has become stale and unpleasant, it's time to move on and find something better.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Leonard Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel Amir
Ah his fingernails, I see they're broken,
His ships they're all on fire.
The moneylender's lovely little daughter
Ah, she's eaten, she's eaten with desire.
She spies him through the glasses
From the pawnshops of her wicked father.
She hails him with a microphone
That some poor singer, just like me, had to leave her.
She tempts him with a clarinet,
She waves a Nazi dagger.
She finds him lying in a heap;
She wants to be his woman.
He says, "Yes, I might go to sleep
But kindly leave, leave the future,
Leave it open."
He stands where it is steep,
Oh I guess he thinks that he's the very first one,
His hand upon his leather belt now
Like it was the wheel of some big ocean liner.
And she will learn to touch herself so well
As all the sails burn down like paper.
And he has lit the chain
Of his famous cigarillo.
Ah, they'll never, they'll never ever reach the moon,
At least not the one that we're after;
It's floating broken on the open sea, look out there, my friends,
And it carries no survivors.
But lets leave these lovers wondering
Why they cannot have each other,
And let's sing another song, boys,
This one has grown old and bitter.
Stephen Reed
(Let's sing another song, boys, this one has grown old and bitter.)
Ah his fingernails, I see they're broken,
his ships they're all on fire.
The moneylender's lovely little daughter
ah, she's eaten, she's eaten with desire.
She spies him through the glasses
from the pawnshops of her wicked father.
She hails him with a microphone
that some poor singer, just like me, had to leave her.
She tempts him with a clarinet,
she waves a Nazi dagger.
She finds him lying in a heap;
she wants to be his woman.
He says, "Yes, I might go to sleep
but kindly leave, leave the future,
leave it open."
He stands where it is steep,
oh I guess he thinks that he's the very first one,
his hand upon his leather belt now
like it was the wheel of some big ocean liner.
And she will learn to touch herself so well
as all the sails burn down like paper.
And he has lit the chain
of his famous cigarillo.
Ah, they'll never, they'll never ever reach the moon,
at least not the one that we're after;
it's floating broken on the open sea, look out there, my friends,
and it carries no survivors.
But lets leave these lovers wondering
why they cannot have each other,
and let's sing another song, boys,
this one has grown old and bitter
matte
The very first line, 'let's sing another song boys. This one has grown old and bitter," is so damn well delivered.. You feel the world weariness in his voice. It genuinely drew me in into making this my favourite Cohen song.
NavMan Shack
Leonard always spoke and sung with such conviction, he could've led a revolution.
Valentín Quiroga
One of the best vocal performances I've ever listened to in my entire life.
Big favorite of mine.
Ben Greaney
100%
bread
I've always found this song terribly underrated. Cohen's vocalizations and the background vocals starting at 4:30 feel so full of feeling, it gives me chills.
skunkjobb
Yes, I think this is one of his best songs, yet mostly unknown to the greater audience.
HARDAC
Yes, its really something another.
Ceeps
Absolutely agree. One of my very favorites of his.
john taylor
I think this is one of Cohens greatest songs; a sort of peak in his power to tell emotions. There is nothing quite like it. I'm always amazed when I hear it. It's even better than you thought it was!
Christopher Helton
Exactly! I've been a Cohen fan since my college days. For me, "Songs of Love and Hate" is Cohen's "Blonde on Blonde": while he continued to produce consistently superb work until the end of his life (a level of consistency Dylan can't claim), "Songs of Love and Hate" marked a sort of satori--a brief unveiling of the curtain obscuring the ground of reality. Even Cohen's most well honed albums (think "Recent Songs," "I'm Your Man," "The Future") have at least one weak track (if not an outright dud) on them. "Songs of Love and Hate"? Not a single weakling. Each song is a gut punch.
By extension, the 1970 Isle of Wight concert (from which this album track was taken) is to Cohen what the 1966 "Royal Albert Hall" concert was to Dylan. And, in this, we see a clear Yin/Yang dichotomy. While Dylan and the Hawks blasted the shit out of all the naysayers with unfiltered rock 'n' roll bombast, Cohen comes in gentle, soothing, taming the angry crowd (far larger and angrier, btw, than what Dylan faced in Manchester) with a Spanish guitar, two back-up singers, and a fairly sparse band. Just compare Dylan's "I don't believe you! You're a LIAR!" to Cohen's "Ohhh, we're sorely in need of matches." I'm not trying to compare apples and oranges: the fact is, I LOVE both Dylan's 1966 show and Cohen's 1970 show. I'm just pointing out the historical parallels between them.