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.
Store Room
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not the moon coming like a headlight through your window
It's not the thumbnail of a screen that scrapes away your dream
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
It's not the news of burning towns that ruins your mind
Like a spool you turn and you turn but it won't unwind
No these wars you did not start they don't tear your sleep apart
And now this woman by your side well she's asleep
And there's nothing you can give her and there's nothing you want to keep
You don't even try to prove that the noisy neighbour's making love
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
Well go to sleep and change the locks when you wake up
Share your toast maybe spill some coffee from your cup
There's nothing left to choose and there is so much more to lose
There's this man taking what he needs from the store room
It's not the news of burning towns that ruins your mind
Like a spool you turn and you turn but it won't unwind
No these wars you did not stop they don't tear your sleep apart
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
And now this woman by your side well she's awake
But there's nothing you can give her there's nothing you want to take
You don't even try to prove that the noisy neighbour's making love
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
Well go to sleep and change the locks when you wake up
Share your toast maybe spill a little coffee from your cup
He's got nothing left to choose and you've got so much more to lose
There's a man taking what he needs from the store room
Leonard Cohen's song Store Room is a haunting and sorrowful portrait of a man who is resigned to his fate. The lyrics speak of various factors that may contribute to the man's insomnia, such as the wind, snow, and moon, but ultimately reveal that it is not these external forces that keep him awake. Rather, it is the knowledge that there is a man - likely himself - taking what he needs from the store room that is eating away at his conscience.
The song touches on themes of guilt, regret, and the weight of one's actions. The man is burdened by the knowledge that he has taken something that does not belong to him, and this knowledge keeps him up at night. Cohen also explores the idea that some things are beyond our control, such as wars and burning towns, and yet they can still have a profound impact on our lives.
The final verse of the song suggests that the man's guilt has affected his relationship with the woman by his side. He feels that he has nothing to give her and nothing he wants to keep, and is resigned to the fact that he is taking what he needs from the store room. The final lines bring a sense of finality to the song, with the suggestion that the man should change the locks and accept his fate.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the wind that keeps you up it's not the snow
External factors are not the cause of your insomnia.
It's not the moon coming like a headlight through your window
The moon is not the reason you can't sleep.
It's not the thumbnail of a screen that scrapes away your dream
Social media is not what's keeping you awake and anxious.
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
The actual reason you can't sleep is that you're worried about something specific.
It's not the news of burning towns that ruins your mind
External events are not the root of your mental distress.
Like a spool you turn and you turn but it won't unwind
You are trapped in a cycle of worry and cannot find relief.
No these wars you did not start they don't tear your sleep apart
The world's problems are not something you are personally responsible for.
And now this woman by your side well she's asleep
Your partner is unaware of your inner turmoil.
And there's nothing you can give her and there's nothing you want to keep
You feel as though you have nothing to offer in your current state of mind.
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
Your worry is still the root of all your problems.
Well go to sleep and change the locks when you wake up
You need to take action to protect your own mental health.
Share your toast maybe spill some coffee from your cup
You should try to connect with others and take solace in the little things in life.
There's nothing left to choose and there is so much more to lose
You need to take action now before you lose everything.
There's this man taking what he needs from the store room
Your worry is still consuming you and you need to do something about it.
And now this woman by your side well she's awake
Your partner is now aware that something is wrong.
But there's nothing you can give her there's nothing you want to take
You still feel helpless and unable to improve your situation.
You don't even try to prove that the noisy neighbour's making love
Even the little annoyances in life don't matter when you're consumed by worry.
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room
Your problem still stems from your own internal struggles.
He's got nothing left to choose and you've got so much more to lose
You can't continue to let your worry control your life.
There's a man taking what he needs from the store room
You need to confront your worry head-on and start taking action to address the root of the problem.
Contributed by Mila T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Segi gise
"It's not the news of burning towns that ruins your mind
Like a spool you turn and you turn but it won't unwind
No these wars you did not start, they don't tear your sleep apart
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room"
and
"And now this woman by your side, well, she's asleep
And there's nothing you can give her and there's nothing you want to keep
You don't even try to prove that the noise is neighbors making love
It's just a man taking what he needs from the store room"
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Davidovsky
He's gone, but masterpieces like this will remain forever. Genius.
KRAZEEIZATION
Brilliant song!
Assaf Weinberg
one of the best ever unknown songs of this great legend and greatest poets
Russell McCallum
He will be missed..... :( But never forgotten.
I thank you so much Leonard, also for this song,
After you put me on, The path I belong,
R.I.P as I gaze at the moon,
And if all else fails, I'll see you soon.
Peace.
Amazon Crime
Tellement.
User
Songs of Leonard Cohen is so good that the leftovers are good
Ljubisa Keravica
So far I have not noticed serious genius Leonard Cohen. Jako wonder that in its 60 years, I have not noticed such a great talent. Mr. Cohen, I'm really fascinated by your talent. I've never been so surprised to discover that there is another Elvis Presley. Thank you share your talents to the people and makes us rejoice
Best Regards from Serbia.
stanthonysfire
Elvis didn't write his own songs.
Caio Graco
Leonard para sempre
Anne Collinet
i love this song ...too much!!!