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.
That Don
Leonard Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I had to do it drunk
Took my diamond to the pawnshop
But that don't make it junk.
I know that I'm forgiven,
But I don't know how I know
I don't trust my inner feelings
How come you called me here tonight?
How come you bother
With my heart at all?
You raise me up in grace,
Then you put me in a place,
Where I must fall.
Too late to fix another drink
The lights are going out
I'll listen to the darkness sing
I know what that's about.
I tried to love you my way,
But I couldn't make it hold.
So I closed the Book of Longing
And I do what I am told.
How come you called me here tonight?
How come you bother with my heart at all?
You raise me up in grace,
Then you put me in a place,
Where I must fall.
I fought against the bottle,
But I had to do it drunk
Took my diamond to the pawnshop
But that don't make it junk.
"That Don" is a song by Leonard Cohen about a man fighting his inner demons while grappling with relationships and addiction. The lyrics of the song suggest that the singer is struggling with alcoholism and has had to fight against the temptation of drinking. He acknowledges that his addiction has caused him to make some terrible decisions, such as pawning his most prized possessions in order to satisfy his cravings. However, he does not believe that this makes those items worthless, just undervalued.
The singer also shows an awareness that he has made mistakes and hurt people in the past, but he is uncertain that he truly deserves the forgiveness he has received. He questions his own inner feelings and motivations, wondering if they can be trusted. He then ponders why the person who called him to be with them would bother with his heart when they just raise him up and then let him fall.
Through the song, Cohen expresses the complexities of addiction and relationships, highlighting the struggles that people face in life. The lyrics suggest that the singer is trying his best to overcome his addictions and make amends, but he still feels the weight of his past.
Line by Line Meaning
I fought against the bottle,
I tried to quit drinking, but it was a difficult process.
But I had to do it drunk
I had to drink in order to face my problems.
Took my diamond to the pawnshop
I gave up something valuable.
But that don't make it junk.
Just because it's not valuable to me anymore doesn't mean it's worthless.
I know that I'm forgiven,
I am aware that I've been forgiven for my actions.
But I don't know how I know
I don't understand how it's possible for me to be forgiven, given my past.
I don't trust my inner feelings
I am wary of my own emotions.
Inner feelings come and go.
My emotions are fleeting and unreliable.
How come you called me here tonight?
I don't understand why you wanted to see me tonight.
How come you bother
Why do you care about me?
With my heart at all?
What do you want from me emotionally?
You raise me up in grace,
You make me feel good about myself.
Then you put me in a place,
But you always bring me back down.
Where I must fall.
And I am left feeling powerless.
Too late to fix another drink
It's too late to fix things now.
The lights are going out
The situation is becoming increasingly bleak.
I'll listen to the darkness sing
I will try to find solace in my sadness.
I know what that's about.
I understand my own pain.
I tried to love you my way,
I tried to love you in my own unique way.
But I couldn't make it hold.
But it wasn't enough to make our relationship work.
So I closed the Book of Longing
So I gave up on my hopes and dreams.
And I do what I am told.
And I am now resigned to following orders.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEONARD COHEN, SHARON ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamesstewart88
It took me 73 years to discobver Leonard but it was worth it!!!
@carolehebert3167
Éé8
@keenanketsdever590
oh wow, you are really late to the game, but at least you made it !
@andyginestra6333
Were you busy filming at the time? I understand. You're an excellent actor. Especially MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.
@sharonbrooks1794
Somehow I found Leonard just a few months before he passed, I was broken-hearted...he was just such a treasure, I got his books of poetry, and several others.....Love our Leonard. His son, Adam is also very gifted...beautiful songs and poetry. My darling Jewish poet, ❤️ you All
@sharonbrooks1794
Somehow I found Leonard just a few months before he passed, I was broken-hearted...he was just such a treasure, I got his books of poetry, and several others.....Love our Leonard. His son, Adam is also very gifted...beautiful songs and poetry. My darling Jewish poet, ❤️ you All
@pamelacorke5103
A presence since I was 15 in 1967... saw him in 2013 .. still listen ..
@JimboBond71
Outstanding, its an apologetic and explanatory love song to God, for not realising his obvious spiritual and soul desires, his diamond, and rather succumbing to the women and the wine, a beautiful and very powerful song.
@rcchdsound8782
no es solo la voz, los instrumentos, el soundstage,,, espectacular, nice
@madsleonardholvik3040
I love this song