Marc Cohn (born July 5, 1959 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a Grammy-award winning … Read Full Bio ↴Marc Cohn (born July 5, 1959 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter, best known for his song "Walking in Memphis" (often misattributed to Bruce Springsteen or Michael Bolton) from his self-titled 1991 album Marc Cohn.

According to the Walking In Memphis Songfacts, Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman 's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne , he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.

He has issued two other studio albums to date, The Rainy Season (1993) and Burning the Daze (1998), both on Atlantic Records. A self-released live compilation, Live 04-05 (2005), is being sold at concerts on his current tour.

He is the most famous graduate of Beachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. He attended Oberlin College as well. In addition, Cohn is notably married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas whom he met at the 1999 US Open after being introduced by Andre Agassi. Cohn and Vargas have two sons: Zachary Raphael (born on January 31, 2003) and Samuel Wyatt (born on August 16, 2006). Cohn has two other children— Max and Emily—from a previous marriage.

On August 7, 2005, Cohn was shot in the head during an attempted carjacking, following a concert with Suzanne Vega in Denver, Colorado. He was hospitalized and released the next day. The remaining concerts on the tour were cancelled.

Cohn released The Very Best Of Marc Cohn in June 2006, and his 4th studio album, Join The Parade, was released on October 9, 2007. He continues to tour to this day. For photographs and additional information visit Marc's official website, www.MarcCohn.net.

Listening To Levon
Marc Cohn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was sitting with Mary
In my dad?s blue Valiant
Rain was coming down
And the radio was playing
Mary was talking
A million miles a minute
I could not hear one word she was saying

Cause I was lost
I was gone
Listening to Levon
In another world
In another place
I was was lost
I was gone
Listening to Levon
I was looking at Mary?s eyes
But I was listening to Levon

Mary?s hair was black
That much I remember
Mary?s was skin was smooth
I remember that too
And she opened her eyes
Sometimes when she kissed me
I don?t know why she did that
Maybe Mary knew

I was lost
I was gone
Listening to Levon
In another place
In some other world
I was was lost
I was gone
Listening to Levon
I was looking at the girl
But I was listening to Levon

I changed her name
To protect the innocent
I might have even lied
About the car
This is just to say
Sorry if I hurt you
Mary if you?re out there
You know who you are

I?m sorry Mary

It serves me right if
You can?t even hear me singing
If you tuned me out a long time ago
And it served me right
If you already changed the station
And you?re listening right now to that old boy on the radio

And you?re lost
And you?re gone
Listening to Levon
In another world
From some other place
Are you lost?
Are you gone?
Listening to Levon

Is there a smile your face
While you?re listening to Levon?

Overall Meaning

The song "Listening to Levon" by Marc Cohn tells the story of a man who is lost in his own world, listening to the music of Levon Helm while he is on a date with a woman named Mary. The lyrics express how the man is completely absorbed in the music and unable to hear the words Mary is speaking. The storyteller goes on to describe Mary's physical appearance, mentioning her black hair and smooth skin, yet it is clear that his attention is not on her. The storyteller then changes the name of the woman to protect her identity and writes a message of apology to her, expressing regret for having been so distracted during their time together.

While it may seem like the story of a failed relationship, "Listening to Levon" is actually a tribute to Levon Helm, who was best known as the drummer and vocalist for The Band. Helm passed away in 2012 due to cancer, and the song was written as a tribute to him. The lyrics paint a picture of a man so entranced by Helm's music that he is unable to focus on anything else, even the woman he is on a date with. The song's chorus repeats the line "listening to Levon" as a way of expressing the power that Helm's music had over the storyteller.

The song is a beautiful tribute to a talented musician, but it also speaks to the role that music can play in our lives. It has the power to transport us to other places and other times, to evoke powerful emotions and memories, and to bring people together in shared experiences. In this way, "Listening to Levon" is not just about one man's love for a musician, but also about the universal experience of music and its ability to affect us deeply.

Line by Line Meaning

I was sitting with Mary In my dad?s blue Valiant
The singer was with a person named Mary in a blue Valiant car that belonged to their father.

Rain was coming down And the radio was playing
It was raining and the radio was on.

Mary was talking A million miles a minute I could not hear one word she was saying
Mary was talking very fast and the singer was unable to process or understand what was being said.

Cause I was lost I was gone Listening to Levon In another world In another place
The artist was lost in their own world, not present in the current situation, and listening to the song 'Levon'.

I was looking at Mary?s eyes But I was listening to Levon
Although the artist was physically with Mary, they were focused on the song 'Levon' rather than making eye contact or paying attention to her.

Mary?s hair was black That much I remember Mary?s was skin was smooth I remember that too And she opened her eyes Sometimes when she kissed me I don?t know why she did that Maybe Mary knew
The singer describes Mary's physical attributes and actions, but they are vague and do not have a clear meaning.

I changed her name To protect the innocent I might have even lied About the car This is just to say Sorry if I hurt you Mary if you?re out there You know who you are
The singer admits to changing Mary's name and possibly lying about details in the story, but apologizes for any hurt that may have been caused. They address Mary directly, assuming she will be able to recognize the situation.

It serves me right if You can?t even hear me singing If you tuned me out a long time ago And it served me right If you already changed the station And you?re listening right now to that old boy on the radio
The artist acknowledges that Mary may not even be listening to them, and that they may have lost their chance to connect with her. They imagine her listening to someone else on the radio.

And you?re lost And you?re gone Listening to Levon In another world From some other place Are you lost? Are you gone? Listening to Levon Is there a smile your face While you?re listening to Levon?
The artist wonders if Mary, or anyone listening to the song, is lost in their own world and potentially feeling the same emotions that the song conveys. They ask if there is any happiness associated with listening to the song.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., MARC COHN MUSIC
Written by: Marc Cohn

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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