The legendary Canadian poet, writer and singer was born on September 21, 1934 and lived 86 years, passing away on November 7, 2016.
Possessing a pleasant baritone, he began with folk music, gradually beginning to perform pop and cabaret, and in the 80s he began to sing with female backing vocals, even lowering his voice.
Most of his songs are full of deep meaning, and lyrics can be parsed into quotes. Loneliness, religion, sexuality and relationships are the main topics Cohen sang on.
In this article, we decided to recall the 10 most popular songs of Leonard Cohen (subjectively, of course) and consider in detail what they are about. You probably heard many of them, but you might not have noticed the meaning.
10. Famous Blue Raincoat
This song became the sixth on his album Songs of Love and Hate and was recorded in 1971.
She tells of two brothers who do not communicate, despite kinship. One of them writes to the second that he misses and forgives, and also hopes that he is doing well.
The reason for their disagreement was a woman, as is often the case even with close relatives.
The theme of the love triangle is often raised by Cohen in his songs, but it’s Famous Blue Raincoat considered the most "strong".
9. I’m Your Man
Song I’m your man - The fourth in a row in the album of the same name musician. The album was released in February 1988, and was recorded from August to November 87th.
The title track, as well as the album as a whole, Cohen continues his research in the field of syntypop, and does it more confidently than in previous releases.
This composition is an appeal to a woman expressing a willingness to be what she wants.
«If you need a boxer, I’ll enter the ring for you. If you want to embed someone - here I am!"- Cohen sings.
Even now, after three decades, the song remains extremely popular in the West, especially in karaoke, where it is performed by men to their lover.
8. Bird on the Wire
Bird on the wire was recorded in 1968 in Nashville, and in 1969 the musician included it in the album Songs from a Room.
Despite the fact that she did not shine on the charts (she showed the best result in France, having reached the 137th line), the song “went to the people” and began to be very popular.
Cohen sings that like a bird on a wire he tried to be free, not wanting anyone to harm. He apologizes to the woman for his wrongness and convinces her that even if he cheated in life, then she will never. He swears by this song and his mistakes that he will make amends.
7. So Long, Marianne
«So long marianne"- a song from the singer's debut album, which he wrote in 1967. Cohen was inspired by her acquaintance with Marianne Jensen, whom her husband abandoned with his six-month-old son.
In the text, he confesses his love to her, as they really had a long romance.
The singer helped the girl in difficult times and invited her to live, and she happily agreed. They maintained a warm relationship until their death and passed away with a difference of 3 months.
6. Suzanne
This composition was also recorded in 1967 and was included on the same album as So Long, Marianne.
The popular music publication New Musical Express placed it at number 303 on the list of the top 500 songs in history, and included the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Suzanne in your top 500 best.
This is one of Leonard Cohen's most frequently sung songs, which many artists have covers on.
It is dedicated to his love for a girl named Suzanne, as the name implies, but the most interesting thing is that this love is purely platonic.
A sublime and romanticized story that can touch even a burnt cynic.
5. Everybody Knows
And back to the album again I’m your man 1988 since the song Everybody knows precisely from it (recorded with the participation of Sharon Robinson).
Gloomy and pessimistic, it contains allusions to a huge number of problems of modern society: AIDS, drugs, relationships and religious issues.
The composition was used and continues to be used everywhere: in games, films, advertising, etc. So, she can be heard in the picture "Cut to the fullest"Directed by Alan Moyet in 1990 with starring Christian Slater.
4. Dance Me to the End of Love
The most interesting thing about the composition Dance Me to the End of Love - the story of its creation. Leonard Cohen once heard a story about how musicians in German concentration camps were forced to play for prisoners who were sent to gas chambers.
People went to a painful and terrible death, but sometimes they did it under the cheerful, cheerful music that the guards forced them to play.
It was this story that sown in Cohen’s soul the seed from which the song Dance Me to the End of Love subsequently sprouted.
Everyone who heard her believed that she was about love, about wonderful feelings, and few could think what kind of “background” she had.
The composition was even staged at weddings (and continues to do so), to which the author, who knew perfectly well about this, was quite calm. He believed that if such a tragic story ultimately serves for something good, then that's great.
3. The Future
The future - The first song from the ninth (eponymous) album of Leonard Cohen, released in 1992. This is one of his most famous works, which some critics and listeners consider to be number 1 in his discography.
The composition is a gospel choir, although there is not much spiritual and Christian in it. In the text, the author collected and harmoniously compiled dirt, death, hypocrisy, greed and other vices on the one hand against the Bible and God on the other.
Anal sex, Stalin, the Berlin Wall, Hiroshima, Jesus Christ - all this creates an incredible symbiosis. The moral and main idea, as usual, is that love will save the world.
«I’ve seen the nations rise and fall. I’ve heard their stories, heard them all. But love’s the only engine of survival", Which can be roughly translated as:"I have seen the rise and fall of powers. I heard their stories, heard them all, but only love will save us from death».
2. Waiting for the Miracle
Composition "Waiting for a miracle"Refers to the same album The futureas the previous one, but only this is no longer gospel.
Waiting for the miracle - soulful ballad recorded with a synthesizer. The general meaning of the song will be well understood by almost everyone, because so many people live in anticipation of a miracle. They reject opportunities, do not take the necessary steps, and everyone waits for a miracle to come. And so half a life can pass, or even that.
Well, if you manage to catch up on time, otherwise you can continue to wait, but a miracle will not happen.
«I’ve been waiting night and day.
I didn’t see the time,
I waited half my life away.
There were lots of invitations
And I know you sent me some,
But I was waiting
For the miracle, for the miracle to come »
What translates as:
"I waited day and night
I have not seen the time
I waited half my life
I got a lot of offers
And I know some from you
But I was waiting. I was waiting for a miracle to come. ”
1. Hallelujah
Finish the selection of songs Hallelujah from the 1984 album Various positions, which has been repeatedly sung by other performers.
Among others, she was performed by Bob Dylan, Bono and Bon Jovi at the concert, and Alexandra Burke won with her in the show “The X Factor”.
The composition does not need an introduction: it is most often used from the Cohen’s repertoire as soundtracks, covers, etc.