A Thousand Kisses Deep

[euro]

I seem to remember somewhere a few years ago that I read that LC had written dozens of verse for his song/poem "A Thousand Kisses Deep". I have spent some time collecting these verse from various places, LC's books, Youtube and many concerts. My question is "Is there anywhere I can find all of the verse?"

I have had the pleasure of seeing LC in Copenhagen, Sydney, Brisbane and twice in Perth. LC recited Athousand Kisses in Sydney and I doubt there is any performer in the world who can interupt a concert to deliver poetry and have the audience totally spellbound - you could have heard a pin drop.

May you entertain us for another 75 years!

Frank

[MaryB]

Frank,

This might help you a bit. At least it is somewhere to start for you http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/kisses.html
It's from the LC files, The Blackening Pages. You might also try doing a search here, and then start from the oldest pages, where there were more in depth probings of this poem. Would love to see you post your results here.

Good luck on your quest!
Mary

[euro]

Hi Maryb,
Many thanks for your response, I will certainly post the "complete" poem when I'm done.

Cheers
Frank

[Goldin]

Hi Frank,

an index of known variants - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=27377
+ don't forget to include the newest recitation

Finally, I'm not sure about tour recitations. The poem was read 131 times, and I didn't find all the changes.
You're doing a great work. Good luck and keep us posted.

[euro]

Hi everyone,
Well, this is the result of a lot of fun collecting "A Thousand Kisses Deep". Some lines are repeated, but that seems to be the way Leonard recites his poetry. Each time I have seen him recite this poem on stage there are small differences, but nothing detracts from his performance. If only he would record the whole poem, it would top off my collection. There is no order in the verse, if anyone has any verse to add, I would appreciate all contributions.

The ponies run, the girls are young,
The odds are there to beat.
You win a while, and then it’s done
Your little winning streak.
And summoned now to deal
With your invincible defeat,
You live your life as if it’s real,
A Thousand Kisses Deep.

I’m turning tricks, I’m getting fixed,
I’m back on Boogie Street.
You lose your grip, and then you slip
Into the Masterpiece.
And maybe I had miles to drive,
And promises to keep:
You ditch it all to stay alive,
A Thousand Kisses Deep.

Confined to sex, we pressed against
The limits of the sea:
I saw there were no oceans left
For scavengers like me.
I made it to the forward deck.
I blessed our remnant fleet –
And then consented to be wrecked,
A Thousand Kisses Deep.

I’m turning tricks, I’m getting fixed,
I’m back on Boogie Street.
I guess they won’t exchange the gifts
That you were meant to keep.
And quiet is the thought of you,
The file on you complete,
Except what we forgot to do,
A Thousand Kisses Deep.

No matter if the road is long
No matter if its steep
No matter if the moon is gone
And the darkness is complete
No matter if we lose our way
Its written that we’ll meet
At least that’s what I heard you say
A thousand kisses deep

I loved you when you opened
Like a lilly to the heat
You see I’m just another snowman
Standing in the rain and sleet
Who loved you with his frozen love
His second hand physique
With all he is and all he was
A thousand kisses deep

I know you had to lie to me
I know you had to cheat
You learned it on your father’s knee
And at your mothers feet
But did you have to fight your way
across the burning street
when all our vital interests lay
a thousand kisses deep

I’m turning tricks, I’m getting fixed,
I’m back on Boogie Street.
I’d like to quit the business
But I’m in it so to speak
The file on you is peaceful
And the file on you complete
Except what I forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep.

No matter if you’re rich and strong
No matter if you’re weak
No matter if you write a song
The nightingales repeat
No matter if its nine to five
Or timeless and unique
You’d ditch your life to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep

I hear their voices in the wind
that sometimes did we seek
The band is playing auld lang syne
But the heart will not retreat
There’s no forsaking what you love
No existential leap
As witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep

You came to me this morning
And handled me like meat
You’d have to be a man to know
how good that feels, how sweet
my mirrored friend my next of kin
I’d know you in my sleep
And who but you would take me in
A thousand kisses deep

I know you had to lie to me
I know you had to cheat
To pose all hot and high
Behind the veils of shear deceit
Our perfect porn aristocrat
So elegant and cheap
I’m old but I’m still into that
A thousand kisses deep

I’m good at love I’m good at hate
Its in between I freeze
I’ve been working out but its too late
its been too late for years
But you look good you really do
They love you on the street
If I could move I’d deal for you
A thousand kisses deep

I was looking at the crucifix
The autumn moved across your skin
Got something in my eye
A light that doesn’t need to live
And doesn’t need to die a riddle in the book of love obscure and obsolete,
Til witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep

And I’m still working with the wine
Still dancing cheek to cheek
The band is playing auld langs syne
But the heart will not retreat
I ran with Diz, I sang with Ray
I never had their sweep
But once or twice they let me play
A thousand kisses deep

And sometimes when the night is slow,
The wretched and the meek,
We gather up our hearts and go,
A Thousand Kisses Deep.
But you don’t need to hear me now
And every word I speak
It counts against me anyhow
A thousand kisses deep

And fragrant is the thought of you
The file on you complete
Except what we forgot to do
A thousand kisses deep
I know you had to lie to me,
I know you had to cheat.
But the Means no longer guarantee
The Virtue in Deceit.

That truth is bent, that beauty spent,
That style is obsolete -
Ever since the Holy Spirit went
A thousand kisses deep.
So what about this Inner Light
That´s boundless and unique?
I´m slouching through another night
A thousand kisses deep.

And I´m still working with the wine,
Still dancing cheek to cheek.
The band is playing "Auld Lang Syne" -
The heart will not retreat.
And maybe I had miles to drive,
And promises to keep -
You ditch it all to stay alive
A thousand kisses deep.

And now you are the Angel Death
And now the Paraclete
And now you are the Savior's Breath
And now the Belsen heap.
No turning from the threat of love,
No transcendental leap -
As witnessed here in time and blood
A thousand kisses deep.

Don't matter if you lie to me
Don't matter if you cheat
When you sell me down the river
I'll pretend to be asleep
There's a pair of leather gloves for you
And a blade against your cheek
But it's strange what you forget to do
A thousand kisses deep


cheers
Frank

[MaryB]

Well done Frank! How in the world did you manage to get all this?
I have printed this out to add to page 12 of my copy of 'The Lyrics of LC'. Thank you for doing this!
Best regards,
Mary

[lizzytysh]

STUNNING, Frank!

Thank you so much for your beautiful work .


~ Lizzy

[euro]

Hi Mary,
I wish I could answer your question. Unfortunately I just started compiling from various sources without really taking any notes of where and when I collected the material. I listened to a lot of youtube clips, read every book I could and just kept collecting.
I just think that Cohen is the most astounding man and "A Thousand Kisses" the greatest peom ever written, clearly I am a Cohen tragic.
I can't even remember where I got the idea that there were so many verses.

I would pay a lot of money to have an original Cohen recording of all verse.

All the best - enjoy and have a great 2012

[MaryB]

Hi Frank,

Don't know if you've seen this, http://1heckofaguy.com/2011/12/30/video ... ard-cohen/ . Thought you might like to take a look.

Best regards,
Mary

[musicmania]

Impressive work Frank! Thank's so much for this!

[LisaLCFan]

Thank you, Frank! It is truly wonderful to see all these verses together.

May I make two small suggestions for alternate words? I hear "my mirrored twin, my next of kin", and also, "if I could move, I'd kneel for you." But, I may be wrong!

I would also love to hear Leonard recite this in its entirety! That would be sublime.

[euro]

Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your corrections. I'm not sure who is correct. There is another word where the choice was wine or wind and I could not distinguish what was right. I have also found that LC interchanges words and even lines at different times.

Thanks again

Frank

PS. I am making any suggested changes in my original word document and one day will post the whole peom again.

[euro]

Maryb,
Thanks very much for the url - heckofaguy - its one heck of a url!

Thanks

Frank