Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Ask and answer questions about Leonard Cohen, his work, this forum and the websites!
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B4real
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Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by B4real »

I have to add:

“You know who I am,
You’ve stared at the sun,
Well I am the one who loves
Changing from nothing to one”.

and then:

“I lit a thin green candle
To make you jealous of me,
But the room just filled up with mosquitos,
They heard that my body was free”.

this too:

“For now I need your hidden love,
I’m cold as a new razor blade,
You left when I told you I was curious,
I never said that I was brave”.

lastly:

"I have tried in my way to be free".
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
Rain
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 10:20 pm

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Rain »

My favorite lines are a tie between these:


"....the new Jerusalem glowing, why tarry all night in this ruin?...."
and
"...ring the bells, that still can ring...."
and
"....my mirrored twin, my next of kin, I'd know you in my sleep....."

This man, Mr. Cohen, is a gift from God......

Rain
Lisbeth
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Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 11:34 pm

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Lisbeth »

May Christ have mercy on your soul for playing such a joke ;-)

From The Captain
Diane

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Diane »

Confetti mentioned on here Italian LC covers, and I realise this is Leonard's best line:

amore amore amore amore amore amore amore ritorna qui

from Lover Lover Lover, sung in Italian by Gilberto Lamacchi, on the cd of Italian LC covers from the Berlin event. Laura Facci sang this so beautifully in Berlin, but alas she never recorded it (I check her website from time to time).
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QueenofSolitude
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Location: New York, New York

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by QueenofSolitude »

and is this what you wanted?
to live in a house that is haunted?
by you and me
and you sank beneath her wisdom like a stone
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somewhat_nifty
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Location: London, UK

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by somewhat_nifty »

There are many, many lines of Leonard's work that are dear to my heart, but I suppose the one that often springs to mind, and first arrested my attention when I listened to So Long, Marianne, is this:

We met when we were almost young
Deep in the green lilac park
You held onto me like I was a crucifix
As we went kneeling through the dark.

I just find that unutterably moving, powerful, poignant. Always have, always will.
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
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QueenofSolitude
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Location: New York, New York

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by QueenofSolitude »

Had to add:

You who wish to conquer pain,
you must learn what makes me kind;
the crumbs of love that you offer me,
they're the crumbs I've left behind.
Your pain is no credential here,
it's just the shadow, shadow of my wound.


these lines just, ooooffff, straight through the gut and out the other side
and you sank beneath her wisdom like a stone
Lilifyre
Posts: 234
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 7:29 am
Location: Birmingham, AL, USA

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Lilifyre »

Sisters of Mercy has many lines that I adore but I think my favorite is:

"We weren't lovers like that
and besides it would still be alright."

Lili
Lili
"Well, that's my story
I admit it's broken and it's bleak
But all the twisted pieces fit
A 1000 kisses deep."
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Mollydog
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Location: Ottawa, Canada

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Mollydog »

It's really hard to pick lines from the Ballad of the Absent Mare as it is such a beautiful song, but these words always create a strong image for me when I hear them.

she steps on the moon
when she paws at the sky


Also these lines from Boogie Street are so powerful.

So come, my friends, be not afraid.
We are so lightly here.
It is in love that we are made;
In love we disappear
1972 London/1974 London/1985 Montreal/1993 Ottawa/2008 Montreal,London O2/2009 NYC Beacon,Kingston,Ottawa X 2,Barcelona,Las Vegas,San José/2010 Malmo,Las Vegas X 2/2012 Verona,Vancouver,Montreal X 2,Ottawa,Kingston/2013 NYC, Hamilton
Lilifyre
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Location: Birmingham, AL, USA

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Lilifyre »

I couldn't sleep so I decided to pop in the ear buds and check out some of Leonard's tunes on YouTube....ones I don't have in my collection and/or haven't paid much attention to. Gotta love this line from "Do I Have to Dance All Night"
You touch me like I touch myself
Great line!!!!!!!!!

Lili
Lili
"Well, that's my story
I admit it's broken and it's bleak
But all the twisted pieces fit
A 1000 kisses deep."
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Geoffrey
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Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Geoffrey »

"I hovered on the edge of my orgasm like a parachutist in the whistling doorway"
[Beautiful Losers - 1:39]
literman
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Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:14 pm

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by literman »

Put out your cigarette, my love,
you've been alone too long;
and some of us are very hungry now
to hear what it is you've done that was so wrong.


follow me the wise man said,
but he walked behind


The stories of the street are mine,the Spanish voices laugh.
abby
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Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:41 pm
Location: southern new mexico/el paso

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by abby »

'You don't know me from the wind' has been with me for a while; it reminds me of these lines: 'I don't want a purpose in your life I want to be lost among your thoughts the way you listen to New York City when you fall asleep.' Forgive me for not looking the thing up and finding the line breaks. Death to this Book can finish this paragraph of threats; I've been miserable!

In another vein entirely: 'O bridge of silk, O single strand of spittle glistening, a hair of possibility, and nothing works, nothing works but You.'
Cate
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:27 am

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by Cate »

Most of you was naked
Ah but some of you was light.
HelenD
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Location: Stockport

Re: Your Favorite Leonard Cohen Line

Post by HelenD »

Thanks for resurrecting this thread. I have not been here before and have just spent considerable time reading the whole 13 pages - all the time thinking about what my favourite line is. However, I have failed to reach a conclusion. It is difficult to choose a favourite Leonard song, let alone a line. If I had to choose, I think it would be something from If it be your will or Hey thats no way to say goodbye.

Helen
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