Leonard Cohen love songs?

[brian1982]

Do you consider Dance Me To The End Of Love a "love song"...or what other songs do you think might better fit the description of a love song.

[John Etherington]

Hi Brian,
Indirectly you raise an important point...Leonard has never written a love song in the "Well be loving each other forever and ever" vein! His most beautiful songs are written to departed or distant lovers (Hey - That's No Way to Say Goodbye, Aiin't No Cure for Love, The Window). When there's tenderness, there's always a sense of temporality (Winter Lady, Chelsea Hotel, True Love Leaves No Traces). In Take This Longing Leonard sings "like you would do for one that you love" - so the love is unrequited. As I 've said elsewhere, Leonard's songs combine a yearning for love, with a spiritual longing that no earthly woman could fulfil. So, in answer to your question, Dance Me To the End of Love may be the closest Leonard has got to writing a love song! Best wishes, John E

[lizzytysh]

As well as "Dance Me to the End of Love," "Because Of" is certainly an aggregate love song. Love and gratitude, thanking women for their lifelong love, love along the way, and demonstrations of love, now. I also hear "There For You" as a love song.

[step]

I think alot of the stuff works as love songs, Joan of Arc, Famous Blue Raincoat, Diamonds in the Mine, Teachers the list goes on.
"The universal bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen, to determine who will serve and who will eat"

[lizzytysh]

Oh, yes! Another of my favourite, incredibly graphic lines. Scenes just start flashing, like neon signs, in my mind when I hear or read that one.

[linmag]

I think I'm Your Man and The Smokey Life would qualify as love songs.

[linda_lakeside]

In my ears "I'm Your Man" is definitely a love song and a damn fine one. I should be so lucky!

Smokey Life I think deals more with a past encounter as opposed to all out love -as the lyric says "it's light enough to let it go". It is, however, one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite CDs.

[lizzytysh]

I agree that "I'm Your Man" is a dynamic love song. With "Smokey Life," I take the ". . . light enough to let it go" not to necessarily indicate the lack of intensity of the relationship to begin with, but rather the ending of the struggle to accept the loss of the relationship. Denial is finally gone. Acceptance is finally on the horizon. At last, able to accept 'failure' and loss with gentleness and dignity.

[linda_lakeside]

Sorry, Lizzy, but I feel that I have to stick to my guns on this one. Earlier on in the song he says " long ago we agreed to keep it light" and then "so let's be married one more night". I take the "married" as simple sex and I think that it was agreed to be that way. To keep it light. Also, he says or rather the lyric says, "remember when the scenery started fading, I helped you learn to walk on air". That I take to mean that he was there for her (temporarily) while she worked something out. He helped her to take care of herself. But what do I know? Love is a very strange game!

[Jonnie Falafel]

Hi Step, Sorry to be so nit-picky, but the "bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen" isn't "universal" but "homicidal".......

[lizzytysh]

. . . which also just happens to be universal .

[Rob]

I'm your man.

A love song, or a song of seduction? Call me old fashioned but I think there is a difference.

Rob.

[lizzytysh]

That's okay, Linda. My perspective of it goes a little like this ~

"Long ago" suggests they've been together quite awhile, much longer than either had planned or thought it would last. "We agreed to keep it light" ~ what people 'agree to' certainly isn't what it always ends up being. Going to the other end of the continuum, people "agree to" what they say in their wedding vows. We all know the rate there. I've seen where one-night stands have metamorphed into permanent relationships. Agreeing to "keep it light" could have been an insulation against pain, hurt, rejection, when you [knowing the odds against you] pair up with someone, with whom the likelihood is that it won't work]. Can't tell you without checking ~ well, knowing the incubation period of Leonard's songs, it really wouldn't do any good, anyway ~ how long ago the song was written, and how it aligns with Leonard's relationship with Rebecca.

However, for my purposes, I can use the two of them as an example to make my point. She's the much younger, charming, beautiful actress. He's a much older, profound, charming mentor-type poet. A long-term pairing wouldn't necessarily be a 'given' in either of their thinking. She might go off with a younger man. He might go off with another woman. Despite her beauty, her intelligence, and her charm, it remains a given that he is highly desirable, and may go off, either to another ~ or simply on his own, also a pattern in his life. However, they're certainly loving and enjoying each other for the moment. So, they insulate themselves emotionally with, "Let's just keep it light." "Yes, okay. I think you're right." I can easily see an "Annie Hall" dialogue, with each of their thoughts projected above their heads during the course of it.

Their relationship works well.....far better than either truly expected, or dared hope for, and their relationship settles into more of a marital connection, as they live together, set and achieve goals, plan ahead, enjoy the moment, and become a real part of each other's lives. Eventually, sadly, their relationship slowly begins to metamorph in other directions.

She may have become depressed or sad about something. Or, she may have been that, when she first entered his life, with her still wanting to "keep it light" [I think of someone in the emotional state of Janis Joplin, when I look at it in this way] His gratitude of these times together, and his 'older' perspective may have helped her through this time. He was there for her. She learned to 'walk on air' as a result of her acquired belief in herself, brought about through him. He knew things were going to turn out fine for her, and was able to successfully encourage her in that direction. She benefited from their alliance. However, in the end, it was still not to be, and they sadly came to realize they both needed to go on in different directions, without each other. Realizing this did not make it any easier. Their parting was still going to be painful. The pain that was coming from their changed relationship began to merge with the pain of their knowing they must part.

The wiser, older one sadly knows the truth of this and takes the initiative to say, in essence......"We promised to keep it light, anyway. It became more than either of us expected. Let's be grateful for what we had together. Let's part as kindly and lovingly as we came together so long ago. Let's be 'married' one more night. It will help me to let go of you, as I know I must. It will help you to let go of me, as you know you must."

For me, the song is taking the high road in the dissolution of a relationship that had become unexpectedly very meaningful for both. I 'see' him as bolstering himself in his loss and having to let go of all the good, telling himself now that everything will be fine for him, and wanting to part as lightly and beautifully as they had come together.

This is a song I've only heard within the past couple of years. I'm going strictly by my memory of the lyrics, without listening to it as I write. Leonard has remained friends with the vast majority of his lovers. He may have written this one about a past encounter, but I never took it to be that. From that perspective, however, "The Smokey Life" could easily and rightfully be construed as the social setting of a bar where they met, as the onset of their brief encounter...and where the 'maritally'-associated spending the night together for one night, which developed into a brief, conjugally-based relationship began. 'That life' can more predictably go the way that you interpreted the song than the way I have . "One more night" of the prevailing force that joined them....and, then, a sweet goodbye.

My preference has always been to read more into the song than that, however; but, then, that's me . Once I listen to the song, again, I may agree with you .

~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

Hmmmm. I've always seen 'I'm Your Man" as an all-out attempt to 'get someone back.' It's generally understood than noone can be 'everything' to another person. Yet, in this song, he's willing to try, and running his own campaign to do just that ~ to play any and every role, or any combination, thereof, for her. A virtual begging by presentation of self, with proclamation and exclamation of willingness [all with the positive thinking of 'foregone conclusion']. Definitely a love song .

~ Lizzy

[linda_lakeside]

Well, as I tend to lean toward brevity I'd just like to thank you for your insightful and articulate reply to my post re: Smokey Life. I like your take on I'm Your Man as well . As far as Smokey Life goes, your view almost got me to thinking about jumping the fence...however I guess we'll have to just agree to disagree!!