Lover lover lover has been one of the songs I haven't had as a favorite, never took the time to really listen to it until now. In listening to it just now, I realize that here again is a Leonard Cohen song with multiple layers. The first impression that I get is a man singing to a woman who has left him. He's making excuses for his failures...
I asked my father,
I said, "Father change my name."
The one I'm using now it's covered up
with fear and filth and cowardice and shame.
But if you look a bit deeper, "lover" is synonimous with god. Leonard seems to use those two words almost interchangebly (lover/love and god). Father in this song could refer to both god and a physical human father.
I've learned NEVER to say I don't like a certain song of Leonard's. I like some more than others, but as soon as I say I don't like one, I give it another listen and find a depth that I hadn't imagined before.
Lili