Famous Blue Raincoat - Leonard Cohen

Lyrics
Its four in the morning, the end of december
Im writing you now just to see if youre better
New york is cold, but I like where Im living
Theres music on clinton street all through the evening.

I hear that youre building your little house deep in the desert
Youre living for nothing now, I hope youre keeping some kind of record.

Yes, and jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear
Did you ever go clear?

Ah, the last time we saw you you looked so much older
Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
Youd been to the station to meet every train
And you came home without lili marlene

And you treated my woman to a flake of your life
And when she came back she was nobodys wife.

Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth
One more thin gypsy thief
Well I see janes awake --

She sends her regards.
And what can I tell you my brother, my killer
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
Im glad you stood in my way.

If you ever come by here, for jane or for me
Your enemy is sleeping, and his woman is free.

Yes, and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes
I thought it was there for good so I never tried.

And jane came by with a lock of your hair
She said that you gave it to her
That night that you planned to go clear

-- sincerely, l. cohen

• Category

  Music

[Jean Baillargeon]

Wow. I hadn't heard this song in years- it still sends a chill down by spine, especially at the end. The song I think is a letter written by a man to an old friend who had an affair with his wife- or the woman he is with, if you will. "Thanks for the trouble you took from her eyes, I thought it was there for good, so I never tried." Nobody else can write a line like that.

[Jim Bruce]

Cohen wrote years ago in the steamy glass of his bathroom "Caveat Emptor" let the buyer beware. He wanted people to be wary of buying/believing anything he said, "even this." His poetic words are wonderful but they are intended to unlock doors in you where your own meanings reside. Each time you listen to one of his songs you find a new meaning, that should never end. I dont' think he even has one idea in mind with his poems, they are more like fireworks going off in the sky, just feel.

[daemonicstar]

Wonderful summation. Bravo! :)



[Jim Bruce]

His voice has a lonely detachment to it, like he is the only person in the madhouse that understands what is happening, but he speaks in visions you can't quite wrap up into tidy parcels of meaning, even though you want to.

[pickle forbes]

yeah I'm with you on this one.....songs are not literal stories with fixed meanings...the best songs simply evoke what cannot be put into words. What transfixes me about Cohen's music is simply the sound and quality of his voice....its both incredibly dry yet sensuous at the same time...and yet it never lapses into sentimentality where faux emotion---like fast food---gives the impression of nutrition but ends in obesity.Or sumthing

[cyril dalverny]

...

[JEFF RAUSCHL]

Well spoken.

[Alex Lafourcade]

Love you so much... I.H <3.

[CriS B.]

his voice changed a lot! and i like his singing now! he's a fabulous man!

[Ishvani Hans]

It gives me some nostalgic feeling. What a beautiful song!

[mia moutza]

and that applies to all kind of art too :)

[Noeleen Ginnane]

Love it, and love it. I love it.

Linked this in my post. Hope it brings you muches traffic. :)

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