| Leonard Cohen – Came So Far for Beauty Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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it is beauty he's talking about, not wisdom. |
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| Jethro Tull – Locomotive Breath Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I learned a lot by reading many of you. This song started to have new meanings for me and also triggered me new thoughts. I first thought was of Waiting for Godot from Samuel Beckett and its overwhelming sensation that time never stops. And the issue of no solution neither with God or without God, nor winning or losing. And the handle is like Godot, something that could stop the suffering but never comes or was stolen, the same. An ilussion, even if it comes the suffering will not stop. At a universal level, all of us with different intensities, including the author of the song, feel somehow that way. It could be better or worse, with drugs, death, religion, modern life, old life or any addiction, winning or losing, with good or bad wife, victim or victimary. Whatever. The images are wonderful and so powerful. Silence howling: Haven't you ever hear it? A silence of no answers to the ultimate questions that hurts so much! These things that happen to believers and non-believers, to modern man and to the traditional man, to the winner and the loser. Catching angels as they fall: They are the falling angels like Satan or the falling angels of not believing or just falling angels. Cathching them for good or bad? Who knows? The all time winner could be God or a human winner but could also be inside oneself, the image of winner we all have in mind (and cannot stop having it) and that makes a slave of us to it throughout our life. We all have an all time loser and an all time winner inside. We always talk about "other things" when we write, but simultaneously we talk about ourselves at a different level of meaning. We all have children jumping at the stations, for god or bad, who knows? We all have woman and best friend in bed hurting us in our mind, whatever it means (like low self esteem in some cases, for example). I love the image of someone stealing the handle: God or Darwin or whoever is Charlie. But remember also that we (you who are reading this, myself, etc.) stole the handle and we have to face it. We are also responsible at some level. Very-very interesting: I googled "Old Charlie" and found "MTA" in Wikipedia. It talks about a song written in 1948 called Charlie in the MTA: "The lyrics are about a man named Charlie trapped on Boston's subway system, then known as the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)... It has become so entrenched in Boston that the city's subway system named its electronic card-based fare collection system the "CharlieCard" as a tribute to this song...The song's lyrics tell of Charlie, a man who gets aboard an MTA subway car. Charlie CAN'T GET OFF the subway as he didn't bring enough money for the "EXIT FARES" that were established to collect an increased fare without upgrading existing fare collection equipment. When he got there the conductor told him, "One more nickel." Charlie could not get off that train. Did he ever return, No he never returned And his fate is still unlearn'd He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston He's the man who never returned. After the third line of the chorus, audiences familiar with the song often call out "Poor Old Charlie!" In the Kingston Trio recording, after the final chorus, the song's lead singer Nick Reynolds speaks the words: "Et tu, Charlie?", an echo of Julius Caesar's famous "Et tu, Brute?" ("You too, Brutus?")." (my comment: This sounds to me like that Charlie is at the same time a victim ("poor") and a victimary ("the one who killed". "That's all humanity" as is said in Waiting for Godot. Life moves and never returns for us, like Charlie) Interesting coincidences, or not! Hope you enjoy it as I did! |
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| Leonard Cohen – Love Calls You By Your Name Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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For me it is clear. When I experienced love, it called me by my name. "You thought that it could never happen to all the people that you became..." You transform youself looking for love, you look for it in signals, in heavan and hell, -don't matter where you go- when it truly comes, it comes for you, it loves you as you only are, even if you don't know yourself. Otherwise it is not love. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Last Year's Man Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| I like your interpretation | |
| Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Interpreting Cohen as if he had an assertive message to tell us...doesn't work for mr. Above all he is making questions -not giving answers. And if it touches our emotions, it is because we have the same questions with no answers. Maybe one day we'll have it or not. Maybe they don't have answers. Maybe they are wrong questions that we make to ourselves. Or maybe they are questions-answers at the same time. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Light as the Breeze Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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An this phrase is magical: "And she says, Drink deeply, pilgrim but don't forget there's still a woman beneath this resplendent chemise." It makes me crazy. At the same time that there is this sublime thing you adore and fully submitt, there is still a woman...a human being like you! How can you compose both in your mind? You will try to be in the other's shoes, but you will never be. And the other way round if the submission is from someone to oneself. I doesn't match! |
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| Leonard Cohen – Light as the Breeze Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I agree. I listen to it and my hormones devour me. There are some phrases that I adore but are still an enigma to me, like: "...and it ain't exactly prison but you'll never be forgiven for whatever you've done with the keys." |
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| Leonard Cohen – On That Day Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| The best thing I've ever read/heard about that day. | |
| Leonard Cohen – If It Be Your Will Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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If the author doesn't say who he is talking about is because he doesn't want to make it explicit and leave it to the listener own personal interpretation. That makes the piece much more powerful. In my case I though of God. At some point he starts talking about us, so I think he is talking about someone that call have effects on many and not just one person he loves. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Ain't No Cure for Love Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| And that's why "true love leaves no traces". | |
| Leonard Cohen – I'm Your Man Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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About tremendous love. And about wisdom in love. He lets her free choice, it's the true love: "If you want to work the street alone I'll disappear for you, If you want a father for your child or only want to walk with me a while" And he can account for it: No matter what you want, even in dispair: Here is a man. He doesn't say he is nothing (it's not about submission), he is a whole man. And I know that whatever I do for love, it will not betray the man I am, because it's for love. I can be what the winds of love want me to be, because love is in me. See this also tremendous love song from Chico Buarque from Brazil: "Behind the door" (Atrais da porta) When you looked right in my eyes And your look was of farewell I swear I did not believe I missed you I leaned on your body and doubted And I crawled and scratched you And I clung to your hair Your chest Your pajamas At your feet At the foot of the bed Without affection, without blanket On the carpet behind the door I complained quietly To curse our home To dirty your name, to humiliate you And deliver myself at any price Worshiping you inside To show that I am still yours Just to prove that I am yours. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Who by Fire Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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About the questions: In this mirror could be in his own sauce, in his own law, drown in his own production. For good or bad. Could be about death. But it is interesting that Cohen doesn't mention death. So let's feel free to call it different ways of death or life transformation or ...about? Not about hell. There are many positive phrases: "merry, merry month of may", "...in the sunshine", "...in this realms of love". "Who is calling". Again Leonard doesn't say that God is calling or death is calling. He is asking. That's the interesting thing: Who could be sure about who has called him to ...by water or fire? |
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| Leonard Cohen – Who by Fire Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| In this mirror is in his own sauce. | |
| Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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We all know somewhere deep inside or in the upfront conscience about these injustice and the harm thay the produce to the world and to us within it. If everybody knows, why doesn't anybody do something to improve it? Because everybody is talking to their pockets. And why is everybody talking to their pockets? Because we are not naked persons, we are part of the system and if you get out of the machine -thanks Pink Floyd- ay...ay...you are so terrible alone. If you don't talk to your pockets, how will you survive? Begging? You become part of the Old Black Joes..you don't want to be. And if you are in the system, your own mind and thoughts will be in the system. Everybody knows that the naked man and woman Are just a shining artifact of the past Everybody knows the scene is dead But there's gonna be a meter on your bed That will disclose What everybody knows. A system has its own life and will: why if not disclose what everybody knows? It is part of the show. Thanks again Pink Floyd for the insights on the facism of the shows in the Wall. You will be measured, because you are the system and you are the measure itself. You are not anymore the naked man and women. What is being yourself? Does anyone remember? Is there anybody out there? Naked like on the other side of the Wall, after the trial. Wow, where you feel forgiven forever, becuase you have already been fully judged, becuase your inner self has already judged the accusers. But on this side of the Wall, Everybody knows. But somewhere in "My Secret Life" song Cohen says: "And the dealer wants you thinking that it’s either black or white. Thank G-d it’s not that simple in My Secret Life". God takes you out of the dialectic prison of just being the system or being Old Black Joe. You can also be your secret -enormously rich- life. |
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| Leonard Cohen – First We Take Manhattan Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Oh! How many twisted interpretations. And even Cohen can do twisted interpretations of his own songs. Feel it! It is a positive song. He is happy! I agree with the person who says that he is coming with the music to change the world. Remember the words at his first album: "I think I can heal you with my song" or alike. Signal of the heavens: I don't know how, but I am doing it. i Of course you will be bored if you try to save the world through understanding from inside and suffering it to get the living reality as it is. It is not as fun as being a rock and roll star. But this is not entretainment, this is about changing the world. See how the beautiful losers already changed it. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Alexandra Leaving Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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It can be interpreted many ways. But cohen chose words refering to the love of a woman which is about to leave. The explicit is also important, not only the implicit. She will go, you are prepared to what will happen to you since you've been through this experience, but you will suffer anyway as the first day. And if you don't suffer the loss of love, you have not fallen in love. "As someone long prepared for the occasion; In full command of every plan you wrecked - Do not choose a coward's explanation that hides behind the cause and the effect". You are prepared, but there are no excuses, face the fact and suffer what you have to suffer. You will suffer anyway. "It's not a trick, your senses all deceiving, A fitful dream, the morning will exhaust" There is no way out, no trick, you have loved with all your senses, wisdom will not help here, the light of the morning will make as real in all your flesh. "Do not say the moment was imagined; Do not stoop to strategies like this" Don't fool yourself. Again the same message. "And you who were bewildered by a meaning; Whose code was broken, crucifix uncrossed - Say goodbye to Alexandra leaving. Then say goodbye to Alexandra lost" Don't ask for a meaning. Just say goodbye. Don't mix with explanations, don't stayed linked to the past, even if it was an epiphany, . Mourn it as much as you need, assume it, code broken (no words to explain it), no religion to relieve it (crucifix uncrossed), reality is there with its full power, whatever yoe ito with your mind. Face it: It's the only way to be redeemed. Beautiful words chosen by Leonard to say this. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Alexandra Leaving Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Great comment! Cohen has talked here about meaning, which is the subject of this website. He has given his o opinion. And myself I like it too. |
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| Leonard Cohen – Ain't No Cure for Love Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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What is the meaning of this song? What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of existence? There cannot be a meaning, a meaning is a reason, a cause, and a cause is always part of the existence: As it cannot be its cause, being a part, therefore there cannot be a reason for existence. But sometimes...maybe only when you are in love, you feel it. You seem to catch it. And you know -somehow you know it- it has no reason, it is because of it itself. But why only when you are in love? I just stay with the title of this song: There cannot be a cure for what gives meaning to your existance. Love wraps you. It if doesn't wrap you, it is not love. And it doesn't have the effect of giving you the absolute meaning of existance. Why it needs a cure? Because once you've seen it, you can never forget it, given it is the meaning of your existance. I wraps you, so it wraps your memory also. So you cannot forget. You will never stop to desire, by definition it wraps your desire. And you will never get there, by definition, it determines your actions. You are there, but you cannot see it or think it, because the instrument to watch it is coarser than the absolute. That's why it's a pain you can't give up and can't stop wanting to give up. It wraps both. You don't want to be cured. You know you cannot cure. That's why there ain't no cure for love. |
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| Leonard Cohen – A Thousand Kisses Deep Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I like the paradoxes: "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". At certain level you win, but there is a level inside where there will always be insatisfaction, where you'll never be god. Great with the paradox "invincible defeat" as with the "swallowed appetite" in Joan of Arc. But, of, when are really in love -a thousand kisses deep- and you see nothing else, you are baptized by love, all looks 100% real, you can feel it. Or is it really real? This is an experience for all. But to enter better you should who have nothing to lose: "The wretched and the meek". Because to be fully focused, you don't have to be focused on losing something. Full commitment is required. So you should be nothing. But how to be nothing? It has to happen to you, you cannot decide to be nothing, because it is you doing something then. And here is the ilusion of getting there through the sensation of absolute that sex gives us. We are confined to take actions in that illusion, since we cannot do nothing to reach the absolute we desire. "Confined to sex, we pressed against The limits of the sea; I saw there were no oceans left For scavengers like me". Sea and oceans being the absolute, one is just a scavenger looking for it in sex. This defeat (this illusion) is in our nature, that's why it is invincible. Boogie street is normal life. OK, after the little death of sex or dillusion, whatever, lets go back to earth and common sense. It helps. But there's always that feeling of incompleteness: "The file on you complete, Except what we forgot to do, A Thousand Kisses Deep." |
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| Leonard Cohen – A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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As always there could be many levels of interpretation, known or unkown to the author. The author may write with an idea of meaning in mind, but he also may be an instrument of something happening in his unconscious. Or even the same words could have different meanings for different people, since texts are made of symbols that are interpreted through the glass of experience. For me these could be all ourselves for example, the part of ourselves (these heroes must always live there where you and I have only been) unrealized which feels the sacrifice of being but cannot exploit our full potential and be recognized. I like the idea of idols when talking about turning into gold. The jewish influence of Cohen may come with its rejection of idols in this song. When you turn into gold you are not you anymore. You may be recognized, for something you don't really feel you are. "And some of us are very hungry now to hear what it is you've done that was so wrong": And no one of us knows the real reason why we cannot be what we want to be. Which could be the original sin. This talks about everyone, every creature on earth: "I sing this for the crickets, I sing this for the army, I sing this for your children and for all who do not need me." |
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