Cohen has definitely said that this song is about the terrorist mindset. There's a website (sorry don't have a link) which has gathered together all of his comments on each song. The line moving through the station is I think prisoners being transported from one jail to another (I saw this once in Italy - home of the Red Brigades).
I do think it's about Cohen going on tour as well. These songs will rarely be pinned down to a single interpretation. The monkey and the plywood violin I take to be a self-deprecating reference to his body and his musical talent.
Incidentally, the lyric above is incorrect - the line should read "my sister" not "your".
Just to add to my comments above, the reference to the line moving through the station also I think must refer to Jews being transported to the camps in WW2. The Lehi and others used terrorism in the process of struggling to create the state of Israel. Cohen at one point volunteered to go and fight for Israel but was persuaded that entertaining the troops would be a better use of his talents.
Just to add to my comments above, the reference to the line moving through the station also I think must refer to Jews being transported to the camps in WW2. The Lehi and others used terrorism in the process of struggling to create the state of Israel. Cohen at one point volunteered to go and fight for Israel but was persuaded that entertaining the troops would be a better use of his talents.
Cohen has definitely said that this song is about the terrorist mindset. There's a website (sorry don't have a link) which has gathered together all of his comments on each song. The line moving through the station is I think prisoners being transported from one jail to another (I saw this once in Italy - home of the Red Brigades).
I do think it's about Cohen going on tour as well. These songs will rarely be pinned down to a single interpretation. The monkey and the plywood violin I take to be a self-deprecating reference to his body and his musical talent.
Incidentally, the lyric above is incorrect - the line should read "my sister" not "your".
Might the website you refer to be the Leonard Cohen Files?
Might the website you refer to be the Leonard Cohen Files?
leonardcohenfiles.com/
leonardcohenfiles.com/
leonardcohen-prologues.com/
leonardcohen-prologues.com/
This is the website you are referring to.
This is the website you are referring to.
Just to add to my comments above, the reference to the line moving through the station also I think must refer to Jews being transported to the camps in WW2. The Lehi and others used terrorism in the process of struggling to create the state of Israel. Cohen at one point volunteered to go and fight for Israel but was persuaded that entertaining the troops would be a better use of his talents.
Just to add to my comments above, the reference to the line moving through the station also I think must refer to Jews being transported to the camps in WW2. The Lehi and others used terrorism in the process of struggling to create the state of Israel. Cohen at one point volunteered to go and fight for Israel but was persuaded that entertaining the troops would be a better use of his talents.