Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

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WiTS
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

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“Although Cohen never spares himself in these critiques, five of the eight songs on the album are meditations on brokenness and a sixth, ‘Famous Blue Raincoat,’ is a reflection on his betrayal by a former lover, Marianne Ihlen, and a male friend.

Really??
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Hartmut
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by Hartmut »

> Famous Blue Raincoat,’ is a reflection on his betrayal by a former lover, Marianne Ihlen, and a male friend.
>
> Really??


That's new to me as well.

But I assume Michael Posner has reasons to say so ...

Leonard himself said this (as you probably know):

"The problem with that song is that I've forgotten the actual triangle. Whether it was my own - of course, I always felt that there was an invisible male seducing the woman I was with, now whether this one was incarnate or merely imaginary I don't remember, I've always had the sense that either I've been that figure in relation to another couple or there'd been a figure like that in relation to my marriage. I don't quite remember but I did have this feeling that there was always a third party, sometimes me, sometimes another man, sometimes another woman. It was a song I've never been satisfied with. It's not that I've resisted an impressionistic approach to songwriting, but I've never felt that this one, that I really nailed the lyric. I'm ready to concede something to the mystery, but secretly I've always felt that there was something about the song that was unclear. So I've been very happy with some of the imagery, but a lot of the imagery." [I assume there's something missing at the end.]
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/leonard ... e-raincoat
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by B4real »

Hartmut, here's the end of that quote. Nothing to do with the triangle but interesting nonetheless :)
It's the last quote I listed back then - https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewt ... 55#p366028
Last edited by B4real on Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Hartmut
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by Hartmut »

Thank you, Bev!
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by B4real »

As always, my pleasure and good to "see" you around here 8)
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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Hartmut
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by Hartmut »

My feelings exactly!
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Re: Songs of Love and Hate - 50th anniversary article

Post by Patrick Hasselbank »

WiTS wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:15 am “Although Cohen never spares himself in these critiques, five of the eight songs on the album are meditations on brokenness and a sixth, ‘Famous Blue Raincoat,’ is a reflection on his betrayal by a former lover, Marianne Ihlen, and a male friend.

Really??

I love this part:

Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth
One more thin gypsy thief
Well, I see Jane's awake
She sends her regards

Beautiful words!
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