So Long, Marianne
Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]
I'd like to try to read your palm.
I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy
Before I let you take me home
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Well you know that I love to live with you
But you make me forget so very much
I forget to pray for the angels
And then the angels forget to pray for us
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
We met when we were almost young
Deep in the green lilac park
You held on to me like I was a crucifix
As we went kneeling through the dark
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Your letters they all say that you're beside me now
Then why do I feel alone?
I'm standing on a ledge and your fine spider web
Is fastening my ankle to a stone
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
For now I need your hidden love
I'm cold as a new razor blade
You left when I told you I was curious
I never said that I was brave
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Oh, you are really such a pretty one
I see you've gone and changed your name again
And just when I climbed this whole mountain side
To wash my eyelids in the rain!
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
So Long, Marianne
Leonard Cohen's "So Long, Marianne" stands as a haunting centerpiece within his expansive discography, embodying the poet's signature blend of biblical imagery and personal melancholy. Recorded for the comprehensive "Complete Studio Albums Collection," the track exemplifies Cohen's mastery of the art song and folk traditions, utilizing sparse instrumentation to highlight the raw emotional texture of the lyrics. The composition reflects the artist's deep engagement with themes of loss, redemption, and the complexities of human relationships, characteristic of his work spanning from his early days in Montreal to his later years. As a definitive piece of his catalog, the recording captures the atmospheric depth that has cemented his status as a profound influence on contemporary singer-songwriters and artists across various genres.
