Take This Longing
Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]
Many men have loved the bells
You fastened to the rein,
And everyone who wanted you
They found what they will always want again.
Your beauty lost to you yourself
Just as it was lost to them.
Oh take this longing from my tongue,
Whatever useless things these hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
Like you would do for one you love.
Your body like a searchlight
My poverty revealed,
I would like to try your charity
Until you cry, "Now you must try my greed."
And everything depends upon
How near you sleep to me.
Just take this longing from my tongue
All the lonely things my hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
Like you would do for one your love.
Hungry as an archway
Through which the troops have passed,
I stand in ruins behind you,
With your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps.
I love to see you naked over there
Especially from the back.
Oh take this longing from my tongue,
All the useless things my hands have done,
Untie for me your hired blue gown,
Like you would do for one that you love.
You're faithful to the better man,
I'm afraid that he left.
So let me judge your love affair
In this very room where I have sentenced
Mine to death.
I'll even wear these old laurel leaves
That he's shaken from his head.
Just take this longing from my tongue,
All the useless things my hands have done,
Let me see your beauty broken down,
Like you would do for one you love.
Like you would do for one you love.
You fastened to the rein,
And everyone who wanted you
They found what they will always want again.
Your beauty lost to you yourself
Just as it was lost to them.
Oh take this longing from my tongue,
Whatever useless things these hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
Like you would do for one you love.
Your body like a searchlight
My poverty revealed,
I would like to try your charity
Until you cry, "Now you must try my greed."
And everything depends upon
How near you sleep to me.
Just take this longing from my tongue
All the lonely things my hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
Like you would do for one your love.
Hungry as an archway
Through which the troops have passed,
I stand in ruins behind you,
With your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps.
I love to see you naked over there
Especially from the back.
Oh take this longing from my tongue,
All the useless things my hands have done,
Untie for me your hired blue gown,
Like you would do for one that you love.
You're faithful to the better man,
I'm afraid that he left.
So let me judge your love affair
In this very room where I have sentenced
Mine to death.
I'll even wear these old laurel leaves
That he's shaken from his head.
Just take this longing from my tongue,
All the useless things my hands have done,
Let me see your beauty broken down,
Like you would do for one you love.
Like you would do for one you love.
Take This Longing
Leonard Cohen's "Take This Longing" stands as a poignant addition to his expansive discography, reflecting the introspective and spiritual themes that define his artistic legacy. Recorded within the context of his complete studio albums, the track exemplifies Cohen's signature style, blending folk and art rock with a profound sense of melancholy and grace. The song invites listeners to contemplate the complexities of human desire and the search for meaning, characteristic of his work across decades. As part of his broader catalog, this recording continues to resonate with audiences who appreciate his ability to distill deep emotional truths into accessible yet timeless compositions.