Since You've Asked
Leonard Cohen · Other Songs - Leonard Cohen
Take the rugged sunny days, the warm and rocky weather
Take the roads that I have walked along
Looking for tomorrow's time, peace of mind
As my life spills into yours changing with the hours
Filling up the world with time, turning time to flowers
I can show you all the songs
That I never sang to one man before
We have seen a million stones lying by the water
You have climbed the hills with me to the mountain shelter
Taken off the days one by one
Setting them to breathe in the sun
Take the lilies and the lace from the days of childhood
All the willow winding paths leading up and outward
This is what I give
This is what I ask you for nothing more
Since You've Asked
Leonard Cohen's "Since You've Asked" stands as a quintessential example of his late-career spiritual intensity, blending folk and rock sensibilities with profound theological inquiry. Recorded during the final years of his life, the track exemplifies Cohen's signature ability to weave personal longing with universal questions about faith and mortality. The song's haunting melody and Cohen's distinctive, gravelly vocal delivery create an atmosphere of quiet reverence, characteristic of his work from the 1990s onward. It reflects a period where his public persona and private spirituality converged, offering listeners a meditative experience that transcends typical pop structures. The recording remains a testament to his mastery of using simple instrumentation to convey complex emotional and philosophical narratives, cementing his legacy as a poet of the modern era.