Suzanne takes you down
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Artist:
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Album:Folk, Gospel & Blues: Will The Circle Be Unbroken
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Track:
"And you know that she's half crazy,
but that's why you want to be there."
Suzanne ~ Leonard Cohen
Nearly everything I've ever written, be it a short story, or a novel in progress (one day I'll finish one of them, I am determined), has had a character inspired by one of Leonard Cohen's songs. He is a muse of mine, and I do not remember a time in my life that I was not touched in some way by his music.
I still remember the first Cohen song I heard, where I was, and how it affected me. My Mother had one of his albums leaned up against these giant speakers. The stereo system was one of those impressive and dinosaur-sized 70's get-ups that took over one entire wall of our living room, and I loved it. I would drag my books or sheets of paper out into that front room, and set myself down in the corner closest to the music, and lose an entire afternoon in music.
It was a warm day, possibly late Spring, and my Mother was busy cooking something in the kitchen. I can recall the smells of the kitchen wafting into the room, and Fleetwood Mac's Rumors album had just finished. She yelled out to me to put something else on, and Leonard's album was right there in arm's reach.
I actually knew this song from Judy Collins' In My Life album, she was a favourite of my Mother's. The song Suzanne was actually a poem first, called "Suzanne Takes You Down", published in Cohen's book of poetry, 'Parasites of Heaven'. It is second only to "Hallelujah", as Cohen's most covered song.
I think what I love most about his songs, and his poetry, is how he captures such stories and characters - what life he gives them, and the plots that just build from each lyrical refrain, and melodic arc.
I think he will always be one of my muses.
Comments (11)
Love Cohen, brilliant man and artist. I don't have a lot of recall from the exact music from my parents but I know my old sister played some influence in my early rock exposure :)
Thanks for sharing!
INdy x
You're welcome.
My Mom was a music fanatic. She still likes music, but not the same way she did when I was growing up. I certainly inherited her love of music.
my first encouter with cohen was seeing the film monterey pop.Seeing him in that overcoat singing his songs unlike anyone else changed me forever... poetry and music entertwined
That image of him in his overcoat is amazing...and yes...changed me forever, too.
love the man and might just have to see him when he comes to minnesota
I always love reading your posts, now I can put the muse behind the lines on the paper, illuminating the truth within.
I'm ashamed to admit that I was introduced to this song in the pop version by Noel Harrison (Rex's son). Even as overproduced and goopy as that take was, you couldn't fail to see what a great song it was....
I so want to see him @ Coachella but I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be too many conflicts and I'll miss him. Sometimes having to choose is a horrible thing.
Ivy - Rex Harrison's son did a cover? There's one I've not heard...though the list of covers to this song at Wiki was quite staggering.
Dale - well, he is one of the few I WILL SEE NO MATTER WHAT on my list. I'm hoping Andi joins me, too, as our love of Cohen is one of our shared things.
Kevin - come to Coachella and see him with me!!!!
Dharmachris - Thank you so much. He is definitely one of my muses, I have a few - and music, in general, she is the biggest muse of all, me thinks.
I have a healthy respect for Cohen, and a genuine affection for this song in its many versions. But you brought some greatly appreciated context.
Believe it or not, LD, it was a minor Top 40 hit....