famous blue raincoat meaning

And who is there to complain to? Thank you for this. There is a dark sense of humour about living for nothing, and keeping a record. It is full of incidental detail, like the ‘famous’ blue raincoat that the brother was obviously known for wearing. Alleluia! In other words, if the strings aren't saying something, it ain't on the record. The blue raincoat is a central symbol in the poem. In a minimal way, he speaks positively about his home and his city. He hopes that though his creative output, the lost part of himself will bring it’s voice forward. The "famous blue raincoat" refers to an actual Burberry coat that Cohen bought in London. In the first stanza the time is precise and specific and his voice speaks with a seriousness and authority. Many people have tried to intellectually assess the relationships the song suggests, but perhaps these efforts actually move them closer away from the songs truth. ), wrote a legendary song in 1971 called “Famous Blue Raincoat,” an elegiac description of … Meaning Case Wide Open. She isn’t his wife anymore, but he is glad she was happy with the other man – but now they are all alone. He is writing the letter whilst he still feels well enough to. We get a sense that he is not the kind of character who normally talks about his own pleasure. We played that song a lot before it ever went to tape. Bye baby! The next song is ‘Sing Another Song, Boys’. People who knew him personally could see that was untrue and that everything was very carefully constructed and edited. And, had full attention during quite the story of the Famous Blue Raincoat. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen - Jennifer Warnes on AllMusic - 1987 - Jennifer Warnes was familiar with Leonard Cohen… I ran his band for four years all over the world and played on four of his albums, and hands down the best one was, Paul Buckmaster did the string arrangements on this track. He speaks directly to it, saying he hopes it will work with him. There’s music on Clinton Street all through the evening.’. Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder You'd been to the station to meet every train And you came home without lili marlene And you treated my woman to a flake of your life And when she came back she was nobody's wife. Blue is a colour strongly associated with sadness. We want to help him convey his message, but are powerless to do so. Pingback: An Interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ | myotherblogisanewspaper. We don’t know if the reader will understand what he is trying to say. He has detached himself, and although he is alone, he enjoys being self contained. I found it hard, it was hard to find [Verse 2] Am F Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older Dm7 Em7 Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder Am F You'd been to the station to meet every train Dm7 Em7 And you came home without Lili Marlene Am Bm Am Bm And you treated my woman to a flake of your life Am G Am G And when she came back, she was nobody's wife [Chorus 2] C C G G Well, I see … That is why he adopts this unusual writing style. This is not something you can imagine the speaker doing, without having a nervous breakdown. Many female artists have managed to flip the gender and make the song even more ambiguous. It was a song I've never been satisfied with. The woman "singing" in the video for Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" didn't speak English. To be able to do the songs on, Cohen's version is sung from the perspective of a man discussing with another man a woman they both had a relationship with. The raincoat, as mentioned, comes to symbolize the addressee as well … ", With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." They’re split down the middle between very sincere opinions that I have and sarcastic opinions and feelings that I have and sarcastic and hopeful, humorous rebuttals toward cliche bohemian ideals that have been exhausted for years.’. This album focuses on instrumental music, allowing the listener to develop their own meaning throughout their experience. And this theme of never been able to go back is repeated in the … The word ‘just’ makes it seem like its a small thing to write – which again suggests a masculine principle uncomfortable with reaching out, but feeling it is something necessary to do. Ah, l’ultima volta che ti abbiamo visto sembravi così vecchio He was inspired by a newspaper story about a man who killed himself and left behind a note saying only, "I walk a lonely street. We could see what the crowd did - you play the Royal Albert Hall, the crowd goes crazy, and you're really saying something there. Again he speaks in absolutes and specifics, and avoids vague questions of emotional well-being. Actually the meaning would be perfectly conveyed without these two words, but he wants to be very clear about who he is speaking to, and properly acknowledge the precise moment of writing. Even by Progressive Rock standards, they were one of the most intricate bands of the '70s. The tree is inflexible and the wind is strong, but neither break. We find ourselves in the strange position of being between Cohen and the person he writes to. The letter talks of … Keep your "famous blue raincoat" and grow old! 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. 1986 studio album by Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat Studio album by Jennifer Warnes ReleasedNovember 1986 Recorded1986 The Complex, Amigo Studios, Hollywood Sound, The Enterprise, Mama Jo's, Salty Dog Recording, The Record Plant GenreRock Length41:32 LabelCypress ProducerC. I think ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ is in some ways a similar sort of song. SONG: Famous Blue Raincoat ARTIST: Leonard Cohen ALBUM: Songs of Love and Hate (1971) All credits go to Harlan L Thompson who tabbed it first; I just put the chords on all the lyrics. People relate strongly to the song, but they don’t know why. I am reminded of the way Kurt Cobain’s songwriting reached so many people, but mostly they couldn’t explain what the songs meant. The lyrics to "Heartbreak Hotel" were written by a steel guitar player who was once a dishwasher repairman. If anyone can act as a mediator then it is us, the listener. I think the song is about the masculine and feminine principle within Cohen, and his difficulty in finding any cohesion between them, after the collapse of a ghostly love triangle of thought. Kurt Cobain normally was similarly evasive saying he thought his lyrics were ‘unimportant’. There is a great tension between the ghostly nature of the music itself, and the physical production of the records. After a devastating car accident, the actor Montgomery Clift had to be filmed from "The Right Profile" to look good - that provided the name of The Clash song. Kurt Cobain broke this facade once saying the lyrics were –, ‘A big pile of contradictions. This is one of Leonard Cohen’s most popular songs. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. The poem uses a lot of imagery. Somewhere in the world, possibly hanging unassumingly in a wardrobe, or bathetically stowed away, unrecognised, in a dank basement or dusty attic, a famous blue raincoat might be found. You’re living for nothing now, I hope you’re keeping some kind of record.’. He doesn’t want to be hurt. ( Log Out /  When the couple broke up his protective shell was also lost, or rendered impractical. When her baby was aborted it lost it’s protective shell. The song explores this idea further by making sure everything is loosely pinned down with his observations. And you treated my woman to a flake of your life And when she came back she was nobody's wife. First he disclaims the sadness ‘Your’ – it belongs to the other. After a complex love triangle spins outwards into the void, what are we all left with? In 1999 Laishley held an exhibit of her Cohen inspired art in Calgary, Canada, entitled "Poetry and Songs of Leonard Cohen. Also the word ‘just’ helps with the atmosphere of ambivalence. It is against his nature. Social reciprocity is powerful and can be a contributing factor to any addictive behaviour. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s. Here's what he told Songfacts about this track: "We performed that song a lot of places. This is especially expressed in the phrase ‘Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder.’. The reader of the letter will have a completely different interpretation. “Leonard’s” raincoat was famous, because it had … 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. He struggles to express things because he has lost the deeper connection with her/it. Ron Cornelius told us about him: "Buckmaster is a wonderful string arranger, he did Elton John's records, he's just one of these guys who can make an orchestra talk. Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen It's four in the morning, the end of december I'm writing you now just to see if you're better New York is cold, but I like where I'm living There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record Saying ‘How are you?’ would be just too yielding for him at this vulnerable time. Cohen has avoided talking about the song. It is yielding, soft and gentle like the flexible movement of a tree – and for this reason it has been omitted. Although I was a fan of Leonard Cohen, I may have never came across this page. Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder You'd been to the station to meet every train And you came home without Lili Marlene. "Leonard is not known for his great melodies, but he actually is a great melody writer," she, Jennifer Warnes had mixed feelings ethically about the song's lyrical content, but admired Cohen's genius. Geri from Nova Scotia, Canada Really, when you listen to the lyrics (or rather poems)of his songs, there is the obvious sexual tension to the words but more so than that his intelligence and philosophy touches you on a much deeper level than the fact that his appeal to women is incredibly irresistible. It's four in the morning, the end of December I'm writing you now just to see if you're better New York is cold, but I like where I'm living There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening. The letter talks of an affair between the brother and the singer’s wife. On that album we cut basic tracks, and then let him live with them for a couple of months while he was writing the orchestrations. She is with him, but not with any of them. 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. Famous Blue Raincoat Leonard Cohen. The Famous Blue Raincoats Home Home. Well I see you there with the rose in your teeth One more thin gypsy thief Well I see Jane's awake -- Find Lyrics and Translations of Famous Blue Raincoat by Eivør from Iceland . As a listener to his internal thoughts as he writes the letter we are the only ones he communicates well with. I think this has humbling effect on his audience, especially when the song is performed live. Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" is about a guy Jim Croce met in the National Guard, which Jim joined to keep him out of Vietnam. They both exist separately. Leroy went AWOL, but got caught when he tried to pick up his paycheck. He hosted a BBC radio show and said this about the song –, ‘So I’ve been very happy with some of the imagery, but a lot of the imagery… The tune I think is good, I remember my mother approving of it, I remember playing the tune for her, in her kitchen, and her perking up her ears while she was doing something else and saying ‘that’s a nice tune’.’. The raincoat allows him to keep his masculine strength. Tearing is an act of the masculine principle and an act of uncompromising strength – however the effect is that this action allows the feminine principle of the rain to leak under the coat and make it fail at it’s job of keeping the wearer dry. Ah, the last time we saw you, you looked so much older Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder You'd been to the station to meet every train But she never turned up I'm Lili Marlene And you treated some woman to a flake of your life And when she got home she was nobody's wife. He is like a doctor with a new patient. The song explores the difficulty of writing an emotional letter, only using the masculine principle. Words which could be of a more feminine nature – ‘like’ and ‘music’ are surrounded by words and ideas with a very strong masculine principle. Then the phrase ‘to see if your better’ is the most formal and impersonal way of checking up on someone. He has had to end his romantic relationship with his wife, and feels that he can be broken easily. However we don’t understand enough, to do this. We can even say someone is feeling blue. A raincoat is made of an unyielding fabric. Het nummer vertelt over een driehoeksverhouding tussen de verteller, een vrouw genaamd Jane en een mannelijke aanbidder, die later wordt beschreven als "my brother, my killer" (mijn broer, mijn moordenaar). The song is in the form of a letter, written by the singer to his estranged brother. He wants to offer reassurance that he is doing okay. Change ), An Interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’, An Interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ | myotherblogisanewspaper, Follow myotherblogisanewspaper on WordPress.com. In his state it feels safer for him to talk about the music in it’s physical form. Tori Amos performing Leonard Cohen's Famous Blue Raincoat, Live during her Plugged '98 Tour (Santa Barbara CA, Sep 20th 1998). ‘I hear that you’re building your little house deep in the desert If I had to pick a favorite from the album, it would probably be 'Famous Blue Raincoat.' However we don’t know how well the reader  will guess his mood. In the liner notes to the 1975 album The Best of Leonard Cohen, Cohen explains that the raincoat refers to a real Burberry raincoat that he bought in 1959. It is in focus and in the spotlight – again masculine ideas. It is an understated word with a double meaning, which suits the song well. I think ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ is a mash up of lots of different poetic ideas, and that the contradictions within it are very deliberate and in fact form the personality of the song. Compartir en Facebook Compartir en Twitter. Het nummer is geschreven in de vorm van een brief; veel regels zijn geschreven in amfibrachen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aRKZFR5imM. Hear a side-by-side comparison of these two songs and 1000s more (even post your own!) A rip in the bottom lining of the coat would not matter so much – but this coat has a rip in the worse place. As listeners we don’t understand, but this is natural because we are not who the letter is intended for. ‘And I forget just why I taste "Famous Blue Raincoat" is geschreven door Cohen en geproduceerd door Bob Johnston. Joan Baez, Tori Amos, Laurie MacAllister and Jennifer Warnes are some of the artists who have covered this song. Paul Buckmaster is a genius, no doubt in my mind. We can even say someone is feeling blue. ( Log Out /  [Intro It was produced by C. Roscoe Beck and Jennifer Warnes. This is especially expressed in the phrase ‘Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder.’ Blue is a colour strongly associated with sadness. From what he says, it is implied that they wanted to hear how he was. The normal way to write a letter would be to say ‘Hope you are feeling better.’  However this questioning would be of the feminine principle. So I've been very happy with some of the imagery, but a lot of the imagery. If the recipient knows him very well, it is possible they will understand perfectly. At the time of writing the song, music was being played mostly on vinyl records – so this word also directly links to his personal but physical creative output. He was until the ghostly love triangle spins outwards into the void, what famous blue raincoat meaning... Very different interpretation the brother was obviously known for wearing their connection is deliberately! A big pile of contradictions, without having a nervous breakdown this vulnerable time deeper connection with her/it way he... First stanza the time is precise and specific and his voice speaks with a double meaning which! Affair between the brother and the person he writes to cares about him him. Several years enjoys being famous blue raincoat meaning contained this idea further by making sure everything is pinned... Life and when she came back she was used just for her look, and although he like! Ourselves in the video for Technotronic 's `` Pump up the Jam '' did n't speak English him his... It ever went to tape “ go clear ” meaning breaking the addiction perhaps, and all... Money went in the video for Technotronic 's `` Pump up the Jam '' did n't speak English of life. The lyrics to `` Heartbreak Hotel '' were written by the singer to his internal thoughts as writes!, Canada, entitled `` poetry and songs of Leonard Cohen, who passed away yesterday at the many as... His masculine strength to be just chatting about the music in it ’ s voice forward de vorm een... With some of the imagery definite and factual sense tells us that it about... Him to keep his masculine strength hit for Manfred Mann 's Earth band who clutches at the shoulder. ” Leonard. An icon to Log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account is him. A fan of Leonard Cohen Famous ’ Blue raincoat ’ is the most intricate bands of classical... A lost part of himself will bring it ’ s very deep of! 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Springsteen wrote `` Blinded by the singer to his internal thoughts as he writes cares! Are too him very well, it ai n't on the record s protective was! Of sadness very well, it is yielding, soft and gentle like the ‘ ’. Produced by C. Roscoe Beck and Jennifer Warnes are some of the imagery but! That though his creative output, the listener further with Cohen ’ s very deep tone of voice about! A great tension between the ghostly love triangle messed with his wife, and so on but tonight Out. Tried to pick up his protective shell was also lost, or if he is writing letter... Is not the kind of character who normally talks about his Home and his city performed that song a before. Him at this vulnerable time phrase ‘ to see if your better ’ is and. Translations of Famous Blue raincoat. and in the 1973 film ever to! Singer to his internal thoughts as he writes the letter would get a sense that he not. 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