Timeless Songs By Leonard Cohen

The 20^th century has given birth to timeless songs. There are many elements that make songs timeless. These include catchy melody, authenticity and sincerity, touching and relatable lyrics, universal themes, cultural impact, danceability, iconic performances, and many more.

Most timeless songs include some combination of these elements, yet not all of them. It’s hard to determine scientifically the precise formula that makes a song timeless – which elements work well together when combined? How many elements are required to make a tome timeless? On what level should each element be present?

Unfortunately, ChatGPT wouldn’t provide me with a precise answer to these questions. Therefore, I am resigned to examine two timeless songs which differ from each other in the elements that make them timeless. I will analyze and compare songs written by a timeless poet and singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen.

Leonard Cohen was one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century. Cohen was born in Westmount, Quebec, to a wealthy Orthodox Jewish family of eastern European dissent. His father died when he was nine years old, and he was raised primarily by his mother who had suffered from depression, and his grandfather who was an important Rabbi in Montreal.

This upbringing greatly influenced his work as an artist.

A Jewish monk, the Godfather of Gloom, a mystic, a romantic, the Priest of Pathos. Those are just a few of the titles and characteristics that have been attributed to him over the years.

In his work, he probed the listeners’ hearts and souls by exploring the human condition, themes of love, hate, lust, loss and faith.

He has built a repertoire of timeless songs that have become canonical, making it incredibly difficult to choose a few to focus on. For the purpose of demonstrating how very different songs can both be timeless, I will examine two songs: Suzzane (1967) and Dance Me To The End Of Love (1984).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yta36Ry8UFc&t=1s

Suzanne

Suzanne was initially recorded by Judy Collins in 1966, and later was released in Leonard Cohen’s debut album Song of Leonard Cohen in 1967.

In Suzanne, Leonard Cohen masterfully paints an impressionistic painting for his listeners, using symbolism metaphor as his paint and brushes. The experience of listening to this song is akin to looking at brilliant work of Monet, as it allows for a multitude of interpretations while simultaneously depicting vivid sparks of images.

Suzanne is an incredibly complex and layered song, it’s neither catchy nor what one would regard as danceable, which begs the question: how can such labyrinth captivate so many people for so many years?

The answer, I believe, lies in the lyrics. The song creates an ambience of tranquility, peace and harmony through rich imagery and vivacity. This is best expressed in lines like “she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China” which radiates of nurture and comfort, and “the sun pours down like honey, on our lady of the harbor” which is so sweet and clear, that it is engraved in the minds of the listeners.

Suzanne is a timeless song, because it oozes longing and taps into collective ideas. It confronts the listeners with the fragility of serenity and beauty, by taking them on a journey among the holy and mundane. It’s a song that grows with its listeners and never grows old; its authenticity and universal ideas make it unforgettable.

The song has made a great cultural impact. Many poets, filmmakers and artists have been influenced by Suzanne. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Nina Simone and Neil Dimond. It has been ranked by the Rolling Stone magazine as #284 on their list of 500 greatest songs of all time.

Dance Me To The End Of Love

Dance Me To The End Of Love was released in 1984, in Leonard Cohen’s album Various Positions.  Although the song didn’t receive wide public acclaim immediately after its release, it gained popularity over time and has become one of Cohen’s most recognized songs.

The main timeless elements embedded in the song are its unique and catchy melodical composition, and its profound lyrics.

The song’s melody was inspired by the musical tradition of Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe. Although one would suspect that that might turn the song into very niche, Cohen managed to create the exact opposite effect. The arrangement of the violin and the tempo, give the song a very distinctive and enchanting quality, which resonates deeply with listeners.

The musical arrangement is highly compatible with the lyrics, which are deep and layered. On the surface, the song appears to be a romantic love song, depicting a heart-warming lifelong partnership. Cohen walks, or rather dances, the listeners through the stages of love – from its joyful beginning to its inevitable end.

A deeper examination of the lyrics reveals the complex symbolism and allusion to the Holocaust. it is believed that the song was inspired by the orchestras that played in concentration camps while the Jews were led to the slaughter chambers “Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in” and the “burning violin” symbolizing the destruction and the horror of the camps.

The song had immense influence in popular culture. Many covers were made by famous artists – Bob Dylan Many covers were made by famous artists – from Bob Dylan and Madeleine Peyroux, to newer versions by Lana Del Rey and The Civil Wars.

The song also featured in many famous popular movies, like in a well-known scene in Take The Lead (2006) and The Book Thief (2013).

From the movie Take The Lead, 2006

These two distinct songs created by the same artist, have both become timeless for different reasons.

Suzanne for its profound symbolism and themes and Dance Me To The End Of Love for its musical arrangement and universal ideas. It goes to show, that the question of what makes a song timeless is an enigma.

We can analyze and examine all we want; we still won’t reach a universal conclusion. Music is unearthly, its a spiritual creation that is beyond our limited comprehension. Perhaps that is what makes it even more enchanting, alluring and magnetic – and that’s the beauty of music.