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Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 2:50 pm
by Myrtone
I have recently realised that some of Leonard Cohen's songs have tites not used as lyrics, an example is One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong, I have long known the title but I only recently realised that those words aren't in the song. Another example is the Story of Issac, neither Story nor Issac are mentioned are mentioned in the song, what is the relation between the title and the lyrics?
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:19 pm
by John Etherington
Hi Myrtone,
"One of Us Cannot be Wrong" is mainly about Leonard's attempts to win the favours of Nico - ritualistically lighting thin green candles to make her jealous, etc., while Nico "frozen in ice" rejected his advances. I suspect that the title is a wry way of saying "one of us must be right".
"The Story of Isaac" is, as the title suggests, based on the story of Isaac from the Old Testament.
All good things, John E
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:18 am
by Myrtone
Can anyone think of other Cohen songs like this? I can think of Winter Lady and the Partisian.
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:22 am
by Maarten
Myrtone wrote:Can anyone think of other Cohen songs like this? I can think of Winter Lady and the Partisian.
Tacoma Trailer
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:12 pm
by Myrtone
That's just giving an example, what about the relation between the title and thu lyrics?
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:31 pm
by Maarten
Myrtone wrote:That's just giving an example, what about the relation between the title and thu lyrics?
I don't think there's any relation between the title and the lyrics in "Tacoma trailer", but I could be wrong...
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:52 am
by Stamatina
Maarten wrote:Myrtone wrote:Can anyone think of other Cohen songs like this? I can think of Winter Lady and the Partisian.
Tacoma Trailer
Myrtone wrote:Can anyone think of other Cohen songs like this? I can think of Winter Lady and the Partisian.
Anthem comes to mind.. though it seems like a perfect title for that song.
And also Death Of A Ladies' Man.
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:11 am
by Myrtone
Death Of A Ladies' Man is also the longest released Leonard Cohen song, it's just under 2 minutes shorter than Bob Dylan's Desolation Row.
EDIT:If there is a relation between the title and the lyrics it's worth mentioning.
Re: Song titles' relation to the lyrics
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:56 pm
by tomsakic
Well, usually there's always connection between the work and its title, I believe
Death of a Ladies' Man depicts the death of a ladies' man, while One of Us Cannot Be Wrong gives, in each verse, another man trying to get the woman in question, and in the final verse the poet (the I of the song) begging her to let him into her storm. So, one of those men courting that lady (doctor, saint, Eskimo, the narrator) cannot be wrong.