Suzanne
By: Leonard Cohen

Original Performance: Leonard Cohen
Written by: Leonard Cohen

Versions:
  1. Suzanne (4:54)
    Available on Songs Of Leonard Cohen.
    Credits
    Bram Inscore: Bass
    Brian Lebarton: Drums
    Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
    Will Berman: Percussion
    Andrew Van Wyngarden: Tambourine
    Ben Goldwasser: Vocals
    Devendra Banhart: Vocals
 
Lyrics:
Suzanne [Version (a)]:

Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she's half crazy
But that's why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China
And just when you mean to tell her
That you have no love to give her
And she gets you on her wavelength
And she lets the river answer
That you've always been her lover

And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
And he spends a long time watching
From his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said all men would be sailors then
Until the sea shall free them
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human,
He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone

And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you think maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind

Now Suzanne takes your hand
And she leads you to the river
She's wearing rags and feathers
From Salvation Army counters
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbor
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
They are leaning out for love
And they will lean that way forever
While Suzanne holds the mirror

And you want to travel with her
And you want to travel blind
And you know that she will trust you
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind
 
The Song:

"Suzanne" is perhaps Leonard Cohen's most famous song, a classic from his album Songs Of Leonard Cohen.

Beck's second Record Club meeting recorded that album in its entirety. The original version is a folky guitar tune, with Leonard Cohen's smooth half-spoken voice reminiscing about a girl.

Record Club instead uses some nice junkyard drums and a cello, with some group singalong type vocals (led by one of the members of MGMT). The music is cool and reflective in its own way, but the natural ease of the lyrics seem to get a little lost.
 
Notes: