This year I was asked to perform a Canadian song at a Canada Day party in L.A. and thankfully I'm a big Leonard Cohen fan so it wasn't a hard task.
I find Norwegian Marianne and Canadian Leonard's love story very fascinating. And it always brings another layer to a song when you know the backstory. They met on a Greek island in the early 60's where a lot of artsy people were hanging out. Her man had kind of left her, and her and Leonard started a relationship. She was very beautiful, and they fell deeply in love.
They were apart a lot when he was across the pond, - not sure if that's why it didn't last. But he wrote a letter to her before she died:
"Well Marianne it's come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine. And you know that I've always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I don't need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road."
We do not own any rights to this song.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/08/19/marianne-ihlen-leonard-cohens-muse--obituary/
