Leonard Cohen - Take This Longing Lyrics






Many men have loved the bells
you fastened to the rein,
and everyone who wanted you
they found what they will always want again.
Your beauty lost to you yourself
just as it was lost to them.
Oh take this longing from my tongue,
whatever useless things these hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
like you would do for one you love.

Your body like a searchlight
my poverty revealed,
I would like to try your charity
until you cry, "Now you must try my greed."
And everything depends upon
how near you sleep to me

Just take this longing from my tongue
all the lonely things my hands have done.
Let me see your beauty broken down
like you would do for one your love.

Hungry as an archway
through which the troops have passed,
I stand in ruins behind you,
with your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps.
I love to see you naked over there
especially from the back.

Oh take this longing from my tongue,
all the useless things my hands have done,
untie for me your hired blue gown,
like you would do for one that you love.

You're faithful to the better man,
I'm afraid that he left.
So let me judge your love affair
in this very room where I have sentenced
mine to death.
I'll even wear these old laurel leaves
that he's shaken from his head.

Just take this longing from my tongue,
all the useless things my hands have done,
let me see your beauty broken down,
like you would do for one you love.

Like you would do for one you love.





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Leonard Cohen Take This Longing Comments
  1. N.... ....

    If you love this song that means we could hang.

    N.... ....

    Who are you?

  2. K.... R....

    A version of this song titled; "The Bells" written for and performed by Buffy Saint Marie is far more emotional - recommended. An interesting exercise.

    K.... R....

    tk you♡ her vibrato is an acquired taste. but I liked it.

    K.... R....

    What good is “more emotional” when Leonard Cohen’s version is EPIC?

    K.... R....

    I think The Bells" is great, but I don't see how it's more emotional than Cohen's. Cohen's is more low-key emotional, perhaps, but has just as much feeling it its own way. It's half a dozen for one and six for the other I'd say, but then we are comparing apples with pears, a bit. They are both great. Lets enjoy them both and bugger the comparisons ;-)

    K.... R....

    Not the same song

  3. P.... B....

    Thank you Leonard.♡

  4. C.... A....

    Many men have loved the bells
    You fastened to the rein
    And everyone who wanted you
    They found what they will always want again
    Your beauty lost to you yourself
    Just as it was lost to them

    Oh, take this longing from my tongue
    Whatever useless things these hands have done
    Let me see your beauty broken down
    Like you would do for one you love

    Your body like a searchlight
    My poverty revealed
    I would like to try your charity
    Until you cry, "now you must try my greed"
    And everything depends upon
    How near you sleep to me

    Just take this longing from my tongue
    All the lonely things my hands have done
    Let me see your beauty broken down
    Like you would do for one your love

    Hungry as an archway
    Through which the troops have passed
    I stand in ruins behind you
    With your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps
    I love to see you naked over there
    Especially from the back

    Oh, take this longing from my tongue
    All the useless things my hands have done
    Untie for me your hired blue gown
    Like you would do for one that you love

    You're faithful to the better man
    I'm afraid that he left
    So let me judge your love affair
    In this very room where I have sentenced mine to death
    I'll even wear these old laurel leaves
    That he's shaken from his head

    Just take this longing from my tongue
    All the useless things my hands have done
    Let me see your beauty broken down
    Like you would do for one you love
    Like you would do for one you love

    C.... A....

    Thank you for posting the lyrics of this beautiful song.

    C.... A....

    Than'x for translate 😃

  5. B.... ....

    Why couldnt i be born Jewish too! I always wanted to be a real poet like Leonard Cohen. But i am not. ;)

    B.... ....

    idiotic remark

    B.... ....

    @Ludwig Wittgenstein why idiotic, please?

    B.... ....

    @claire buchet Because it insinuates you must be Jewish to be a "real poet"? Are you that dumb that you cannot comprehend illogical statements?

    B.... ....

    Convert❤️🇮🇱

    B.... ....

    Somewhere, I like to be illogical - out of the beaten paths...
    I'm not Jewish - just Gallic! - but I'm old and
    I have so often noticed in my life at what point
    how much "Jews" outperform everyone in art:

    music, literature...
    Their perpetual wandering doesn't prevent them
    from ( often) being the best...
    My opinion, at least!

  6. s.... v....

    reminds 1 of laussnane

  7. j.... j....

    Oh god it's so beautiful

  8. S.... C....

    so wonderful, so missed.

  9. p.... ....

    Excellent! :-)

  10. c.... ....

    Its like a beautiful loev song frommiddles ages

  11. C.... G....

    Leonard para sempre

  12. B.... ....

    That girl that would have loved me, but i was too obtuse to recognize it

    That girl that did love me as a child, and i never felt love again.

    My heart was always true to you.

  13. H.... F....

    Oh, "Christa"...
    Oh, Leonard...
    Beautiful musicians; greatly missed

  14. m.... i....

    Haunting

  15. O.... F....

    Leo ... where have u gone brother ...... hope u find peace

  16. Z.... �....

    Liebe bez suza ni jednostavno pobjedimo nas sebe Zlatko znam

  17. R.... W....

    The day the music died

  18. P.... A....

    speechless  gutted

  19. A.... S....

    heart broken for us leoand we will miss you tragically

  20. l.... ....

    Soul crushingly beautiful. His most beautiful.

  21. M.... R....

    with love and thanks, rest in peace

  22. M.... S....

    Dear poet .... rest in poetry..

  23. L.... L....

    Beautiful soul, beautiful mind, beautiful sound, beautiful magic. Beautiful flight.♥
    LC 1934-2016

  24. K.... W....

    I just spent the evening learning this song correctly on guitar. Passionately love him.

  25. K.... W....

    Pure love to you.

  26. T.... B....

    The most underrated of Leonard Cohen's songs. Sleep tight, old chap.

    T.... B....

    yep catch ya on the flip

  27. P.... T....

    Thank you Leonard Cohen for gracing us with your presence .We've just lost an irreplaceable talent.

  28. M.... W....

    http://www.polskacanada.com/jestem-gotow-panie-leonard-cohen-nie-zyje/

  29. A.... V....

    Heartbreakingly departed

  30. A.... V....

    Best song, best album, heartbreakingly beautiful!

  31. K.... A....

    Rest in Peace Mr. Cohen....

  32. M.... S....

    this is one of the most beautiful songs ever

  33. Y.... G....

    Sexually Sensational!

  34. T.... �....

    this is poetry worth a Nobelprize

  35. C.... ....

    Por favor que tema!!!! ♥!!!

  36. T.... O....

    Cette chanson me hante... Elle est d'une beauté...

    T.... O....

    il l'a écrite en mémoire de NICO chanteuse du groupe Velvet Underground.

    T.... O....

    Tony Off - C'est bien ça mon brave!

  37. A.... ....

    Mister Leonard Cohen seems to know me so well.
    (Look at me, Leonard ... Look at me, Leonard ... )

  38. t.... ....

    Not a single dislike, that speaks for itself right there.

  39. J.... B....

    Leonard Cohen - 'Take This Longing'

    Many men have loved the bells
    you fastened to the rein,
    and everyone who wanted you
    they found what they will always want again.
    Your beauty lost to you yourself
    just as it was lost to them.
    Oh take this longing from my tongue,
    whatever useless things these hands have done.
    Let me see your beauty broken down
    like you would do for one you love.

    Your body like a searchlight
    my poverty revealed,
    I would like to try your charity
    until you cry, "Now you must try my greed."
    And everything depends upon
    how near you sleep to me

    Just take this longing from my tongue
    all the lonely things my hands have done.
    Let me see your beauty broken down
    like you would do for one your love.

    Hungry as an archway
    through which the troops have passed,
    I stand in ruins behind you,
    with your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps.
    I love to see you naked over there
    especially from the back.

    Oh take this longing from my tongue,
    all the useless things my hands have done,
    untie for me your hired blue gown,
    like you would do for one that you love.

    You're faithful to the better man,
    I'm afraid that he left.
    So let me judge your love affair
    in this very room where I have sentenced
    mine to death.
    I'll even wear these old laurel leaves
    that he's shaken from his head.

    Just take this longing from my tongue,
    all the useless things my hands have done,
    let me see your beauty broken down,
    like you would do for one you love.

    Like you would do for one you love.


    so..

  40. G.... ....

    I would love to learn to play this song on the 5-string banjo. It is so appropriate.

  41. g.... ....

    Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt....!

  42. g.... ....

    No words to describe what this song evokes in me.....

  43. R.... S....

    This is what we call ART !!

  44. f.... h....

    my favourite of all the albums.

  45. T.... ....

    I love this.

  46. s.... c....

    traduction {Ôte ce désir}  ♫ ♪

    Beaucoup d'hommes ont aimé les cloches
    que tu as attachées par la bride
    et tous ceux qui te voulaient
    ont découvert ce qu'ils voudront toujours
    Ta beauté perdue pour toi-même
    comme elle l'était pour eux

    Oh, ôte ce désir de ma langue
    qu'importe les choses inutiles que ces mains ont faites
    Laisse-moi voir ta beauté fracassée
    comme tu le ferais pour quelqu'un que tu aimes

    Ton corps comme un projecteur
    ma pauvreté révélée
    Je voudrais tester ta charité
    jusqu'à ce que tu cries "tu dois maintenant tester ma gourmandise"
    Et tout dépend de
    la distance à laquelle
    tu dors près de moi

    Oh, ôte ce désir de ma langue
    qu'importe les choses inutiles que ces mains ont faites
    Laisse-moi voir ta beauté fracassée
    comme tu le ferais pour quelqu'un que tu aimes

    Affamé comme une arcade
    par laquelle les soldats sont passés
    Je me tiens sur les ruines derrière toi
    avec tes vêtements d'hiver, la bride de ta sandale cassée
    J'aime te voir nue ici
    surtout de dos

    Oh, ôte ce désir de ma langue
    qu'importe les choses inutiles que ces mains ont faites
    dénoue pour moi ta robe bleue
    comme tu le ferais pour quelqu'un que tu aimes

    Tu es fidèle au meilleur des hommes
    J'ai peur qu'il s'en aille
    Alors laisse-moi juger ton histoire d'amour
    dans cette même chambre où j'ai condamné
    la mienne à mort
    Je porterai même ces vieilles feuilles de laurier
    qu'il a retiré de sa tête

    Oh, ôte ce désir de ma langue
    qu'importe les choses inutiles que ces mains ont faites
    Laisse-moi voir ta beauté fracassée
    comme tu le ferais pour quelqu'un que tu aimes

    Comme tu le ferais pour quelqu'un que tu aimes

    {Traduction réalisée par Louizon}

  47. G.... L....

    My favorite Cohen song-- when I heard him perform this live I slow danced through a crowd of strangers and never felt more at home. I'm forever in love with this song x

    G.... L....

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  48. P.... T....

    Genius.

  49. P.... G....

    lovely song

  50. V.... ....

    Thank you 4 sharing a perfect recording.

  51. J.... J....

    I once joked with Leonard about how CBS painted a third wing over the genitals of these lovers on the first release of the LP

  52. J.... L....

    One of My Very Favourite Songs of Leonard's ! Some Great Lines ! Thank You ! JL <3

  53. m.... ....

    can you tell me if this song was released as a single or not ???