Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard discusses his life as an artist circa 1979 – the same year Cohen’s relationship with Susanne Elrod – the mother of his two children – came to an end. Ultimately, he feels as if his greatest work has been completed, yet he’s not received the credit for it that he feels he deserves.
I came so far for beauty
I left so much behind
My patience and my family
My masterpiece unsigned
I thought I'd be rewarded
For such a lonely choice
And surely she would answer
To such a very hopeless voice
I practiced on my sainthood
I gave to one and all
But the rumours of my virtue
They moved her not at all
I changed my style to silver
I changed my clothes to black
And where I would surrender
Ah now I would attack
I stormed the old casino
For the money and the flesh
And I myself decided
What was rotten and what was fresh
And men to do my bidding
And broken bones to teach
The value of my pardon
The shadow of my reach
But no, I could not touch her
With such a heavy hand
Her star beyond my order
Her nakedness unmanned
I came so far for beauty
I left so much behind
My patience and my family
My masterpiece unsigned
Came So Far for Beauty was written by John Lissauer & Leonard Cohen.
Came So Far for Beauty was produced by Henry Lewy & Leonard Cohen.
Leonard Cohen released Came So Far for Beauty on Thu Sep 27 1979.