Leonard Cohen, CC (born September 21, 1934 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter. His musical career has largely overshadowed his prior work as a poet and novelist, although he has continued to publish poetry sporadically after his breakthrough in the music industry. Musically, Cohen's early songs are based in folkmusic, in terms of both melody and instrumentation; from the 1970s, though, his work begins to show the influence of various types of popular and cabaretmusic. Since the 1980s he typically sings in a deep bass register, with synthesizers and female backing vocals. Cohen's songs are often emotionally heavy and lyrically complex, owing more to the metaphoric word play of poetry than to established conventions of songcraft.
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Avalanche Lyrics
Leonard Cohen
Well I stepped into an avalanche,
It covered up my soul;
When I am not this hunchback that you see,
I sleep beneath the golden hill.
You who wish to conquer pain,
You must learn, learn to serve me well.
You strike my side by accident
As you go down for your gold.
The cripple here that you clothe and feed
Is neither starved nor cold;
He does not ask for your company,
Not at the centre, the centre of the world.
When I am on a pedestal,
You did not raise me there.
Your laws do not compel me
To kneel grotesque and bare.
I myself am the pedestal
For this ugly hump at which you stare.
You who wish to conquer pain,
You must learn what makes me kind;
The crumbs of love that you offer me,
Theyre the crumbs Ive left behind.
Your pain is no credential here,
Its just the shadow, shadow of my wound.
I have begun to long for you,
I who have no greed;
I have begun to ask for you,
I who have no need.
You say youve gone away from me,
But I can feel you when you breathe.
Do not dress in those rags for me,
I know you are not poor;
You dont love me quite so fiercely now
When you know that you are not sure,
It is your turn, beloved,
It is your flesh that I wear.