Fairport Convention - Suzanne (1968)

Twenty-six people have been able to claim to be in this band; far too many to start listing. Some members have done work with Jethro Tull, Cat Stephens, and even Led Zeppelin. They’re widely regarded as launching the entire folk rock movement in England and still perform today.

This song, written and recorded by Leonard Cohen, has been covered by many artists. It’s said to be about the wife of a sculptor in Montreal, whom Cohen knew.



Fairport Convention – Suzanne (1968)

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Lyrics:

Suzanne takes you down to the place by the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night forever
But you know that she's half crazy
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 want to tell her
That you have no love to give her
She gets you on her wavelength
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 think that maybe you'll trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind

And Jesus was a sailor
When he walked upon the water
He spent 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 shall 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 him
And you want to travel blind
And you think you'll maybe trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind

Suzanne takes you down to a place by the river
You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night forever
And the sun pours down like honey
On our lady of the harbor
And she shows you where to look
Amid the garbage and the flowers
There are heroes in the seaweed
There are children in the morning
And they’re 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 think you'll maybe trust her
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind