The Saddest Songs in History: Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson Alexandra Leaving

Leonard Cohen is a first class melancholic and he has quite a lot of songs that could fit in the “sad song” category. I’ve chosen a lament of lost love, actually it’s about lost love twice(!). It is even harder the second time, because he had given up on that whole “love stuff”. And when I say love, I include lust and desire of course. Sharon Robins is credited as co-writer on this song and her contribution must not be understated.

In concerts, Cohen speaks the opening words of a poem-song he wrote three decades ago, inspired by another poem published in 1911. He reads some lines from his own text and then says,  “Sharon Robinson, ‘Alexandra Leaving’.” (I have never heard a live version where Cohen sings the song himself, if it exists I would be very thankful to get a link in the commentaries.)

Back to the songs meaning.

Alexandra Leaving on Spotify:

It sounds like the protagonist  in the song didn’t plan to love/make love again, but it happened. Now he has to face the devastating loss all over again.
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