And still they come ... every day here sees a small but constant stream of people wanting to know "What does Boogie Street mean?" As a public service I thought it might help if I quote this explanation from the Wikipedia:
Leonard Cohen has written a song called "Boogie Street", published on his album Ten New Songs (2001). In an interview with Brian D. Johnson in Maclean's Magazine on 15 October 2001, Cohen said of Boogie Street:
"… during the day Boogie Street is a scene of intense commercial activity … And at night, it was a scene of intense and alarming sexual exchange."
Later he goes on to talk of its metaphorical meaning: "Boogie Street to me was that street of work and desire, the ordinary life and also the place we live in most of the time that is relieved by the embrace of your children, or the kiss of your beloved, or the peak experience in which you yourself are dissolved, and there is no one to experience it so you feel the refreshment when you come back from those moments … So we all hope for those heavenly moments, which we get in those embraces and those sudden perceptions of beauty and sensations of pleasure, but we're immediately returned to Boogie Street."
Now your curiosity has, I hope, been satisfied, why not stay and look around? Leave a comment even?
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9 comments:
thanks!
Glad to be of assistance.
Thanks, I couldn't have found this easily :)
What a great man he is... Leonard Cohen, I saw him live in London
I'm very envious!
Thank you for your wonderful explanation. However, this song was apparently one of those many collaborations between Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson. On the CD Live in London, Leonard's comment is, "Shar Robinson wrote this tune." I don't know if this means that she wrote the tune and he wrote the words, but the liner notes say Leonard Cohen/Sharon Robinson. I'm glad he's bringing her talent to the fore, especially because she is a co-writer on some of my favorite songs.
Thank you for this information. I enjoyed your blog...let's get back to Boogie Street.
Oh, i have the DVD of the London concert and it is 2 hrs of pure and mesmerizing music.
If I'm not mistaken, Leonard and Sharon are a couple and have been now for many years. She knew him for about 15 years before this happened. Her songwriting and compositional skills are wonderful, and I have no doubt she could have either written this tune herself, or shared that with him. I was reflecting on the lyrics and was wondering if they almost referred to a Dante's Inferno type of 'levels of Hell' image, or just perhaps were more ruminating about the angle of Showbiz/ entertainment as being the pith of Boogie Street. Wonderful song, and I love them both always, Shar and Leonard. ~ thank you ~
Thank you all for sharing.
Thank you!
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