“Dance Me to the End of Love” (1984, 1993)

This superb 1993 live version of Cohen’s 1984 classic was recorded for the UK music-TV show “Later... with Jools Holland.”

While “Dance Me to the End of Love” is essentially a love song, Cohen has said that it was inspired by those who suffered in Nazi death camps. He learned that some prisoners had assembled string quartets to perform in the camps.

The Music Never Ends

Even though the prisoners were surrounded by cruelty and faced with impending death, they continued to find joy in music and dance. While that may sound morbid, Cohen reminded us that the language of music in general, and of this song in particular, can “embrace all passionate activity.”

In 2009, “Dance Me to the End of Love” was noted to be “on the brink of becoming a standard.” Now, in 2019, we can safely claim that it is. _{(Image source)}

Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen was a Canadian writer and singer-songwriter.

After beginning his career as a poet and novelist, Cohen soon realized that writing was not a very good way to make a living. So, in 1967, when he was 33 years old, he turned (back) to music. (While in high school, he had formed a short-lived folk band.)

A Canadian Icon, a Global Treasure

In Canada, until the 1980s, it was still easier to find his books than his records. However, in the following years and decades, Cohen’s fame as a musician grew – slowly but steadily. Moreover, he continued to release great music and put on magnificent live performances.

Cohen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame. He passed away in November 2017 _{(Image source)}

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love   [2x]
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
  [2x]
Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We're both of us beneath our love, we're both of us above
Dance me to the end of love
  [2x]
Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
  [3x]

Lyrics by Leonard Cohen, courtesy of – AZLyrics.com

Reference – Wikipedia

Reference – Wikipedia

Reference – BBC.co.uk

Cohen’s original version (1964) – "Dance Me to the End of Love"
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Into your ears … through 5 channels

The various posts are categorized into 5 channels _{(Right-Click to see details)}

         1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)

         2 – “Cover Versions”

         3 – “Honor Roll”

         4 – “Documentaries”

         5 – “Mock’n’Roll”