Radio Paradise (mobile)

Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river.
You can hear the boats go by,
You can spend the night beside her.
And you know she's half crazy,
But 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 mean to tell her that you have no love to give her,
Then she gets you on her wavelength
And 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 know she will trust you,
For you've touched her perfect body with your mind.
And Jesus was a sailor, when he walked upon the water
And 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 will be sailors then, until the sea shall free them."
But he himself was broken
Long before the sky would open,
Foresaken, 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 maybe you'll trust him
For he's touched your perfect body with his mind.
Now Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river.
She's wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters.
And the sun pours down like honey on our Lady of the Harbor.
And she shows you where to look, among the garbage and the flowers.
There are heroes in the seaweed,
There are children in the morning,
They are leaning out for love,
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 know you can trust her
For she's touched your perfect body with her mind.

ScottN Aug 26, 2012 - 15:53	He does a far superior version in his most recent live release and is a considerably older man (74, at that time). Hard to not find something alluring in this rather simple song (by Cohen's standard, I would guess). [ Reply ]
bachbeet May 23, 2012 - 23:53	kcar wrote: We miss you too, Cynaera. RIP. Huh? [ Reply ]
bachbeet May 23, 2012 - 23:50	Judy Collins did a nice version of this. [ Reply ]
kcar May 23, 2012 - 23:49	Cynaera wrote: I can remember in about 1972 when I was still in high school, my best friend Peggy and I performed this song during lunch-hour at the high school plaza. We sang harmony and played acoustic guitars, and people came to listen, and they stayed. So we did some Jim Croce songs, and a couple of Joni Mitchell songs, and an original song written by a fellow classmate - and we weren't bad. The audience loved us, but classes called, so we had to shoulder our guitars, wave our goodbyes, and get to our next class (mine was math, Peggy's was auto-shop.) I still love this song, even though when I hear Cohen's rendition, I still flash back to my and Peggy's version and smile... Cynaera wrote: [ Reply ]
Sasha2001 Apr 22, 2012 - 06:16	mmoyer wrote: Yeah, isn't it amazing how much it's changed? I don't understand, and maybe this is because I only hear what other people play, but I don't understand how Cohen could have used such interesting musical arrangements back then yet use such horrible arrangements more recently? It just serves poetry so much more. [ Reply ]
duduhead Apr 22, 2012 - 06:12	Oh, how i want to travel with this song. And Suzanne... [ Reply ]
mmoyer Mar 21, 2012 - 13:39	lemmoth wrote: Boy - I never realized his voice used to be in that register. Yeah, isn't it amazing how much it's changed? [ Reply ]
TerryS Feb 18, 2012 - 19:43	Most songwriters would give their eyeteeth to write lines like this:- "And she feeds you tea and oranges That come all the way from china" Let alone the balance of the lyrics [ Reply ]
Dinges,_the_Dude Jan 18, 2012 - 01:39	Great song although I prefer the liveversion... [ Reply ]
dcoy Oct 15, 2011 - 02:17	Cynaera wrote: And I had no idea, at the time, that this was a Cohen song. Peggy always was ahead of her time. RIP, my darling friend. Thanks for that story, Cynaera [ Reply ]
HazzeSwede Oct 15, 2011 - 02:16	Ah,the Suzy song,cool ! [ Reply ]
Cynaera Jul 12, 2011 - 19:17	Cynaera wrote: I can remember in about 1972 when I was still in high school, my best friend Peggy and I performed this song during lunch-hour at the high school plaza. We sang harmony and played acoustic guitars, and people came to listen, and they stayed. So we did some Jim Croce songs, and a couple of Joni Mitchell songs, and an original song written by a fellow classmate - and we weren't bad. The audience loved us, but classes called, so we had to shoulder our guitars, wave our goodbyes, and get to our next class (mine was math, Peggy's was auto-shop.) I still love this song, even though when I hear Cohen's rendition, I still flash back to my and Peggy's version and smile... And I had no idea, at the time, that this was a Cohen song. Peggy always was ahead of her time. RIP, my darling friend. [ Reply ]
handyrae May 10, 2011 - 12:54	I'm sorry, but that was just boring, boring, boring. Although, the lyrics (see below) are cool. [ Reply ]
dw May 10, 2011 - 12:51	A classic forever but kind of prefer Judy Collins. [ Reply ]
calypsus_1 Apr 08, 2011 - 22:21	Nick Cave - Leonard Cohen's Suzanne, Live Nick Cave in Leonard Cohen's song Suzanne Suzanne takes you down to her place newer the river You can hear the boats go by You can spend the night beside her And you know that shes half crazy But thats why you want to be there And she feeds you tea and oranges That come all the way from china And just when you mean to tell her That you have no love to give her Then she gets you on her wavelength And she lets the river answer That youve always been her lover And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind And you know that she will trust you For youve touched her perfect body with your mind. And jesus was a sailor When he walked upon the water And 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 will 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 maybe youll trust him For hes touched your perfect body with his mind. Now suzanne takes you hand And she leads you to the river She is wearing rags and feathers From salvation army counters And the sun pours down like honey On our lady of the harbour And she shows you where to look Among the garbage and the flowers There are heroes in the seaweed There are children in the morning They are 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 know that she will trust you For shes touched your perfect body with her mind [ Reply ]
Cynaera Apr 08, 2011 - 21:56	jadewahoo wrote: This may be one of the most perfect of songs ever written and performed. I can remember in about 1972 when I was still in high school, my best friend Peggy and I performed this song during lunch-hour at the high school plaza. We sang harmony and played acoustic guitars, and people came to listen, and they stayed. So we did some Jim Croce songs, and a couple of Joni Mitchell songs, and an original song written by a fellow classmate - and we weren't bad. The audience loved us, but classes called, so we had to shoulder our guitars, wave our goodbyes, and get to our next class (mine was math, Peggy's was auto-shop.) I still love this song, even though when I hear Cohen's rendition, I still flash back to my and Peggy's version and smile... [ Reply ]
LongGoneDaddy Mar 08, 2011 - 10:42	TigtheRed wrote: This song made my wife want to stab the intertubes with a spork. good one!!!! [ Reply ]
TigtheRed Mar 08, 2011 - 09:53	This song made my wife want to stab the intertubes with a spork. [ Reply ]
lemmoth Mar 08, 2011 - 09:48	Boy - I never realized his voice used to be in that register. [ Reply ]
DaveInVA Mar 08, 2011 - 09:47	Still a 10, never gets old for me..... [ Reply ]