Canzoni: Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)

Nel suo posto in riva al fiume Suzanne ti ha voluto accanto e ora ascolti andar le barche ora puoi dormirle a fianco sì lo sai che lei è pazza ma per questo sei con lei e ti offre il the e le arance che ha portato dalla Cina e proprio mentre stai per dirle che non hai amore da offrirle lei è già sulla tua onda e fa che il fiume ti risponda che da sempre siete amanti. E tu vuoi viaggiarle insieme vuoi viaggiarle insieme ciecamente perchè sai che le hai toccato il corpo il suo corpo perfetto con la mente. E Gesù fu marinaio finchè camminò sull'acqua e restò per molto tempo a guardare solitario dalla sua torre di legno e poi quando fu sicuro che soltanto agli annegati fosse dato di vederlo disse: Siate marinai finchè il mare vi libererà. E lui stesso fu spezzato ma più umano abbandonato nella nostra mente lui non naufragò. E tu vuoi viaggiarle insieme vuoi viaggiarle insieme ciecamente forse avrai fiducia in lui perchè ti ha toccato il corpo con la mente. E Suzanne ti da la mano, ti accompagna lungo il fiume, porta addosso stracci e piume presi in qualche dormitorio il sole scende come miele su di lei donna del porto che ti indica i colori tra la spazzatura e i fiori scopri eroi tra le alghe marce e bambini nel mattino che si sporgono all'amore e così faranno sempre e Suzanne regge lo specchio. E tu vuoi viaggiarle insieme vuoi viaggiarle insieme ciecamente perchè sai che ti ha toccato il corpo il suo corpo perfetto con la mente. Suzanne text © 1972 Fabrizio De André based on Suzanne © 1971 Leonard Cohen De André's adaptation of "Suzanne" was released as a 45 in 1972 (b/w "Joan of Arc") with arrangements by Nicola Piovani. For inclusion on Canzoni the music was rearranged by Piero Reverberi. Leonard Cohen text for Joan of Arc: 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 that 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 that 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 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 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 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 you can trust her For she's touched your perfect body with her mind

In her place on the river bank Suzanne wanted you next to her, and now you listen to the boats going by, now you can sleep by her side. Yes you know that she’s crazy, but that’s why you’re with her. And she offers you tea and oranges that she brought from China. And just while you’re about to tell her that you have no love to offer, she is already on your wave and she makes the river answer you that you’ve always been lovers. And you want to travel together with her, you want to travel with her blindly, because you know you’ve touched her body, her perfect body with your mind. And Jesus was a sailor until he walked upon the water, and he stayed a long time watching alone from his wooden tower. And then when he was certain that only the drowned would be able to see him, he said, "Be you all sailors until the sea will free you." And he himself was broken, but more human, abandoned; in our mind he wasn’t shipwrecked. And you want to travel together with her, you want to travel with her blindly, maybe you’ll trust him because he’s touched your body with his mind. And Suzanne gives you her hand, she accompanies you along the river, she’s dressed in rags and feathers picked up in some dormitories, the sun comes down like honey on her, lady of the harbor who shows you the colors among the rubbish and the flowers, you discover heroes in the rotten seaweed and children in the morning who lean out towards love, and they’ll do like this forever, and Suzanne holds the mirror. And you want to travel together with her, you want to travel with her blindly, because you know her body has touched you, her perfect body with the mind. English translation © 2014 Dennis Criteser Canzoni, released in 1974, was a "filler" album, like Volume III, desired by De André's label. The only three previously unreleased songs here are covers of Dylan's "Desolation Row" and of two songs by Georges Brassens. Also included are two covers of Leonard Cohen songs. An unreleased alternate take of Suzanne is to the left. Fabrizio De André text, translated, for Suzanne: In her place on the river bank Suzanne wanted you next to her And now you listen to the boats going by Now you want to sleep next to her Yes you know that she’s crazy But that’s why you’re with her And she offers you tea and oranges That she brought from China And just while you’re about to tell her That you have nothing to offer her She is already on your wave And she makes the river answer you That you’ve always been lovers. And you want to travel together with her You want to travel with her blindly Because you know you’ve touched her body Her perfect body with the mind. And Jesus was a sailor Until he walked upon the water And he stayed a long time watching alone From his wooden tower And then when he was certain That only the drowned Would be able to see him He said: Be you all sailors until the sea will free you. And he himself was broken But more human, abandoned In our mind He wasn’t shipwrecked. And you want to travel together with her And you want to travel with her blindly Maybe you’ll trust him Because he’s touched your body with the mind. And Suzanne gives you her hand, She accompanies you along the river, She’s dressed in rags and feathers Picked up in some dormitories The sun comes down like honey On her, lady of the harbor And she shows you the colors Among the rubbish and the flowers You discover heroes amongst the rotten seaweed And children in the morning Who lean out towards love And they’ll lean out forever And Suzanne holds the mirror. And you want to travel together with her You want to travel with her blindly Because you know she’s touched your body Her perfect body with the mind.

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