This article is about the song. For the 1989 compilation album, see So Long, Marianne (album). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "So Long, Marianne" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) | 1967 song by Leonard Cohen "So Long, Marianne" Song by Leonard Cohen from the album Songs of Leonard Cohen Released| 1967 Genre| Folk rock Length| 5:38 Label| Columbia Songwriter(s)| Leonard Cohen "So Long, Marianne" is a song written by Canadian poet and musician Leonard Cohen. It was featured on his debut album, Songs of Leonard Cohen. Pitchfork Media placed it at number 190 on their list of "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s."[1] ## Contents * 1 History * 2 Cover versions * 3 Charts * 4 References ## History[edit] The song was inspired by Marianne Jensen, born Marianne Ihlen, whom Cohen met on the Greek island of Hydra in 1960.[2] She had recently been left by her husband,[3] the Norwegian writer Axel Jensen, leaving her and their six-month-old son alone on the island. The two hit it off, and Cohen ultimately took her from Hydra back to her home in Oslo, Norway. He later invited her and her son to live with him in Montreal, an offer which she accepted.[2] The two lived together throughout the 1960s, commuting between New York, Montreal, and Hydra. To quote Leonard Cohen (backcover of “Greatest Hits”, 1976): "I began this on Aylmer Street in Montreal and finished it a year or so later at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. I didn’t think I was saying goodbye but I guess I was. She gave me many songs, and she has given songs to others too. She is a Muse. A lot of people I know think that there is nothing more important than making a song. Fortunately, this belief arises infrequently in their conversation." Marianne Ihlen herself, however, said that the original words were not "So long, Marianne", but "Come on, Marianne", indicating that in an early version of the song, it was not meant as a goodbye.[4] Cohen dedicated his third volume of poetry, Flowers for Hitler, to her, and she directly inspired many of his other songs and poems. A photo of her appears on the back cover of his second album, Songs from a Room. Marianne Ihlen died in hospital in Oslo on July 28, 2016, aged 81.[5][6] Cohen wrote to her shortly before her death, saying: "I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. [...] I’ve never forgotten your love and your beauty. But you know that. [...] Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Love and gratitude."[7] He died just more than three months later, on November 7. ## Cover versions[edit] The song has been covered by Beck, Noel Harrison, John Cale with Suzanne Vega, Straitjacket Fits, Brian Hyland, James, Bill Callahan, Russian Red, Courtney Barnett, and others, including Cohen's own son, Adam Cohen. In 1984 it became a hit in the Dutch Top 40 sung by José Hoebee, ex-singer of Luv' and TV host Ron Brandsteder. Adam Cohen and The Webb Sisters performed the song at the 2017 Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen concert.[8] Courtney Barnett performed the song in her 2019 MTV Unplugged performance.[9] ## Charts[edit] Chart (2016) | Peak position | France (SNEP)[10] | 28 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[11] | 38 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 50 ## References[edit] 1. ^ Pitchfork Media Staff (August 14, 2006). "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s". Retrieved April 13, 2010. 2. ^ a b "So Long Marianne – A Love Story by Kari Hesthamar". Retrieved April 13, 2010. 3. ^ "Marianne and Leonard: Interview with Marianne Ihlen by Kari Hesthamar, Norway, 2005", LeonardCohenFiles.com. Retrieved August 6, 2016 4. ^ Nick Broomfield, quoting Marianne Ihlen, in Broomfield's documentary about her and Cohen's relationship, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love, 2019. This is also confirmed in Mejlænder, Petter (24 June 2006). "Mariannes greske drama" [Marianne's Greek drama] (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. Retrieved 17 August 2016. 5. ^ Leonard Cohen official Facebook page. Retrieved July 29, 2016 6. ^ Octavio Lopes, "Marianne Ihlen (1935-2016)", Correio de Manha, 6 August 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016 7. ^ Tanya Dalziell, Paul Genoni, "Mythmaking, social media and the truth about Leonard Cohen’s last letter to Marianne Ihlen", The Conversation, 5 December 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2019 8. ^ "Watch Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen on Wednesday, January 3 on CBC". CBC Arts, December 29, 2017. 9. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (December 9, 2019). "Courtney Barnett's Unplugged Leonard Cohen Cover is an Understated Gem". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 16, 2019. 10. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 46, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved November 19, 2016. 11. ^ "Leonard Cohen – So Long, Marianne" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 29 November 2016. 12. ^ "Leonard Cohen – So Long, Marianne". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 November 2016. * v * t * e Leonard Cohen Studio albums| * Songs of Leonard Cohen * Songs from a Room * Songs of Love and Hate * New Skin for the Old Ceremony * Death of a Ladies' Man * Recent Songs * Various Positions * I'm Your Man * The Future * Ten New Songs * Dear Heather * Old Ideas * Popular Problems * You Want It Darker * Thanks for the Dance Live albums| * Live Songs * Cohen Live * Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 * Live in London * Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 * Songs from the Road * Live in Dublin * Can't Forget: A Souvenir of the Grand Tour Compilations| * The Best of Leonard Cohen * So Long, Marianne * More Best of Leonard Cohen * The Essential Leonard Cohen Tribute albums| * Famous Blue Raincoat * I'm Your Fan * Tower of Song * Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man * Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy * The Songs of Leonard Cohen Covered Concert tours| * Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010 * Old Ideas World Tour Songs| * "Ain't No Cure for Love" * "Avalanche" * "Bird on the Wire" * "Dance Me to the End of Love" * "Everybody Knows" * "Famous Blue Raincoat" * "First We Take Manhattan" * "The Gypsy's Wife" * "Hallelujah" * "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" * "I'm Your Man" * "In My Secret Life" * "Joan of Arc" * "The Partisan" * "So Long, Marianne" * "Suzanne" * "Take This Waltz" * "Tower of Song" * "You Want It Darker" Books| * Let Us Compare Mythologies * The Spice-Box of Earth * The Favourite Game * Flowers for Hitler * Beautiful Losers * Selected Poems 1956–1968 * Stranger Music * Book of Longing * The Holy or the Broken Related| * Awards and nominations * Discography * Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man * Sharon Robinson * Jennifer Warnes * Anjani * Perla Batalla * Julie Christensen * Marianne Ihlen * Blue Alert * Bob Johnston * I Am a Hotel * Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen * Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song * Category Authority control | * MusicBrainz work | *[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template