This is one of my favorite "fun" Leonard Cohen songs. I really love this song and play it often. I think this song is about indulging in things that perhaps we shouldn't the line that really hits me hard is "It looks like freedom, but it feels like death" perhaps an end of a relationship or on a darker note, the feeling one gets when they get to drinking it up and decide to step outside their marriage. At that moment, everything changes and often the guilt ruins the marriage and everything you had thought you believed in before. It is closing time for the marriage or effected relationship. Johnny Walker wisdom is a dangerous thing.
Thanks for reacting to this favorite of mine. Great reaction. nailed it on a first listen. Leonard's voice blended with his backing vocalists is a magical blend.
Was fortune to be able to see Cohen in his out-of-retirement tours. "Closing Time" was always a crowd favorite and (logically) was performed near the end. It was always played at a faster pace than in this video, though. The lyrics--where the chorus gets longer each time--seem like they would be rather confusing to remember and sing, but he never relied on lyric sheets and to my knowledge never made a mistake even as he was approaching age 80!
It has been said that Cohen refers to God as "the Boss" -- so "the Boss don't like these dizzy heights, we're busted in the blinding lights of closing time," has a different ring to it altogether. Some suggest that Cohen is talking about judgement day (i.e. Closing Time), and the sins of a world which has become ever more immersed in "sin" and its love of debauchery is about to face a reckoning. Whatever he had in mind, well that's for him to know. We all interpret songs differently based on our experiences and where we are at the time we hear it. Any meaning one puts on a song is equally valid. That's what makes songs so wonderful.
Thank you so much for giving LC some more coverage. Here is a cool verse that was originally intended to open the song: “The parking lot is empty They've switched off the budweiser sign And Its dark from here to San Jovite Its dark all down the line They oughta hand the night a ticket for speeding, its a crime I had so much to tell you But yeah its closing time”
LC's poetry from which his songs were derived often had over 20 stanzas. He had to pick pieces to make into songs which sometimes seemed to make his songs a bit cryptic or sometimes even depressive. I love them all so I never understood the group in the music industry that said the Cohen songs were "Music to slit your wrists by." I just think those people have no souls.
One more comment, since you are a fan of both Cohen and Dylan. There is another Canadian giant of a songwriter that both Cohen and Dylan routinely praised: Gordon Lightfoot. This track is worth checking out: th-cam.com/video/MUjAYV8I6To/w-d-xo.html
I interpret that the "Closing Time" of the title refers more to the temporary nature of things---as well as the folly of looking for momentary love (via sexual flings) with many people instead of lasting love with one person. It's a man trying to live true to his nature, but without wanting to deceive anybody, and who looking to mine moments of genuine connection out of these bar hookups. I know that's a very specific interpretation, but that's how I perceive the song when I hear it, especially with the video.
Fantastic reaction, thank you for doing this one! I like your interpretation of this song. Semisonic's song "Closing Time" (released six years after this one) is maybe the other one you were thinking of.
What!!!? Its a deep poem of life - how we always expect a climax to our expectations but somehow all the fantasies are only seen and goodlooking in the dark, as they as not really true, but looks like something good and exiting.. and we drinking and were dancing but the place is dead as heaven on a Saturday night… but we keep going for that big climax that we think is there at some point, but the awful truth that you cant reveal to the ears of youth is that is thats really nothing there in the end… its just closing time, and we that in the end when the boss gives us the blinding light and sees it as it is.. its closing time and there was nothing really in it anyway.
@@bennythomsen5974 "It’s that wild, or beautiful, or terrible time when things reach their maximum point of expansion, and then begin to contract. It’s the time we’re in." L. C.
@@bennythomsen5974 I did not say it's superficial. I said this may be Cohen's most superficial song. So, that's on the Cohen scale which starts far above any other scale from any other singer/songwriter. However, I admit, there may be even more superficial ones on "Death of a ladies' man" (an album I don't listen to that often).
@@viceroyzh ok I understand, however I never found Closing Time superficial at all… I think a song like So Long Marianne is a far more superficial love song than what he is describing in this. But anyway, its nice to hear your opinion and FWIW, you might be right. Thanks for commenting. See you around dear fellow Cohen fan. I am taking my daughter to a Cohen tribute concert in January.. and I recently found out that she has Take this Waltz and Everybody Knows on her playlist, shes only 15.. wow.. she will get her mind broadened at the concert!
This song works on many levels. It's as much about the brevity of life (and its wild ups and downs) as it is about an actual bar at closing time.
This is one of my favorite "fun" Leonard Cohen songs. I really love this song and play it often. I think this song is about indulging in things that perhaps we shouldn't the line that really hits me hard is "It looks like freedom, but it feels like death" perhaps an end of a relationship or on a darker note, the feeling one gets when they get to drinking it up and decide to step outside their marriage. At that moment, everything changes and often the guilt ruins the marriage and everything you had thought you believed in before. It is closing time for the marriage or effected relationship. Johnny Walker wisdom is a dangerous thing.
Thanks for reacting to this favorite of mine. Great reaction. nailed it on a first listen.
Leonard's voice blended with his backing vocalists is a magical blend.
Looks like my favorite Cohen backup singers, Julie Christensen and Perla Batalla, singing behind him at 4:09. Amazing singers and beautiful, too!
One of my faves..👍👍
Was fortune to be able to see Cohen in his out-of-retirement tours. "Closing Time" was always a crowd favorite and (logically) was performed near the end. It was always played at a faster pace than in this video, though. The lyrics--where the chorus gets longer each time--seem like they would be rather confusing to remember and sing, but he never relied on lyric sheets and to my knowledge never made a mistake even as he was approaching age 80!
I think you nailed it. You always seem to get it.
This is pure Canadian poetry!
It has been said that Cohen refers to God as "the Boss" -- so "the Boss don't like these dizzy heights, we're busted in the blinding lights of closing time," has a different ring to it altogether.
Some suggest that Cohen is talking about judgement day (i.e. Closing Time), and the sins of a world which has become ever more immersed in "sin" and its love of debauchery is about to face a reckoning.
Whatever he had in mind, well that's for him to know. We all interpret songs differently based on our experiences and where we are at the time we hear it. Any meaning one puts on a song is equally valid. That's what makes songs so wonderful.
Thank you so much for giving LC some more coverage. Here is a cool verse that was originally intended to open the song:
“The parking lot is empty
They've switched off the budweiser sign
And Its dark from here to San Jovite
Its dark all down the line
They oughta hand the night a ticket
for speeding, its a crime
I had so much to tell you
But yeah its closing time”
LC's poetry from which his songs were derived often had over 20 stanzas. He had to pick pieces to make into songs which sometimes seemed to make his songs a bit cryptic or sometimes even depressive. I love them all so I never understood the group in the music industry that said the Cohen songs were "Music to slit your wrists by." I just think those people have no souls.
Leonard is the man!
One more comment, since you are a fan of both Cohen and Dylan. There is another Canadian giant of a songwriter that both Cohen and Dylan routinely praised: Gordon Lightfoot. This track is worth checking out: th-cam.com/video/MUjAYV8I6To/w-d-xo.html
And Neil Young
I interpret that the "Closing Time" of the title refers more to the temporary nature of things---as well as the folly of looking for momentary love (via sexual flings) with many people instead of lasting love with one person. It's a man trying to live true to his nature, but without wanting to deceive anybody, and who looking to mine moments of genuine connection out of these bar hookups. I know that's a very specific interpretation, but that's how I perceive the song when I hear it, especially with the video.
💜
Fantastic reaction, thank you for doing this one! I like your interpretation of this song. Semisonic's song "Closing Time" (released six years after this one) is maybe the other one you were thinking of.
Yes, that's the one!
I always took this song more literally. I thought it was just about a guy's experience in a strip club!
I think the music volume should be higher than the volume on your voice.
This may be Cohen's most superficial song but still worth listening.
What!!!? Its a deep poem of life - how we always expect a climax to our expectations but somehow all the fantasies are only seen and goodlooking in the dark, as they as not really true, but looks like something good and exiting.. and we drinking and were dancing but the place is dead as heaven on a Saturday night… but we keep going for that big climax that we think is there at some point, but the awful truth that you cant reveal to the ears of youth is that is thats really nothing there in the end… its just closing time, and we that in the end when the boss gives us the blinding light and sees it as it is.. its closing time and there was nothing really in it anyway.
@@bennythomsen5974 "It’s that wild, or beautiful, or terrible time when things reach their maximum point of expansion, and then begin to contract. It’s the time we’re in." L. C.
@@viceroyzh how is that superficial?
@@bennythomsen5974 I did not say it's superficial. I said this may be Cohen's most superficial song. So, that's on the Cohen scale which starts far above any other scale from any other singer/songwriter. However, I admit, there may be even more superficial ones on "Death of a ladies' man" (an album I don't listen to that often).
@@viceroyzh ok I understand, however I never found Closing Time superficial at all… I think a song like So Long Marianne is a far more superficial love song than what he is describing in this. But anyway, its nice to hear your opinion and FWIW, you might be right. Thanks for commenting. See you around dear fellow Cohen fan. I am taking my daughter to a Cohen tribute concert in January.. and I recently found out that she has Take this Waltz and Everybody Knows on her playlist, shes only 15.. wow.. she will get her mind broadened at the concert!
Avalanche