La canción So Long, Marianne fue escrita por Leonard Cohen sobre su relación con Marianne Ihlen, a quien conoció en la isla griega de Hydra en la década de 1960. Marianne y Leonard tuvieron un romance durante varios años, y ella inspiró muchas de sus canciones. La canción reflexiona sobre la naturaleza impermanente del amor y la vida, marcando una despedida poética a su musa.
Come over to the window, my little darling I'd like to try to read your palm I used to think I was some kind of gypsy boy before I let you take me home
Now so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Well you know that I love to live with you but you make me forget so very much I forget to pray for the angels and then the angels forget to pray for us
Now so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
We met when we were almost young deep in the green Lilac park You held on to me like I was a crucifix as we went kneeling through the dark
Oh so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Your letters they all say that you're beside me now then why do I feel alone I'm standing on a ledge and your fine spider web is fastening my ankle to a stone
Now so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
For now I need your hidden love I'm cold as a new razor blade You left when I told you I was curious I never said that I was brave
Oh so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
Oh, you are really such a pretty one I see you've gone and changed your name again And just when I climbed this whole mountainside to wash my eye__lids in the rain
Oh so long, Marianne, It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again Oh, your eyes, well, I forget your eyes your body's at home in every sea How come you gave away your news to everyone When you said it was a secret just for me