I’m Your Man

I went to the opening of the Leonard Cohen exhibit at the Jewish Museum that will run through September 8th. It is definitely worth the visit. The Jewish Museum is a small gem on upper 5th Avenue that continually puts out really well curated interesting shows.

This show put together work from 12 artists, 18 musicians across 10 countries to create an ode to Leonard Cohen. Mostly video driven which makes the show even more interesting.

The two rooms that I enjoyed the most were the first room and the last one. The first room is a big square room with places to sit including bean bags on the floor like a big family room. A 56 minute reel plays on 6 huge floor to ceiling screens that stream different scenes of Leonard performing from his earliest shows to his last. It just puts a huge smile on your face.

The last room is down a long corridor where you can see a long bench but nothing else. Then you enter the room and see roughly 20 screens that wrap the walls. They are long and rectangular. In each of them is a different man, mostly 40+, of all different sizes, shapes and race singing I’m Your Man. It is awesome.

Leonard Cohen put out his last album to the world right before he died. He had recorded 14 albums (8 of them live), 5 compilations and put out 44 singles. There was a time in our lives where Leonard Cohen lived on the rotation list. It was nice to go back and see an old friend at the museum.

I’m Your Man, Leonard Cohen

If you want a lover
I’ll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I’ll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner, take my hand, or
If you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I’m your manIf you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I’ll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver, climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I’m your manAh, the moon’s too bright
The chain’s too tight
The beast won’t go to sleep
I’ve been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah, but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I’d crawl to you baby and I’d fall at your feet
And I’d howl at your beauty like a dog in heat
And I’d claw at your heart, and I’d tear at your sheet
I’d say please (please)
I’m your manAnd if you’ve got to sleep a moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I’ll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while across the sand
I’m your manIf you want a lover
I’ll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I’ll wear a mask for you