There's a beautifully haunting feeling when listening to Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat." Released in 1971, the folk track had often been open to discussion among fans due to the story behind its lyrics and the real-life inspiration.
The singer, poet, and novelist became known for developing songs that rattled emotions, with his most famous being "Hallelujah." In 1971, he released "Famous Blue Raincoat" for his third studio album, Songs of Love and Hate. It didn't become a mainstream success on the charts when it was released, but later became known as a melancholy anthem.
Among fans, "Famous Blue Raincoat" became more notably known for being written as a love letter, with its lyrics referring to a love triangle. Throughout the song, it references the narrator, a woman named Jane, and the other man, who is referred to only briefly as "my brother, my killer." Whether the love triangle was based on real-life experience is up for debate.
According to Far Out magazine, Cohen broke down the concept of the track for the BBC and admits he doesn't remember if it was real or not.
“The problem with that song is that I’ve forgotten the actual triangle. Whether it was my own – of course, I always felt that there was an invisible male seducing the woman I was with, now whether this one was incarnate or merely imaginary, I don’t remember. I’ve always had the sense that either I’ve been that figure in relation to another couple or there’d been a figure like that in relation to my marriage," he said.
Despite the popularity of "Famous Blue Raincoat" among fans, Cohen also admitted that he's "never been satisfied" with the piece. He revealed he "never felt that this one, that I really nailed the lyric. I’m ready to concede something to the mystery, but secretly, I’ve always felt that there was something about the song that was unclear.”
For decades, even fans have felt that way about the track and its unknown inspiration. Some believe the song's lyrics are too specific not to be about a certain person, or something that is easily forgotten. "Famous Blue Raincoat" also has a real-life incident attached that inspired its title.
In 1975's The Best of Leonard Cohen album, the liner notes reveal there was a real blue raincoat. Cohen details having had a Burberry raincoat he bought in London in 1959 that his girlfriend didn't like at the time. He recalls the coat having been stolen from Marianne's loft in New York City during the early '70s, and at the time, he wasn't wearing it as often.
Related: 1971 Folk Ballad, Inspired by a Painful Breakup, Became an Unlikely Holiday Classic
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