Traveling Light Lyrics
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 1]
I'm traveling light, it's au revoir
My once so bright, my fallen star
I'm running late, they'll close the bar
I used to play one mean guitar
I guess I'm just somebody who
Has given up on the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 2]
Good night, good night, my fallen star
I guess you're right, you always are
I know you're right about the blues
You live some life you'd never choose
I'm just a fool, a dreamer who
Forgot to dream of the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 1]
I'm traveling light, it's au revoir
My once so bright, my fallen star
I'm running late, they'll close the bar
I used to play one mean guitar
I guess I'm just somebody who
Has given up on the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 2]
Good night, good night, my fallen star
I guess you're right, you always are
I know you're right about the blues
You live some life you'd never choose
I'm just a fool, a dreamer who
Forgot to dream of the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 3]
Traveling light, it's au revoir
My once so bright, my fallen star
I'm running late, they'll close the bar
I used to play one mean guitar
I guess I'm just somebody who
Has given up on the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
[Outro]
But if the road leads back to you
Must I forget the things I knew
When I was friends with one or two
Traveling light, like we used to do
I'm traveling light
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
[Verse 3]
Traveling light, it's au revoir
My once so bright, my fallen star
I'm running late, they'll close the bar
I used to play one mean guitar
I guess I'm just somebody who
Has given up on the me and you
I'm not alone, I've met a few
Traveling light, like we used to do
[Outro]
But if the road leads back to you
Must I forget the things I knew
When I was friends with one or two
Traveling light, like we used to do
I'm traveling light
[Refrain]
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la
About
Genius Annotation
An early version of the lyrics is found in Cohen’s poetry collection Book of Longing (2006).
In the song, a Greek bouzouki is heard. Cohen has spent some years of his early life on the island of Hydra in Greece.
There he lived together with his longtime love Marianne Ihlen, the muse who inspired songs such as “So Long, Marianne” and “Bird on the Wire”. She passed away in the summer before “You Want it Darker” came out.
As the song describes Cohen’s solitary (non-monogamous) lifestyle, it may be a wink at Marianne, one of the great loves of his life.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.Treaty
- 3.On the Level
- 6.Traveling Light
Credits
Producer
Writers
Floor Tom
Mellotron
Wurlitzer
Nylon String Guitar
Octophone
Music by
Lyrics By
Engineered By
Mixing
Background Vocals
Violin
Cello Bass
Drum Programming
Keyboards
Mandolin
Bouzouki
Recorded At
Leonard Cohen's house in Wilshire, Los Angeles
Release Date
October 21, 2016
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