Video – A Special Composite Presentation Of “A Thousand Kisses Deep” By Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen - A Thousand Kisses Deep (Vancouver 2010 Screenshot)

More Than A Thousand Kisses Deep

Leonard Cohen’s recitation of “A Thousand Kisses Deep” has varied in content over the years. This composite of some of these versions is an especially gratifying coalition of international forces, featuring AlanM5049 of Adelaide, Australia, Goldin (aka Hermitage Prisoner to Heck Of A Guy readers)  of St. Petersburg, Russia, Sony of Canada (and everywhere else on Earth), DrHGuy of Durham, North Carolina, and Leonard Cohen, currently residing in Los Angeles, California.

AlanM5049 describes the process.

I initially contemplated conjoining all the verses of “A Thousand Kisses Deep” from the several versions presented during the Leonard Cohen World Tour.

A LeonardCohenForum posting by Goldin, Two “A Thousand Kisses Deep” recitations from 1997-1998,¹ however, directed  me to older recordings, which I analyzed for content.

I cleaned up the sound on both where I could, but the connections between the versions were too abrupt.

Cohen’s pauses and Neil Larsen’s organ playing in the “Live In London” recording of “A Thousand Kisses Deep” provided the opportunity to integrate the unduplicated verses from the earlier recordings. I looped each organ piece several times until I had enough to add to the unaccompanied verses. I think that although the acoustics of the three  recordings are different, adding the organ track has supplied the continuity I was seeking. I confess that until I separated out Neil’s music, I hadn’t realized how beautifully complex it is.

I also moved the last stanza from the “Live In London” recording, at which point the delivery slows, to the end to produce a sense of an ending.

Cohen spoke a bit faster in the unaccompanied recitations, but when I tried to slow the speed the result sounded like “phasing,” dissuading me from using the slower version.

I was stimulated to finish the project by the impressive result created by combining Cohen’s recitation [of "Two Worlds," a “specially written verse” of "A Thousand Kisses Deep"] with musical backing in  the Sony 3D television advertisement.

My own role was limited to adding photos and a movie clip pertinent to Leonard Cohen as well as a few sketches by the Canadian singer-songwriter to complete the video montage.

“A Thousand Kisses Deep” By Leonard Cohen – A Composite Presentation

Other Posts Featuring “A Thousand Kisses Deep”

• From Jennifer Warnes Sings “Way Down Deep” To Leonard Cohen Recites “A Thousand Kisses Deep”
• Leonard Cohen Recites “If It Be Your Will” And Extended Version Of “A Thousand Kisses Deep”
• Leonard Cohen Was More Than “A Thousand Kisses Deep” In Dublin
• Leonard Cohen’s “A Thousand Kisses Deep” – From Book Of Longing To San Jose Concert

1. The pertinent portion of that post follows:

   I’ve found on YouTube 2 unattributed recitations. Haven’t received replies from the uploaders so far, but I think I cleared up the details.

   1. The first recording is inexplicably unclaimed (less than 1 view per day!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M5mMSIX6RY
   It is a fragment of
   1997 – Beautiful Losers – Arte Network, France – 34m
   Interview for French TV, broadcast on 29 July 1997.

   See screenshot @ Diamonds in the Mine to receive evidence:
   “film & arts” logo, the same suit, the same window frame finally

   2. The other one is extremely popular (more than 1,1 million views) audio-only recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXaRT8CXmGE

   Briefly, this recitation is taken from KCRW interview (March 3, 1998). It was mentioned on the Forum by Jean-François Bédard in 2002 and by Tom Sakic in 2003.
   This lyrics also appeared here, in Lily’s post.

   But the lyrics recited in 1997 are little-known. Google finds its ONLY appearance on the Net.

   Read this masterpiece below and note the second strophe!

   A Thousand Kisses Deep (1997)

   Don’t matter if the road is long
   Don’t matter if it’s steep
   Don’t matter if the moon is gone
   And the darkness is complete
   Don’t matter if we lose our way
   It’s written that we’ll meet
   At least, that’s what I heard you say
   A thousand kisses deep

   Don’t matter if you lie to me
   Don’t matter if you cheat
   When you sell me down the river
   I’ll pretend to be asleep
   There’s a pair of leather gloves for you
   And a blade against your cheek
   But it’s strange what you forget to do
   A thousand kisses deep

   I loved you when you opened
   Like a lily to the heat
   You see, I’m just another snowman
   Standing in the rain and sleet
   Who loved you with his frozen love
   His second hand physique
   With all he is and all he was
   A thousand kisses deep [↩]