"I'm Your Man" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

, first released on the album of the same name. Originally released as a single in 1988, it reached number 57 in the French charts after Cohen's death in 2016.

Song

"I'm Your Man" was first released on Cohen's album '' I'm Your Man'', February 1988. It was then released as the second single from the album, failing to chart anywhere. After Cohen's death in November 2016, it reached number 57 in France. In Paul Zollo's book ''Songwriters on Songwriting'', Cohen said of the song, "I sweated over that one. I really sweated over it. I can show you the notebook for that. It started off as a song called "I Cried Enough for You". It was related to a version of "Waiting for a Miracle" that I recorded. The rhyme scheme was developed by toeing the line with that musical version that I put down. But it didn't work."

Reception

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

said, "Set to a cheesy drum-machine beat and sotto voce horn riffs, with more than a little suggestion of a country ballad, Cohen conversationally throws himself at the feet of a woman he's done wrong. He'd never beg for her forgiveness, of course. But if he did: '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....'" Lyrically,

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claimed, "the title track take sentimental clichés—I’m addicted to love, I’ll do anything for love—to brutal extremes. Love is the monkey on his back and he’ll go to any lengths to appease it, even if it means erasing his identity. "I'm Your Man" fades out with Cohen still singing, as if he's going to keep prostrating himself at the feet of the object of his desire until he gets an answer. There's a very good chance she's not listening." At the time of release, Rolling Stone noted, "Love as submission, a time-honored Cohen topic, takes on a conspiratorial friendliness."

Charts

References

{{authority control 1988 songs Leonard Cohen songs Songs written by Leonard Cohen Columbia Records singles