Leonard Cohen’s debut album from 1969 was started in hesitation. He was already known as a writer of poems, but wanted to try his hand at creating songs. It was successful, and paved the way for many of his later successes. It also contains his best works, I think. Suzanne and So long, Marianne are well known songs, recreated by many other artists: my streaming service has 332 versions of that first song of this album.
According to Marianna Ihlen, the Norwegian Marianne to whom So long, Marianne was dedicated, it was never meant as a farewell song. It was however. She had lived together with Cohen for a few years during the 60s, after her husband left her and their six months old kid alone. It took him a year to write it, and he told later it was dedicated to her because she was a muse. She gave him inspiration.
Well you know that I love to live with you,
but you make me forget so very much.
I forget to pray for the angels
and then the angels forget to pray for us.
When she died at age 81 in 2016, he wrote her a letter: I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. […] I’ve never forgotten your love and your beauty. But you know that. […] Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Love and gratitude. He died himself three months later.