Politics

Unlike Bob Dylan, Cohen was never a protest singer. Indeed, it is difficult to find clearly articulated political positions anywhere in his work, and he frequently expressed the wish to not take sides. Yet Cohen has often referred to the songs of the Spanish Civil War and socialist folk singers as early influences. Cohen’s work does address political issues, and it can be read as articulating political positions regardless of the artist’s claims. Cohen often found himself in the middle of political strife, from Havana in the early years of Castro’s revolution to the Arab–Israeli conflicts. Songs like “First We Take Manhattan,” “Democracy,” and “Everybody Knows” offer political critique, even if they don’t endorse any program – and not choosing sides is also a political position. This chapter assesses the political valences and import of Cohen’s work and persona.