Slow (2014) – Leonard Cohen

Slow is from Leonard Cohen’s penultimate and 13th studio album Popular Problems (2014). It is the fourth song to be presented here from the record after his previous entry – Samson in New Orleans. Slow is one of those tracks where the Canadian poet and songwriter uses his deep signature voice and wit to meet a languid blues groove. Released just a day after Cohen’s 80th birthday, this song feels like a testament to his unapologetic slowness—both in life and in art. With its laid-back rhythm and playful lyrics, Cohen subtly reflects on time, ageing, and perhaps a bit more, with his characteristic traits enveloped in humor.

At its core, the song seems to be a tongue-in-cheek meditation on taking things slowly. “You want to get there soon / I want to get there last,” he sings, hinting at the philosophical idea that the journey, not the destination, is what matters. With respect to this, how can one be remiss of his ‘chance’ meeting with Bob Dylan.
Adam Cohen (Leonard Cohen’s son) tells the following story of an amusing moment between Cohen and perhaps his closest creative peer, Bob Dylan:

“A lot of people have made the comparison between Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen over the years and there’s some hilarious stories.”
“Like the two of them are sitting in a cafe in Paris and Dylan says to him, ‘How long did it take you to write Hallelujah?”
“And my father completely lied to Dylan and said, ‘Oh you know couple of years.’ “
“I think it was [actually] seven years”, says Adam.
“And then my father returned the favour and said, you know, ‘How long did it take you to write Just Like a Woman?’ and Dylan said ‘Fifteen minutes’.
“And that’s very much about process I think. Dylan had this quality where he would ‘from the hip’, you know spit and polish, spit and vinegar and then this old man of mine was much more like chiseling marble.
– BBC Scotland

Cohen’s approach to Slow reveals his fascination with time. The artist has often explored existential themes throughout his career, and in this track, he juxtaposes urgency and patience. He seems to poke fun at the modern world’s obsession with speed and efficiency, while also embracing the wisdom of age.

I’m slowing down the tune
I’ve never liked it fast
You wanna get there soon
I wanna get there last
It’s not because I’m old
It’s not the life I led
I always liked it slow
That’s what my mamma said

I’m lacing up my shoes
But I don’t want to run
I’ll get there when I do
Don’t need no starting gun
It’s not because I’m old
And it’s not what dying does
I’ve always liked it slow
Slow is in my blood

I’ve always liked it slow
I never liked it fast
With you it’s “got to go”
With me it’s got to last
It’s not because I’m old
It’s not because I’m dead
I’ve always liked it slow
That’s what my mama said

All your moves are swift
All your turns are tight
Let me catch my breath
I thought we had all night
I like to take my time
I like to linger as it flies
A weekend on your lips
A lifetime in your eyes

(Chorus x2)

Popular Problems received uniformly positive reviews from critics. The album peaked at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 20,000 copies in its first week. Personally, I wouldn’t bracket Slow as a top-tier Leonard song, like I would the masterpiece You Got Me Singing off the same record, which I dedicated to my daughter Katherine after her baptism as I did Hallelujah when my son Jesus celebrated his third birthday, but even-so a mid-tier Cohen output (like I would categorise a mid-tier Woody Allen film) is better than 90% of the stuff out there.

References:
1. Popular Problems – Wikipedia

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“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand