The Partisan is an anti-fascist anthem about the French Resistance in World War II. From the plodding bass line commencement of Leonard Cohen’s haunting and affecting The Partison – you can just imagine the resistance fighter trudging the green fields of France as he evades detection from the Germans, leading a dangerous life on the run. The song was composed in 1943 by Russian-born Anna Marly, with lyrics by French Resistance leader Emmanuel d’Astier de La Vigerie, and originally titled “La Complainte du partisan” (English: “The lament of the partisan“).

The Partisan was translated into English by Hy Zaret in 1944. He was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist and best known for writing Unchained Melody. Cohen first learned “La Complainte du partisan” from The People’s Songbook as a fifteen-year-old boy at summer-camp in 1950. Using Zaret’s predominantly English adaptation to record the song, with the title The Partisan, left Cohen dissatisfied, and he suggested to Johnston that French voices were needed on the track. That was eventually arranged with a trio of female singers in Paris and an accordian player and then overdubbed onto the track. So the first five verses are sung from Zaret’s English, followed by verses six, seven and eight being sung in French, and the final verse nine being a repeat of the English verse five.

The Partison was Cohen’s first commercial recording of a song he did not write. Also it was a rare excursion for Leonard to enter into political territory. The recording of The Partisan utilized only a classical guitar, double bass, and accordion along with vocals by Cohen and female voices. The melody and chord structure is quite different from the aforementioned French original. You can hear Anna Marly’s exquisite version here accompanied by her gorgeous whistling. Leonard’s The Partisan was released on his second record Songs From a Room. It was also released the track in Europe as a 7-inch single with another one of my favourite early career songs by Leonard – Bird on the Wire.

While there are notable differences between the original French lyrics and Zaret’s English adaptation, Leonard Cohen’s “The Partisan” is largely based on Zaret’s version. However, Cohen retains some original French verses, which include references to France and Germany – elements that are neutralized in the English sections. Take for example:

Cohen’s English verses (written by Hy Zaret)
But I have many friends / And some of them are with me

Cohen’s French verses (original version)
But I have so many friends / I have the whole of France

Also in the English Zaret version there is significant difference in the last stanza is, which is much more positive:

Freedom soon will come / Then we’ll come from the shadows.

Where as in the original French version – the last stanza is translated to:
Everyone will forget us / We will return to the shadows

[Verse 1]
When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender
This I could not do
I took my gun and vanished

[Verse 2]
I have changed my name so often
I’ve lost my wife and children
But I have many friends
And some of them are with me

[Verse 3]
An old woman gave us shelter
Kept us hidden in the garret
Then the soldiers came
She died without a whisper

[Verse 4]
There were three of us this morning
I’m the only one this evening
But I must go on
The frontiers are my prison

[Verse 5]
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing
Through the graves the wind is blowing
Freedom soon will come
Then we’ll come from the shadows

[Verse 6]
Les Allemands étaient chez moi
Ils me dirent, “Resigne-toi,”
Mais je n’ai pas pu
J’ai repris mon arme

[Verse 7]
J’ai changé cent fois de nom
J’ai perdu femme et enfants
Mais j’ai tant d’amis
J’ai la France entière

[Verse 8]
Un vieil homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a caché
Les Allemands l’ont pris
Il est mort sans surprise

References:
1. The Partisan – Wikipedia