This song took longer than most Leonard Cohen songs to hit me. But I find it at least right now one of his more emotional songs in some ways. It speaks to the common struggles of most people but also touches on how we see whatever happens to us as the worst thing. I think this is supported in the line "he stands where it is very steep (I'm assuming because he's thinking of suicide) well I guess he thinks he's the very first one". Also, I feel quite moved by the line "his hands on his leather belt now like it was the wheel of some big ocean liner." It's that clinging to dignity in matters of lost love that (which I think is the overall theme of the song of course) is sadder for its attempt. I also appreciate the irony in "Let's sing another song boys" because we always have sung about lost love and always will. It reminds of a line in To a Skylark by Shelley, "our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought". Jennifer.