"Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What if a tribute show became a portrait? The film Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man frames a 2005 all-star concert—plus interviews and a staged coda with Cohen and U2—into a 103-minute meditation on authorship and influence. Performances by Nick Cave, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Anohni, Beth Orton, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family and others treat Cohen’s catalog as living repertoire rather than museum pieces (according to the film’s official summaries and credits).

The companion album, released by Verve Forecast in mid-2006, draws largely from an earlier 2004 “Came So Far for Beauty” date (Brighton) with the same curatorial DNA. As a result, a few album performances differ from those seen in the movie, while the film’s finale—Cohen with U2 on “Tower of Song,” shot at New York’s Slipper Room in May 2005—anchors the screen version’s closing notes.

Questions & Answers

Is the film a straight concert or a documentary?

Hybrid: it blends concert performances from the Cohen tribute with interview segments and a specially filmed finale.

Who directed and produced the film?

Lian Lunson wrote, directed, and produced; the U.S. distributor was Lions Gate.

When did it premiere and release?

Toronto premiere: September 2005; wider rollouts followed in 2006–2007, including the U.S. theatrical release in 2006.

What label issued the soundtrack?

Verve/Verve Forecast released the soundtrack in 2006; it is available on major streaming platforms.

Are the album takes identical to the movie?

Not always. Many album cuts come from a 2004 Brighton performance of the same tribute, while the movie’s centerpiece is Sydney 2005 plus the New York-shot finale.

Who performs the closing “Tower of Song” in the film?

Leonard Cohen with U2, filmed specifically for the documentary rather than live at the concert.

Notes & Trivia

• The stage show “Came So Far for Beauty” was produced by Hal Willner and presented by Sydney Festival (artistic director Brett Sheehy).
• Performers included Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Beth Orton, Anohni, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Martha & Rufus Wainwright, Teddy & Linda Thompson, plus Perla Batalla and Julie Christensen.
• The soundtrack’s bonus digital track “The Guests” (Laurie Anderson) appeared as an iTunes add-on.
• The film’s gross surpassed $1.3M in limited release.

Genres & Themes

Art-folk and chamber pop → emphasizes lyric clarity; strings and harmonium textures suit songs like “Famous Blue Raincoat.”

Gothic rock and cabaret → Nick Cave’s “I’m Your Man” leans into theatrical snarl; Jarvis Cocker cuts “I Can’t Forget” with sardonic poise.

Torch ballad minimalism → Anohni’s “If It Be Your Will” renders devotion as hushed ceremony, pivoting the set from homage to invocation.

Tracks & Scenes

“I’m Your Man” — Nick Cave
Scene: Mid-film set piece. A lean band arrangement underlines Cave’s prowling baritone; the camera favors tight frontal shots and stark lighting. Diegetic concert performance (~4–5 min).
Why it matters: Recasts the title song with menace and humor, foregrounding Cohen’s ironic seduction.

“Chelsea Hotel No. 2” — Rufus Wainwright
Scene: Solo spotlight sequence intercut with backstage fragments. Wainwright’s diction keeps the confessional lyric crisp; sustained piano voicings leave generous space. Diegetic performance (~4–5 min).
Why it matters: Holds the line between candor and elegance—one of the film’s clearest tributes to Cohen’s narrative intimacy.

“If It Be Your Will” — Anohni
Scene: Hushed chapel atmosphere—strings and pedal tones, audience barely breathing. Camera lingers on faces. Diegetic performance (~4–5 min).
Why it matters: Converts a standard into liturgy; many viewers cite it as the documentary’s spiritual center.

“Famous Blue Raincoat” — The Handsome Family
Scene: Country-noir tint—close harmonies, brushed drums, low lights. Diegetic performance (excerpted on film; full version on album).
Why it matters: The letter-song becomes a conversation sung by a couple, sharpening the triangulated confession.

“Anthem” — Perla Batalla & Julie Christensen
Scene: Late-show swell with gospel lift; their harmonies rise on “There is a crack in everything.” Diegetic performance (~5–6 min).
Why it matters: A benediction from Cohen’s longtime vocalists; the refrain functions as the film’s thesis.

Finale: “Tower of Song” — Leonard Cohen with U2
Scene: Not from the concert—filmed at New York’s Slipper Room in May 2005 exclusively for the movie. Cohen’s deadpan talk-sing sits over U2’s relaxed shuffle. Non-concert studio performance (~3–4 min).
Why it matters: The artist steps into his own tribute, closing the circle.

Note: The commercial soundtrack’s exact takes differ in places from the film; several album cuts originate from the 2004 Brighton tribute staging.

Music–Story Links

• Multiplicity of voice → shared repertoire: rotating singers show how Cohen’s “I” becomes communal without losing intimacy.
• Irony vs. devotion: Cave’s bite on “I’m Your Man” contrasts with Anohni’s reverent stillness—two poles of Cohen’s writing.
• Artist enters the frame: the U2 finale turns homage into dialogue, reframing authorship in the last minutes.

How It Was Made

Directed, written, and produced by Lian Lunson; cinematography by Geoffrey Hall and John Pirozzi; edited by Mike Cahill. The core concert material stems from the Sydney Opera House tribute in January 2005 curated by Hal Willner, with additional performances and interviews captured around the event. The “Tower of Song” coda with Cohen and U2 was filmed separately at the Slipper Room (NYC) in May 2005 specifically for inclusion in the documentary.

As per label and retail listings, the soundtrack compilation was issued by Verve/Verve Forecast in 2006; streaming editions mirror the CD running order with minor regional variations.

Reception & Quotes

Critical response was generally favorable. Review aggregates show upper-60s scores, with praise for performances and occasional notes about patchwork structure.

“A moving, if somewhat uneven, look at the legendary singer-songwriter.” Rotten Tomatoes consensus

“A glorious exception to tribute concert fatigue.” Entertainment Weekly (O. Gleiberman)

“Muddled but marvelous… enough to send fans back to the library for more of the master.” Rolling Stone (P. Travers)

Additional Info

• Running time (film): 103 minutes.
• Box office (U.S.): about $1.4 million in limited run.
• DVD adds extra performances beyond the theatrical cut.
• Album metadata shows compilation copyright lines for The Office Performing Arts + Film Inc., Hal Willner, and Pomegranate Arts.
• Digital bonus track: Laurie Anderson’s “The Guests” on some storefronts.

Technical Info

• Title: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man — Motion Picture Soundtrack
• Year: Film 2005 premiere / 2006 theatrical rollout; Soundtrack 2006
• Type: Concert documentary & compilation soundtrack
• Director/Writer/Producer (film): Lian Lunson
• Concert producers: Hal Willner; Sydney Festival (Brett Sheehy, Artistic Director)
• Key performers (film & album): Nick Cave; Rufus Wainwright; Martha Wainwright; Anohni; Beth Orton; Jarvis Cocker; The Handsome Family; Perla Batalla; Julie Christensen; Kate & Anna McGarrigle; Teddy & Linda Thompson; U2 with Leonard Cohen (film coda)
• Label (album): Verve / Verve Forecast
• Availability: CD/digital; streaming via major platforms (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Wikipedia (film overview, performers, U2 coda); IMDb (title & credits); Verve/retail listings (album label & date); Apple Music & Spotify (release metadata); Discogs (edition credits & notes); Box Office Mojo (gross); festival/retrospective notes on the Sydney tribute.

November, 12th 2025