Seems So Long Ago, Nancy

Album: Songs From a Room (1969)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • According to Q magazine May 2007, the inspiration behind this heartbreaking tale of suicide and loss was a 21-year-old girl from Montreal named Nancy Challies, who took her own life after being forced by her family to put her baby son up for adoption.
  • In 2011, the writer Tim Challies revealed that the Nancy about whom Cohen wrote this song was his aunt, who lived from 1943-1965 when she killed herself using a gun belonging to her 15-year-old brother (Tim's father). She spent much of her teenage years in psychiatric hospitals, and sometime around age 20, she had a baby that she was coerced into giving up for adoption. Challies quotes Cohen as telling him: "It is her beauty and bravery that shine through. Many young women of the time came up against the hard limitations of family and society, although not every confrontation ended so sadly."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80s

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80sSongwriter Interviews

'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.