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Famous Blue Hoodie: An SF Version of a Classic Leonard Cohen Song

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Over the weekend I got to read at the SF Leonard Cohen Festival. I recited a few different things including my poem Italian Girl in Dublin. But I also put together something new for it!

If you’re a Leonard Cohen fan, then you know the song “Famous Blue Raincoat” but if not here it is:

I’ve taken the lyrics from this song, which is about a love triangle, and changed them to being about someone finally getting sick of all all the bullshit in San Francisco and leaving. Listen to the song first then read my version of it right here:

                                                  Famous Blue Hoodie

It’s four in the morning, the end of December
I’m emailing now just to see if you’re better
SF is cold, but it’s always been like this
The new neighbors below seem to keep rather tight lipped

I hear that you’re building your little house outside of Portland
You’re living for nothing now, I hope you’re keeping your heart open

Yes, and Jane came by with a box of your stuff
The contents looked kinda rough
She said that you’d had enough
Did you have enough?

Ah, the last time we saw you you looked so much older
Your famous blue hoody was torn at the shoulder
You’d been to the airport to leave on a plane, and
You said you’d never live in Frisco again.

And you treated my woman to a flake of your life
And when she came back she was sick of this strife

Well I see you there with the deed in your hand
One more fuck you San Fran
Well, I see Jane’s awake
She sends her regards

And what can I tell you my brother, my neighbor
What can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you
I’m glad you moved away

If you ever come by here, for Jane or for me
Well, the city is dying, it’s not longer free

Yes, and thanks, for the love that you gave to this town
I thought it was there for good it’s no longer around

And Jane came by with a box of your stuff
The contents looked kinda rough
She said that you’d had enough

Sincerely, S. Schuffman

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Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Broke-Ass Stuart - Editor In Cheap

Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke-Ass Stuart, is a travel writer, poet, TV host, activist, and general shit-stirrer. His website BrokeAssStuart.com is one of the most influential arts & culture sites in the San Francisco Bay Area and his freelance writing has been featured in Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, The Bold Italic, Geek.com and too many other outlets to remember. His weekly column, Broke-Ass City, appears every other Thursday in the San Francisco Examiner. Stuart’s writing has been translated into four languages. In 2011 Stuart created and hosted the travel show Young, Broke, and Beautiful on IFC and in 2015 he ran for Mayor of San Francisco and got nearly 20k votes.

He's been called "an Underground legend": SF Chronicle, "an SF cult hero":SF Bay Guardian, and "the chief of cheap": Time Out New York.