--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anything I tell you is an alibi for…" description: "\"Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else.\" Then let's be quiet together.\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg" --- # Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else." Then… ![“Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else." Then let's be quiet together.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg) > “Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else." Then let's be quiet together.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An alibi can mask deeper motives; silence can be a shared refuge. **In simple terms:** Excuses hide true intent; silence can unite. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden motives, value shared quiet. Themes deception communication intimacy Mood introspective melancholic Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - conflict resolution - creative writing Key Concepts literary analysis psychology Questions to Reflect On - What alibis do you use to avoid truth? - How does shared silence affect connection? A Different Perspective Alibi may erode trust if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) ## Related quotes > [It's the notion that there is no perfection - that there is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-the-notion-that-there-is-no-perfection-that-there-is-a-broken/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“and let the quiet put things where they're supposed to be”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-let-the-quiet-put-things-where-they-re-supposed-to-be/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Then, I turned around and walked to my room and closed my door and put my head under my pillow and let the quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/then-i-turned-around-and-walked-to-my-room-and-closed-my-door-and-put/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Use the voice that you were given. Shout what you believe in from the top of your lungs. Never let anyone quiet you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/use-the-voice-that-you-were-given-shout-what-you-believe-in-from-the/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [“I put my head under my pillow and let the quiet put things where they are supposed to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-put-my-head-under-my-pillow-and-let-the-quiet-put-things-where-they/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“Let the quiet tuck you in. Let the quiet massage your shoulder. Let the quiet embrace you; feeling all the dimensions of your skin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-perdu/let-the-quiet-tuck-you-in-let-the-quiet-massage-your-shoulder-let-the/) [Antonia Perdu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-perdu/) > [Ah, I could lay me down in this long grass And close my eyes, and let the quiet wind Blow over me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/ah-i-could-lay-me-down-in-this-long-grass-and-close-my-eyes-and-let/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/learn-to-be-silent-let-your-quiet-mind-listen-and-absorb/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [“You won’t see me, but I’ll be the second to the last thing you ever know, I promise.” She let the quiet invade her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-griffith/you-won-t-see-me-but-i-ll-be-the-second-to-the-last-thing-you-ever/) [Lea Griffith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-griffith/) > [“Honesty whispers, "Don't get pricked by the thorns of lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/honesty-whispers-don-t-get-pricked-by-the-thorns-of-lie/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“Don't ever accuse anyone of being full of pride, undignified and unprofessional when simply they are wise to move away from dishonest schemers. Dishonesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-ever-accuse-anyone-of-being-full-of-pride-undignified-and/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [“on Arthur Russell and check out his so-called alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gibney/on-arthur-russell-and-check-out-his-so-called-alibi/) [Patricia Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gibney/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Alibi quotes > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“on Arthur Russell and check out his so-called alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gibney/on-arthur-russell-and-check-out-his-so-called-alibi/) [Patricia Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gibney/) > [“Don't ever accuse anyone of being full of pride, undignified and unprofessional when simply they are wise to move away from dishonest schemers. Dishonesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-ever-accuse-anyone-of-being-full-of-pride-undignified-and/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“Honesty whispers, "Don't get pricked by the thorns of lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/honesty-whispers-don-t-get-pricked-by-the-thorns-of-lie/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [People always ask me, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Well, I don't have an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/people-always-ask-me-where-were-you-when-kennedy-was-shot-well-i-don/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [“You met a guy in an alley, and he kissed you? Is he still alive, or do I need to provide you with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-d-locke/you-met-a-guy-in-an-alley-and-he-kissed-you-is-he-still-alive-or-do-i/) [I.D. Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-d-locke/) > [“We must have one love, one great love in our life, since it gives us an alibi for all the moments when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-must-have-one-love-one-great-love-in-our-life-since-it-gives-us-an/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Think and then act. Never act and then alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/think-and-then-act-never-act-and-then-alibi/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [“The world turned and flung me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-iserson/the-world-turned-and-flung-me/) [David Iserson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-iserson/) > [“any particular idiot in mind?” “I do, indeed. If Tom was actually here on Monday, and he needed an alibi, well, man, he didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/any-particular-idiot-in-mind-i-do-indeed-if-tom-was-actually-here-on/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [The public wouldn't like the perfect umpire in every game. It would kill off baseball's greatest alibi - 'We was robbed.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-evans/the-public-wouldn-t-like-the-perfect-umpire-in-every-game-it-would/) [Billy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-evans/) > [A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [A is for Alibi, my first book, was published in 1982. As it happened the next couple of books took place in June and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/a-is-for-alibi-my-first-book-was-published-in-1982-as-it-happened-the/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) [Browse all 60 Alibi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else.\" Then let's be quiet together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-something-else-then-let-s-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alibi" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-something-else-then-let-s-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9d/leonard-cohen-448_alibi_anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-some_3149127.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anything I tell you is an alibi for something else.\" Then let's be quiet together.” — Leonard Cohen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leonard Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anything I tell you is an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-something-else-then-let-s-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/anything-i-tell-you-is-an-alibi-for-something-else-then-let-s-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```