What made it click for me was the line "My head is bending low" in both songs. Fairly unusual phrase. I do know that LC songs have a lot of symbols from other sources, but then it struck me that the Cohen tune is closely related to the verse tune in the Foster song. Different chords and some of the passing notes in OBJ are missing in the Cohen. And Show Me the Place talks about being a slave and that's what OBJ is about. That and longing for release.

Blessings,
Barbara