Mandy Mercier is a singer songwriter from Austin, TX, closely associated with Blaze Foley. I am pretty sure this song is not about Leonard Cohen but it almost could have been with references to places in CA (Venice, Burbank, LA) and Austin. I transcribed the lyrics so there could be a mistake or two.
Leo - Mandy Mercier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMG-u7NYbwM
He was standing on a corner
In the middle of the night
With his guitars and his equipment
By an old street light
He had played all night in Ray’s Lounge
He couldn’t seem to drive a car
I pulled up and said Leo
“Are you going very far ?”
And we rode all the way from Venice
To the Burbank Hills
Jokin' and talkin'
Like musicians will
Like anybody will when you got a new friend
And Leo was true right till the end.
I said I come from Texas
He said I know those guys
Like Ray Wylie Hubbard and his wide eye smile
He said I played along with Ray one time
And with Jerry Jeff too
And by the way, Mandy
I would love to play with you
Oh oh Leo where are you tonight ?
Are you getting through the gate alright
Is anybody listening
Does anybody see
Or are you smiling in the darkness
The way you smiled at me.
I loved a big handsome cowboy
He didn't know if I was true
He went and had a talk with Leo
Don’t know what he said to do
But now we got a house in Austin
By a cool dark ????
And we ask about Leo
When they come through from LA
Oh oh Leo where are you tonite
Are you getting through the gate alright
Is there a tour bus up in heaven
Are you riding with the band
Or are you standing on a corner
With a golden guitar in your hand