Tennessee Waltz (Live)


I was dancing with my darlin'
to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
Introduced him to my loved one
and while they were waltzing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me.
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes I lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.
She comes dancing through the darkness
To the Tennessee Waltz
And I feel like I'm falling apart
And it's stronger than drink
And it's deeper than sorrow
This darkness she's left in my heart.

That Don't Make It Junk


I fought against the bottle,
But I had to do it drunk ?
Took my diamond to the pawnshop ?
But that don?t make it junk.

I know that I?m forgiven,
But I don?t know how I know

Inner feelings come and go.

How come you called me here tonight?
How come you bother
With my heart at all?
You raise me up in grace,
Then you put me in a place,

Where I must fall.

Too late to fix another drink ?
The lights are going out ?
I?ll listen to the darkness sing ?
I know what that?s about.

I tried to love you my way,
But I couldn?t make it hold.
So I closed the Book of Longing

And I do what I am told.

How come you called me here tonight?
How come you bother with my heart at all?
You raise me up in grace,
Then you put me in a place,
Where I must fall.

I fought against the bottle,
But I had to do it drunk ?
Took my diamond to the pawnshop ?
But that don?t make it junk.

The Bells


(Written By Cohen, Performed In "Night Magic")
[cf the lyrics to the song "Anthem" on the Cohen album "The Future"]
(Judy) The birds they sang at break of day
Start again, I heard them say
Nor dwell on what has passed away
Or what is yet to be.
The wars they will be fought again
The holy dove be caught again
Bought and sold and bought again
Until we set them free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
The light behind to see.
Add up the parts, not yours the sum
Strike up the march, there is no drum
Every heart to love must come
Like a refugee

The Butcher


I came upon a butcher,
he was slaughtering a lamb,
I accused him there
with his tortured lamb.
He said, "Listen to me, child,
I am what I am
and you, you are my only son."
Well, I found a silver needle,
I put it into my arm.
It did some good,
did some harm.
But the nights were cold
and it almost kept me warm,
how come the night is long?
I saw some flowers growing up
where that lamb fell down;

The Captain


Now the Captain called me to his bed
He fumbled for my hand
"Take these silver bars," he said
"I'm giving you command."
"Command of what, there's no one here
There's only you and me --
All the rest are dead or in retreat
Or with the enemy."
"Complain, complain, that's all you've done
Ever since we lost
If it's not the Crucifixion
Then it's the Holocaust."
"May Christ have mercy on your soul
For making such a joke
Amid these hearts that burn like coal
And the flesh that rose like smoke."
"I know that you have suffered, lad,

The Faith


[Based on a Quebec folk song]

The sea so deep and blind
The sun, the wild regret
The club, the wheel, the mind,
O love, aren't you tired yet?
The club, the wheel, the mind
O love, aren't you tired yet?
The blood, the soil, the faith
These words you can't forget
Your vow, your holy place
O love, aren't you tired yet?
The blood, the soil, the faith
O love, aren't you tired yet?
A cross on every hill
A star, a minaret
So many graves to fill
O love, aren't you tired yet?
So many graves to fill
O love, aren't you tired yet?
The sea so deep and blind
Where still the sun must set
And time itself unwind
O love, aren't you tired yet?

The Future


Give me back my broken night
my mirrored room, my secret life
it's lonely here,
there's no one left to torture
Give me absolute control
over every living soul
And lie beside me, baby,
that's an order!
Give me crack and anal sex
Take the only tree that's left
and stuff it up the hole
in your culture
Give me back the Berlin wall
give me Stalin and St Paul