Beautiful lyrics - Leonard Cohen's Anthem

[redfox]

I especially love the chorus...


"Anthem"

The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The holy dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the dove is never free.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.

I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.

Ring the bells that still can ring ...

You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to love will come
but like a refugee.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.

[lhamo]

I love that song, and the chorus, too.

lhamo

[catherine]

Wow, that's awesome. I'll have to make a trip to iTunes! I've always loved his "Hallelujah" Thanks for posting, redfox!

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I love most things by Leonard Cohen - he's one of the best. Even at 70+ he is still amazing!

[Kestrel]

Add me to the group ... I too love Leonard Cohen (maybe not all, but like Shalom_Poet, "most") ... anyway, you got me started. Of course I had to go to youtube and watch/listen to Anthem, then more Leonard Cohen, especially Hallelujah, which I suppose is my favorite -- of course by k.d. lang -- and then more k.d. lang, then k.d. lang and Roy Orbison ("Crying"), then more Roy Orbison .... and then ... and then back to k.d. lang, and more Leonard Cohen. The music is beautiful. Lots of memories there. A tear or two ...

[Merski]

I just interlibrary loaned L.C. Live in London CD for DH to download! LOVE HIM!!!
My fave -The Tower of Song

[Sad Eyed Lady]

My favorite L. Cohen song? "Take This Waltz". Most beautiful, romantic song ever written. I know he didn't write it, but did translate the Spanish from a poem by Lorca. If you've never heard this be sure to find it and listen - preferably with a glass of wine in hand.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea I like Leonard Cohen. I like Hallelujah. I also like the darker stuff (and um it's Leonard Cohen he has darker stuff). Such as "The Future". Definitely makes my list of top apocalyptic songs ever written. I have a list of apocalyptic songs, well yes I do :). Gonna party like it's 1999 afterall (and that's not one of them).

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/thefuture.html

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Yea I like Leonard Cohen. I like Hallelujah. I also like the darker stuff (and um it's Leonard Cohen he has darker stuff). Such as "The Future". Definitely makes my list of top apocalyptic songs ever written. I have a list of apocalyptic songs, well yes I do :). Gonna party like it's 1999 afterall (and that's not one of them).

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leonardcohen/thefuture.html
Leonard can certainly be "darker". I remember reading a book once where the main character committed suicide, and the music she chose to listen too during while doing so was Leonard Cohen! Also, I've heard his music referred to as "songs to commit suicide by". I don't agree, but a darker side does come through in his music at times. He has struggled with depression all of his life and I guess it shows in his creative outlet.

[puglogic]

I loved this, redfox. Thanks so much for sharing it.

[leslieann]

This is my all-time favorite. Every single time I hear it, and no matter who is performing it, tears come when I hear "...that's how the light gets in...". You might like Laila Biali's version. I had to skip over reading the lyrics in the OP's post because I didn't want to be sniffling here at the computer. Probably sometime in my life that line won't resonate so deeply with me, but for the last five years it has been quite a trigger.

I pretty much like everything of LC's that I have heard. (Okay, "Marianne" is kind of, um, boring...) "Closing Time" is raucous good fun. Many have a deeply spiritual element while really digging into the reality of human existence...there is often a juxtaposition of the sacred and profane that reminds me that this is how WE are.

L.

[redfox]

This is my all-time favorite. Every single time I hear it, and no matter who is performing it, tears come when I hear "...that's how the light gets in...". You might like Laila Biali's version. I had to skip over reading the lyrics in the OP's post because I didn't want to be sniffling here at the computer. Probably sometime in my life that line won't resonate so deeply with me, but for the last five years it has been quite a trigger.

I pretty much like everything of LC's that I have heard. (Okay, "Marianne" is kind of, um, boring...) "Closing Time" is raucous good fun. Many have a deeply spiritual element while really digging into the reality of human existence...there is often a juxtaposition of the sacred and profane that reminds me that this is how WE are.

L.

Beautifully said!