A Dark Song For The 21st Century

A dark anthem for the post-American century

ANDREW BARBANO

Expanded from the 6-23-2002 Daily Sparks (Nev.) Tribune

A few weeks ago, I got a letter from someone on the staff of the department of journalism and communication at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn. She brought up a subject near and dear to me, as longtime readers and erstwhile radio listeners will attest.

"While surfing around, searching for the meaning of the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's 'First, We Take Manhattan, Then We Take Berlin', I found your website," she wrote.

"At the risk of sounding ignorant, please can you tell me the intrepretation of this song?"

http://www.nevadalabor.com/barbwire/barb02/barb6-23-02.html

PLAY THE SONG:

http://op-for.com/2006/04/who_said_the_brits_cant_projec.html#trackbacks

A Recruitment video for the Royal Navy uses the Cohen song:

The lyrics:

First We Take Manhattan

They sentenced me to 20 years of boredomfor trying to change the system from within. I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them.First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

I'm guided by a signal in the heavens. I'm guided by the birthmark on my skin. I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons.First, we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

[FEMALE CHORUS] I'd really like to live beside you baby.I love your body and your spirit and your clothes. But you see that line there moving through the station?I told you, I told you, I told you I was one of those.

[COHEN] You loved me as a loser, now you're afraid I just might win.You have the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline. How many nights I've prayed for this: to let my work begin.First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

I don't like your fashion business, mister.I don't like these drugs that keep you thin. I don't like what happened to my sister.First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

[FEMALE CHORUS REPEATS]

[COHEN] And I thank you for those items that you sent me, the monkey and the plywood violin. I practiced every night and now I'm ready.First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

Remember me, I used to live for music.Remember me, I brought your groceries in. It's Father's Day and everybody's wounded.

First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.