Song Lyrics Options

[evakurvan]

One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - Leonard Cohen (Adapted).

I heard of a saint who had loved You,
so I studied all night in his school.

he taught that the duty of Lovers
is to tarnish the golden rule.

And just when I was sure
that his teachings were pure
he drowned himself in the pool.

[Dhyana]

What a lyric! It reads almost like a limerick. Evakurvan, I like Leonard Cohen very much -- allthough I only listen to him in small doses, he tends to be so whiny... -- but the kind of lyrics from him that you post, and occasionally others -- why have I never heard these?! Seems like I know Cohen much too little, although I like him. Where do you dig out these gems?

[evakurvan]

I suggest his first album. The Songs Of Leonard Cohen (1967). I know it sounds limericky but if you knew the song you would hear the tune in your head, and probably not have that impression.

[evakurvan]

Oh the sisters of mercy, They are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.

And They brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song.
Oh I hope you run into Them, you who've been travelling so long.

Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control.
It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul.

Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned:
When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.

Well They lay down beside me, I made my confession to them.
They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem.

When I woke They were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon.
Don't turn on the lights, you can read Their address by the moon.

Adapted from Leonard Cohen

[Kamala]

Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to, the distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much (I set it up)

That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you - and I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much (I haven't said enough)

I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper of every waking hour I'm choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you, like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

Consider this, the hint of the century
Consider this: the slip that brought me to my knees failed: what if all these fantasies come flailing around...
Now I've said too much...

I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you cry

But that was just a dream
That was just a dream

adapted from REM

[Homer]

Oh the sisters of mercy, They are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.

And They brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song.
Oh I hope you run into Them, you who've been travelling so long.

Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control.
It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul.

Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned:
When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.

Well They lay down beside me, I made my confession to them.
They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem.

When I woke They were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon.
Don't turn on the lights, you can read Their address by the moon.

Adapted from Leonard Cohen

What a great song this is. A long-time favourite.

Welcome to the real world, Eva.

[evakurvan]

Homer I have no idea what you are saying with Welcome To The Real World, sorry.

[Homer]

Homer I have no idea what you are saying with Welcome To The Real World, sorry.

I refer to the reality in the shadowy world of gurus.

[evakurvan]

I guess I don't know all the boring gossip about the shady world of Gurus, thank you Homer, I guess I've wisened up now.

[0Rad0]

"The Sisters of Mercy" is definitely an ode to the divine providence that helps wayfarers in their hour of need. This one, I think, ain't too shabby either:

You thought that it could never happen
To all the people that you became,
Your body lost in legend, the beast so very tame.
But here, right here,
Between the birthmark and the stain,
Between the ocean and your open vein,
Between the snowman and the rain,
Once again, once again,
Love calls you by your name.

Shouldering your loneliness
Like a gun that you will not learn to aim,
You stumble into the movie house,
Then you climb, you climb into the frame.
Yes and here, right here,
Between the moonlight and the lane,
Between the tunnel and the train,
Between the victim and his stain,
Once again, once again,
Love calls you by your name.

-from "Love calls You By Your Name" Leonard Cohen

[Tapati]

Baba

Alanis Morissette

I've seen them kneel
with baited breath for their rituals
I've watched this experience raise
them to pseudo higher levels
I've watched them leave their families
in pursuit of your nirvana
I've seen them coming to line up
from switzerland and america

How long will this take, Baba?
How long have we been sleeping?
Do you see me hanging onto every word you say?
How soon will I be holy?
How much will this cost, guru?
How much longer till you completely absolve me?

I''ve seen them give their drugs up
in place of makeshift altars
I've heard them chanting
kali kali frantically
I've heard them rotely repeat your
teachings with elitism
I've seen them boasting robes and
foreign sandalwood beads

How long will this take, Baba?
How long have we been sleeping?
Do you see me hanging onto every word you say?
How soon will I be holy?
How much will this cost, guru?
How much longer till you completely absolve me?

I've seen men overlooking god in
their own essence
I've seen their upward glances
in hopes of instant salvation
I've seen their righteousness
mixed without loving compassion
I've watched you smile
as the students bow to kiss your feet

give me strength all knowing one
how long 'til enlightenment?
How much longer 'til you
completely absolve me?

--Chanting--

[zanardi]

What a lyric! It reads almost like a limerick. Evakurvan, I like Leonard Cohen very much -- allthough I only listen to him in small doses, he tends to be so whiny... -- but the kind of lyrics from him that you post, and occasionally others -- why have I never heard these?!  Seems like I know Cohen much too little, although I like him. Where do you dig out these gems?

I saw a nice documentary of Leonard Cohen where he mostly stayed in some zen-buddhistic monastery. He was not so whiny, well, that was maybe because he sneaked out of the monastery every now and then back to his home. He explained that he wanted to watch some TV!

[0Oneiros0]

I like Leonard Cohen very much -- allthough I only listen to him in small doses, he tends to be so whiny...

This is an aside, but there is a Danish CD, entitled På Danske Læber (see here), which consists of Danish versions of various Leonard Cohen songs by various Danish artists. You might find it interesting, even if Danish is somewhat removed from the Swedish you know.

[Tapati]

Szerelem
(traditional Hungarian tune) from Stellemara's album The Seven Valleys:

Love, Love
Wretched Suffering
Why did you not blossom on every leaf,
on every lemon tree,
so that every poor lad and orphan girl could have some?

[Tapati]

Cymbeline Loreena McKennit (album, The Visit)

Fear no more the heat o' th' sun
Nor the furious winters' rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' th' great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke.
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.

All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor th' all-dreaded thunder stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come hear thee!
Quiet consummation have,
And renowned by thy grave!

[Dhyana]

Life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to, the distance in your eyes
Oh no I've said too much (I set it up)

That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you - and I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much (I haven't said enough)

I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing
I think I thought I saw you try

Every whisper of every waking hour I'm choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you, like a hurt lost and blinded fool
Oh no I've said too much

I set it up

...

I have been meaning to thank you, Kamala, for posting this lyric, and only today gor around to it. It's one of my favorite songs not just of REM but in general. One thing that unsettles me about this lyric -- and perhaps also why I like it -- is its ambiguity. How do you read it?

[Tapati]

The Grudge

by Tool

Wear your grudge like a crown of negativity.
Calculate what we will or will not tolerate.
Desperate to control all and everything.
Unable to forgive your scarlet lettermen.

Clutch it like a cornerstone. Otherwise it all comes down.
Justify denials and grip em to the lonesome end.
Clutch it like a cornerstone. Otherwise it all comes down.
Terrified of being wrong. Ultimatum prison cell.

Saturn ascends, choose one or ten. Hang on or be humbled again.

Clutch it like a cornerstone. Otherwise it all comes down.
Justify denials and grip it to the lonesome end.
Saturn ascends, comes round again.
Saturn ascends, the one, the ten. Ignorant to the damage done.

Wear your grudge like a crown of negativity.
Calculate what you will or will not tolerate.
Desperate to control all and everything.
Unable to forgive your scarlet lettermen.

Wear the grudge like a crown. Desperate to control.
Unable to forgive. And we're sinking deeper.

Defining, confining, sinking deeper. Controlling, defining, and we're sinking
deeper.

Saturn comes back around to show you everything
Let's you choose what you will not see and then
Drags you down like a stone or lifts you up again
Spits you out like a child, light and innocent.

Saturn comes back around. Lifts you up like a child or
Drags you down like a stone to
Consume you till you choose to let this go.
Choose to let this go.

Give away the stone. Let the oceans take and transmutate this cold and fated
anchor.
Give away the stone. Let the waters kiss and transmutate these leaden grudges
into gold.

Let go.

[Ayyapan]

Addicted

I just can't get enough
I just can't get enough

And I wake up
And it's there like a freezing cloud
Passing over the sun
And I open my eyes
I'm not moving
White as a ghost
And stiff as a gun
And I wake up my senses
And I push all the stars from my head
Is this what it's like to be dead

And my heartbeat races onward to the other side of the city
Where you await for me to feed my addiction to you my love
I just can't get enough

I'm a lover, unrequited
There's a desperate look in my eyes
And I come with the night like a panther
With a longing for you in my sight
And I'm burning a candle at the window
Hoping you'll be drawn into the light

And my heartbeat races onward to the other side of the city
Where you await for me to feed my addiction to you my love
I'm addicted to you, I've got to have a little of your love
I just can't get enough

Getting hungry, feeling lovesick
Shivering cold with the longing for love
I'm above, like an eagle, flying low
But I know where to go I've the soul of a dove
Love's a need that consumes me gets into me
And of you I just can't get enough

And my heartbeat, races onward to the other side of the city
Where you await for me to feed my addiction to you my love
I can't get enough

By Marc Almond

[0madhavadasa0]

Type O Negative - Everyone I Love Is Dead

Seems three years
Though maybe four
Someone drops dead
Whom I adore
You love someone
There will be grief
The kiss of death
Lips of a thief
Goddamnit

A dusty stack of photographs
Of times I cried But mostly laughed
Commit the past Into blue flame
Acrid smoke Cowardly shame
Goddamnit

At times I'm truly terrified
Cause dope and booze don't help to hide
They're used to mask a weakling's hurt
It's just like painting over dirt

Everyone I love is dead
Everyone I love is dead
(All dead)

[angrezi]

"...bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Cream-colored ale and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleighbells and schnaaps with noodles
Wild Turkeys that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things... When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad."