First We Take Manhattan

Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]

They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom

For 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 this birthmark on my skin

I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons

First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin



(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, told you, I was one of those)



Ah you loved me as a loser, but now you're worried that I just might win

You know the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline

How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin

First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin



I don't like your fashion business mister

And 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



(I'd really like to live beside you, baby ... )



And I thank you for those items that you sent me

The monkey and the plywood violin

I practiced every night, now I'm ready

First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin



I am guided



Ah remember me, I used to live for music

Remember me, I brought your groceries in

Well it's Father's Day and everybody's wounded

First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

First We Take Manhattan

Leonard Cohen's "First We Take Manhattan" stands as a haunting centerpiece within his expansive discography, capturing the raw tension of urban life and spiritual longing. Recorded with his signature baritone and sparse instrumentation, the track exemplifies his ability to weave poetic narrative with atmospheric soundscapes. As part of his broader catalog of studio works, the song reflects the introspective and sometimes melancholic tone characteristic of his later period. It invites listeners to contemplate the complexities of modern existence through a lens of profound lyricism and emotional restraint, cementing its place among his most enduring musical contributions.