The Future
Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]
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
I've seen the future, brother: it is murder.
(chorus)
Things are going to slide, slide in all directions
Won't be nothing Nothing you can measure anymore
The blizzard, the blizzard of the world has crossed
the threshold and it has overturned the order of the soul
When they said REPENT REPENT
I wonder what they meant ,..
You don't know me from the wind
You never will. You never did.
I was the little jew, who wrote the bible.
I've seen the nations rise and fall
I've heard their stories, heard them all,
but love's the only engine of survival.
Your servant here, he has been told
to say it clear, to say it cold.
It's over, it aint' goin' any further
And now the wheels of heaven stop
You feel the Devil's riding crop
get ready for the future, it is murder.
(Chorus)
There'll be the breakin' of the ancient western code
Your private life will suddenly explode!
There'll be phantoms, there'll be fires on the road.
And the white man dances
You'll see a woman hangin' upsidedown
Her features covered by her fallin' gown
And all the lousy little poets come round
Tryin' to sound like, Charlie Manson
Yeah, the white man dancin'
Give me back the Berlin wall
Give me Stalin and St Paul
Give me Christ or give me Hiroshima
Destroy another fetus now
We don't like children anyhow
I've seen the future, baby, it is murder
(Chorus)
The Future - Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen's 'The Future' stands as a haunting exploration of spiritual longing and existential uncertainty, characteristic of his late-career introspection. Recorded for the comprehensive 'Complete Studio Albums Collection,' the track exemplifies Cohen's signature blend of jazz-inflected pop and baroque pop, utilizing a minimalist arrangement to amplify its emotional weight. The song reflects the artist's enduring preoccupation with themes of redemption, the passage of time, and the search for meaning in a secular world. With its brooding vocal delivery and atmospheric production, the recording captures the melancholic yet transcendent quality that defined Cohen's final musical statements, resonating deeply with listeners seeking profound reflection within a contemporary musical landscape.

