I've Counted What I Have

Leonard Cohen · Other Songs - Leonard Cohen

(Written By Cohen, Performed In "Night Magic")



(Michael) I've counted what I have; it's not enough

And what I need I do not dare to say.

I've heard the soul is diamond in the rough

That pain must polish it to a bright display;

But mine is diamond dust that's blown away.



(Angels) I've counted what I have; it's not enough

And what I need I do not dare to say.

I've heard the soul is diamond in the rough

That pain must polish it to a bright display;

But mine is diamond dust that's blown away.



(Michael) And covered up the world with glittering --

Come back my soul, I cry, it won't obey,

And I'm the empty shape of everything ...

Come back my soul, come back to me I sing.



I'm sick with greed, with unrequited greed

And everyman becomes my enemy.

I need his woman, his career I need

For what he has, he's taken it from me

And what is mine he uses clumsily.

That pagan there pretending he can dance,

This Christian peddling his humility,

These carbons of Hitlerian romance,

These lovers photographed without their pants.



(Frank, Louis & Then, Doubt, sloppy mother mistress that you

Jean-Marc) Can't get rid of, who loves you more the more

You turn away, whose perfume's pity, who

Isn't feeling well, whose shoulder's sore --



Doubt comes generous as a dinosaur.



(Doubt) O love forget this metaphysic bit

About the lost world and the grieving heart

You really can't believe is haunting it;

While you brood here, other lovers part

Their lips, prettier than you, and just as smart.



(F, L & J-M) Doubt has all the reasons why you have to fail

And you agree, you've heard them all before.

Her heart is broken and her breath is stale

And you say, Tell me more my nightingale.



(Doubt) Give up your conquering plan, give up your plan.

Time makes a choir of our lonely art

And women know that since the world began

There never was, there is no leading man!



(F, L & J-M) Oo tell me more my nightingale.



(Doubt & Pinky) And women know that since the world began

There never was, there is no leading man.



(Michael) I've counted what I have; it's not enough.

And women know that since the world began

There never was, there is no leading man.



(F, L & J-M) Tell me more my nightingale.



(Doubt & Pinky) There's no leading man - no leading man!

I've Counted What I Have

Leonard Cohen's 'I've Counted What I Have' stands as a poignant meditation on mortality and spiritual reckoning, delivered with his signature baritone and sparse, acoustic arrangement. The track exemplifies Cohen's ability to distill complex theological questions into accessible, hauntingly beautiful language, characteristic of his later period where he frequently explored themes of death, faith, and the human condition. Recorded within the context of his extensive discography, the song reflects a shift toward more introspective and somber tones, utilizing minimal instrumentation to amplify the weight of its lyrics. It serves as a testament to his enduring influence on art song and folk music, offering listeners a contemplative journey through the final stages of life.