Master Song- Leonard Cohen

Master Song
Leonard Cohen
Songs of Leonard Cohen
1967

I believe that you heard your master sing
when I was sick in bed.
I suppose that he told you everything
that I keep locked away in my head.
Your master took you travelling,
well at least that's what you said.
And now do you come back to bring
your prisoner wine and bread?

You met him at some temple, where
they take your clothes at the door.
He was just a numberless man in a chair
who'd just come back from the war.
And you wrap up his tired face in your hair
and he hands you the apple core.
Then he touches your lips now so suddenly bare
of all the kisses we put on some time before.

And he gave you a German Shepherd to walk
with a collar of leather and nails,
and he never once made you explain or talk
about all of the little details,
such as who had a worm and who had a rock,
and who had you through the mails.
Now your love is a secret all over the block,
and it never stops not even when your master fails.

And he took you up in his aeroplane,
which he flew without any hands,
and you cruised above the ribbons of rain
that drove the crowd from the stands.
Then he killed the lights in a lonely Lane
and, an ape with angel glands,
erased the final wisps of pain
with the music of rubber bands.

And now I hear your master sing,
you kneel for him to come.
His body is a golden string
that your body is hanging from.
His body is a golden string,
my body has grown numb.
Oh now you hear your master sing,
your shirt is all undone.

And will you kneel beside this bed
that we polished so long ago,
before your master chose instead
to make my bed of snow?
Your eyes are wild and your knuckles are red
and you're speaking far too low.
No I can't make out what your master said
before he made you go.

Then I think you're playing far too rough
for a lady who's been to the moon;
I've lain by this window long enough
to get used to an empty room.
And your love is some dust in an old man's cuff
who is tapping his foot to a tune,
and your thighs are a ruin, you want too much,
let's say you came back some time too soon.

I loved your master perfectly
I taught him all that he knew.
He was starving in some deep mystery
like a man who is sure what is true.
And I sent you to him with my guarantee
I could teach him something new,
and I taught him how you would long for me
no matter what he said no matter what you'd do.

I believe that you heard your master sing
while I was sick in bed,
I'm sure that he told you everything
I must keep locked away in my head.
Your master took you travelling,
well at least that's what you said,
And now do you come back to bring
your prisoner wine and bread?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• leonard
• cohen
• master
• song
• songs
• of
• 1967

[Forusen]

please...what is the place of the picture?? it's so adust...so pretty...

[CiaranLiam]

@Forusen

Thank you. I took it in Connemara in Ireland, near my Grandparent's house.

[Monies1899]

Most people only know Cohen as "that guy who wrote Halleljuah". But if they'd look passed that, they would discover a treasure trove of beautifully intricate poetry and melodic guitars. It's just so sad sometimes that they don't see this.

Love your music Leonard Cohen!!

[Eagleray99]

Yes, I'd fogotten how good this is....."Now your love is a secret all over the block"...

...and you cruised above the ribbons of rain".

"and your love is some dust in an old man's cuff, who is tapping his foot to a tune". So richly textured. Thanks for posting.

[wizareac]

If you look, you can't see me.

If you see me, you cannot see anything else.

I can make you walk if you can't.

I speak the truth.

And sometimes I fly.

What am I?

[Luce1889]

@polistyrenejassband

i think it certainly could be however a lot of cohen's lyrics run much deeper than they first appear and given his own religious thinkings at the time I chose to interpret it differntly. Havng said that most musicians tend to write about love sex and hate...

[vrbrno]

@monies1899 sometime ago, I heard someone say: hallelujah? that song written by jeff buckley? what's up with it?

O.O

[triciam1000]

No else measures up to LC...love this song

[sunnydaywoman]

so grateful i came across his music so young, i'm 21 now remembering how much his music touched me in my teenage years! timeless beauty

[springpojken]

Thanks for the work put into making this video! texting, timing, job well done mate

[skirt648]

I just downloaded this mp3 at instantmp3s..com

[newmind1]

where is this photograph from? The song is amazing and so is the photo?

[bahamacamaro]

Leonard Cohen is so underrated, that man is a brilliant writer and has been so ripped off.