Misunderstood lyrics in "First we take Manhattan"

General discussion about Leonard Cohen's songs and albums
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I'm your fan
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:45 pm

Misunderstood lyrics in "First we take Manhattan"

Post by I'm your fan »

I've justed realised today!
When Leonard sings:

"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've always assumed he said: "I dont like what happens to my system"

Though it may be a bit ironic: I thought Leonard was kind of an anarchist,
so he shouldn't be worried by "his" system... But from the other hand, yes, that should be OK he worries by THE system (the system is rotten: you see my point?) (hey, now I realize the irony is that if he's an anarchist, then it's NOT "his" system).
Kind of funny, don't you think?
Fljotsdale
Posts: 800
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 1:27 am
Location: Birmingham, UK

Post by Fljotsdale »

Tsk! He sings those lines so clearly, too! :lol:

It's surprising what we can hear, though, isn't it, when we hear something for the first time, and how that first hearing sticks with us! Some of the words I used to sing to hymns and carols when I was a kid - in all seriousness! - used to have my parents in stitches. I wish I could remember 'em now! :wink:
Only just found this video of LC:
http://ca.youtube.com/user/leonardcohen?ob=4" target="_blank

This one does make me cry.
MariH
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2020 3:31 am

Re: Misunderstood lyrics in "First we take Manhattan"

Post by MariH »

I remember when I traveled from the United States to Finland in 1985. I was teenager at the time and spoke pretty poorly English. My flight was re-routed (I couldn’t complain about it) and the return from New York to Finland was complicated. It had two stops, one in Amsterdam and the other in Berlin or Paris, I don’t remember exactly. But I remember Cohen on the same flight. He wore a familiar dark suit and hat. During the stopover, he walked to the airport with a black briefcase in his hand. Since then I have been listening to his music. Maybe he got a couple of sentences in his song about that multi-stop flight from NY/Manhattan, USA to Helsinki, Finland?
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