to have to stand beneath my window
with your bugle and your drum,
and me I’m up there waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come.
Ah I don’t believe you’d like it,
You wouldn’t like it here.
There ain’t no entertainment
and the judgements are severe.
The Maestro says it’s Mozart
but it sounds like bubble gum
when you’re waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come.
Waiting for the miracle
There’s nothing left to do.
I haven’t been this happy
since the end of World War II.
Nothing left to do
when you know that you’ve been taken.
Nothing left to do
when you’re begging for a crumb
Nothing left to do
when you’ve got to go on waiting
waiting for the miracle to come.
I dreamed about you, baby.
It was just the other night.
Most of you was naked
Ah but some of you was light.
The sands of time were falling
from your fingers and your thumb,
and you were waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come
Ah baby, let’s get married,
we’ve been alone too long.
Let’s be alone together.
Let’s see if we’re that strong.
Yeah let’s do something crazy,
something absolutely wrong
while we’re waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come.
Nothing left to do ...
When you’ve fallen on the highway
and you’re lying in the rain,
and they ask you how you’re doing
of course you’ll say you can’t complain --
If you’re squeezed for information,
that’s when you’ve got to play it dumb:
You just say you’re out there waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come.
Although included on The Future (1992), work on this song, co-written by Sharon Robinson (with whom Cohen had collaborated on ‘Everybody Knows’), had begun in the early Eighties. Versions of the song were apparently ready for inclusion on both Various Positions (1985) and I’m Your Man (1988), but in mood and for its contrast yet continuity with the themes explored in the other songs on The Future it is surely in its rightful place on that album.
Way Down Deep
way down, way way down
way way down deep
you’re got me way down, way way down,
way way down deep
you’re got me way down, way down deep
I wander with you in my sleep
I’m way down, way way down,
way way down deep
it came to me this morning
I was walking down the street
was like my soul could taste you
and God, you tasted sweet
finally I can breathe again
finally I can speak
I’ve got you in the glory place
I’ve got you way down deep
I’ve got you way down, way way down,
way way down deep
you’re got me way down, way way down,
way way down deep
you’re got me way down, way way down,
I wander with you in my sleep
I’m way down, way way down,
way way down deep
it’s a funny feeling
but I cannot say I mind
I know that I’m dealing with
a love that’s far from blind
I see every single angle
I look before I leap
how else can I put it
when you’re got me way down deep
you’ve got me way down, way way down,
way way down deep
you’ve got me way down, way way down,
way way down deep
you’ve got me way down, way down deep
I wander with you in my sleep
I’m way down, way way down,
way way down deep
don’t matter what we gave away
was nothing we could keep
don’t matter what we gave away
you know that talk is cheap
forgive me if I hate you
you’re a liar and a thief
but I’ve got you in the glory place
I got you way down deep
you’ve got me way down, way way down ...
don’t matter if the road is long
don’t matter if it’s steep
don’t matter if the moon goes out
and darkness is complete
don’t matter if we lose our way
I know we;re gonna meet
I’ve got you in the glory place
I’ve got you way down deep
you’ve got me way down, way way down ..
Written by Cohen and Jennifer Warnes, who recorded it on Hunter (1992), though Cohen himself never has.
Who By Fire?
And who by fire, who by water,
who in the sunshine, who in the night time,
who by high ordeal, who by common trial,
who in your merry merry month of may,
who by very slow decay,
and who shall I say is calling?
And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate,
who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,
and who by avalanche, who by powder,
who for his greed, who for his hunger,
and who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident,
who in solitude, who in this mirror,
who by his lady’s command, who by his own hand,
who in mortal chains, who in power,
and who shall I say is calling?
Included on both New Skin For The Old Ceremony (1974) and Live In Concert (1994), this song is based on the Jewish prayer ‘Mi Bamayin, Mi Ba Esh’ sung at Yom Kippur. “And who shall I say is calling?” – you do not need me to tell you it is Death.
Why Don’t You Try
Why don’t you try to do without him?
Why don’t you try to live alone?
Do you really need his hands for your passion?
Do you really need his heart for your throne?
Do you need his labour for your baby?
Do you need his beast for the bone?
Do you need to hold a leash to be a lady?
I know you’re going to make, make it on your own.
Why don’t your try to forget him?
Just open up your dainty little hand.
You know this life is filled with many sweet companions,
many satisfying one-night stands.
Do you want to be the ditch around a tower?
Do you want to be the moonlight in his cave?
Do you want to give your blessing to his power
as he goes whistling past his daddy, past his daddy’s grave.
I’d like to take you take you to the ceremony,
well, that is if I remember the way.
You see Jack and Jill they’re going to join their misery,
I’m afraid it’s time for everyone to pray.
You can see they’ve finally taken cover,
they’re willing, yeah they’re willing to obey.
Their vows are difficult, they’re for each other,
so let nobody put a loophole, a loophole in their way.
Though this song from New Skin For The Old Ceremony (1974) must be classified as a love song, it is
