Leonard Cohen — First We Take Manhattan

First We Take Manhattan

They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
for trying to change the system from within;
I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them:
 
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!
 
I'm guided by a signal in the heavens,
I'm guided by this birthmark on my skin,
I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons:
 
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!
 
Chorus:
I'd really like to live beside you, baby,
I love your body and your spirit and your clothes,
but you see that line there moving through the station?
I told you, I told you, told you: I was one of those.
 
Ah, you loved me as a loser,
but now you're worried that I just might win,
you know the way to stop me,
but you don't have the discipline.
How many nights I prayed for this,
to let my work begin:
 
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!
 
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!
 
Chorus
 
And I thank you for those items that you sent me, ha ha,
the monkey and the plywood violin;
I practiced every night, now I'm ready:
 
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!
 
Ah, remember me, I used to live for music,
remember me, I brought your groceries in;
well, it's Father's Day and everybody's wounded:
 
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin!