Monday, June 8, 2009

Leonard Cohen.....Anthem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQCmdu4RcnU

I'm not sure if that link will appear as just a link or if it will show the way it does on Facebook. It doesn't really matter.
Here are the words of this song:

Lyrics to Anthem :The birds they sang at the break of day Start again I heard them say Don't dwell on what has passed away or what is yet to be. Ah the wars they will be fought again The holy dove She will be caught again bought and sold and bought again the dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in.
We asked for signs the signs were sent: the birth betrayed the marriage spent Yeah the widowhood of every government -- signs for all to see.
I can't run no more with that lawless crowd while the killers in high places say their prayers out loud. But they've summoned, they've summoned up a thundercloud and they're going to hear from me.
Ring the bells that still can ring ...
You can add up the parts but you won't have the sum You can strike up the march, On your little broken drum Every heart, every heart to love will come but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That's how the light gets in.
Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That's how the light gets in. That's how the light gets in. That's how the light gets in. [ Anthem Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

This is definitely one of my favorite songs of the Master. There is more than just the words that have a meaning to me. Watching Leonard Cohen perform over the years...even tho I didn't know of him until recently...with the help of YouTube I've been able to watch his musical journey, from young idealistic poet to old man who has no regrets and can enjoy his experiences.

The one line that seems to mean the most to me in this particular song is "there is a crack in everything...that's how the light gets in."

It sort of reminds me of something Charlie Bettis said many years ago. "The brighter the light on the face, the darker the shadow behind." Nothing is perfect. Everything has 2 sides.

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