First Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Anthem of Subversion

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Leonard Cohen's First Take Manhattan at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

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 (guided, guided)
I’m guided by this birthmark on my skin (guided, guided by)
I’m guided by the beauty of our weapons (guided)
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

(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

(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)

And I thank you for those items that you sent me, ha ha ha
The monkey and the plywood violin
I practiced every night, now I’m ready
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin (I am guided)

Ah remember me, I used to live for music (baby)
Remember me, I brought your groceries in (ooh, baby, yeah)
Well, it’s Father’s Day and everybody’s wounded (baby)
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

Leonard Cohen’s ‘First We Take Manhattan’ is a masterclass in lyrical complexity, woven with the rich tapestry of metaphor and prophet-like proclamations that have come to define the Canadian artist’s work. Not just a song, but a reverence-inducing poem set to music, it explores themes of rebellion, irony, and the societal confrontations that marked the late 20th century.

Peeling back the layers of Cohen’s gravel-toned incantations reveals a mosaic of personal vendettas, political statements, and the cut-throat nature of ambition. Here, we delve into the searing narrative of ‘First We Take Manhattan’ to uncover the essence of its enigmatic draw.

A Prophet in Disguise: Disentangling the Artist from the Art

Cohen’s opening lines serve as an elegy for conviction, alluding to the punishment of ‘twenty years of boredom’ for a failed attempt to instigate change from within the system. This battle cry sets the tone for the song’s anti-establishment sentiments, as Cohen makes a prophecy of retribution cloaked in sardonic victory – the systematic take-over of cultural capitals, Manhattan and Berlin.

We find Cohen not only critiquing the system but becoming an embodiment of the very revolutionary spirit he describes. The methodical repetition of ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin’ becomes a mantra for societal upheaval, reflecting an introspective journey that takes sharp turns into political and personal realms.

The Fashionable Face of Protest: A Jab at Superficiality

Through arguably scathing lines about the fashion industry and drug use, Cohen unfurls an ironic critique of superficiality and commercialism. The poet’s disdain for ‘your fashion business’ and the drugs that ‘keep you thin’ is not just about distaste; it’s about what these symbols represent – a society obsessed with image over substance, losing its essence along the way.

The mention of ‘what happened to my sister’ lays bare a personal vendetta against the destructive nature of celebrity culture and perhaps stands as a metaphor for the broader feminization of misfortune within a system that fetishizes external beauty while neglecting the internal struggles of the soul.

Signal in the Heavens: Deciphering the Divine Directive

Cohen often intertwined the spiritual with the worldly, and ‘First We Take Manhattan’ is no exception. The ‘signal in the heavens’, the ‘birthmark on my skin’, and the ‘beauty of our weapons’ point toward a sense of predestination, a divine scheme in which his mission is written in the stars and etched into his being.

This election by celestial signs introduces a messianic layer to Cohen’s identity within the song, as he adopts the mantle of a cosmic warrior. The ‘weapons’ may serve as symbols for his words and music, tools of change as potent as any physical armament in the quest to conquer not only cities but hearts and minds.

Unearthing the Hidden Meaning: An Ode to the Underdog’s Ascendancy

At its core, the song is a paradoxical celebration of the underdog’s potential rise to power. Cohen plays the ‘loser’ loved by his partner only until he threatens to succeed, evoking concern over an upset to the established order. This dichotomy of love and fear encapsulates the fickle nature of support one receives while on the path to triumph.

As Cohen expresses his long-held prayers to ‘begin his work’, there is an insurgent’s fervor to these words. The idea that success and victory may indeed come for those who are persistently undervalued adds layers of complexity to how we perceive Cohen the man, the myth, the messenger.

Closing with a Wounded World: The Resonance of Memorable Lines

Cohen’s juxtaposition of the celebratory ‘Father’s Day’ with the stark realism that ‘everybody’s wounded’ is a poetic manifestation of the human condition. It is the coup de grâce that underscores that behind every ambition and uprising lies the universal theme of hurt and a yearning for acknowledgment.

Songs like ‘First We Take Manhattan’ succeed in leaving lasting impressions not just for their melodies or the charisma of their singers, but for how they encapsulate enduring truths about society and the human spirit within a tapestry of memorable lines that resonate across generations.