Music

Leonard Cohen

I think that Leonard Cohen is surely one of the finest singers of the last years. Perhaps my friends do not agree with me, but I know they are wrong and surely one day they will see the light... I always loved the song Chelsea Hotel #2: "I wrote this for an American singer who died a while ago. She used to stay at the Chelsea, too. I began it at a bar in a Polynesian restaurant in Miami in 1971 and finished it in Asmara, Ethiopia just before the throne was overturned. Ron Cornelius helped me with a chord change in an earlier version."

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were talking so brave and so sweet
giving me head on the unmade bed
while the limousines wait in the street.
Those were the reasons and that was New York
we were running for the money and the flesh.
And that was called love for the workers in song
probably still is for those of them left.

Ah but you got away, didn't you babe,
you just turned your back on the crowd,
you got away, I never once heard you say,
I need you, I don't need you,
I need you, I don't need you
and all of that jiving around.

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were famous, your heart was a legend.
You told me again you preferred handsome men
but for me you would make an exception.
And clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
you fixed yourself, you said, "Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music."

And then you got away, didn't you babe
you just turned your back on the crowd,
you got away, I never once heard you say,
I need you, I don't need you,
I need you, I don't need you
and all of that jiving around.

I don't mean to suggest that I loved you the best,
I can't keep track of each fallen robin.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
that's all, I don't even think of you that often.

A long time ago, I met a beautiful young woman in an elevator in New York City. I used to bump into her at about three in the morning, every night.

After a while I gathered up my courage and I said to her "Are you looking for something?" And she said "Yes, I'm looking for something."

I knew by the tone of her voice that she wasn't trying to realise some unfulfilled potential of her inner nature but she was actually looking for something.

I said, "Who or what are you looking for?" She said "Kris Kristofferson."

I said "I am Kris Kristofferson.'' And I deceived her for many nights.

And a long time after that I found myself at a bar in a Polynesian restaurant in Miami Beach, leaning over a napkin and one of those drinks that they serve in a porcelain coconut shell. I was writing a song for this very lady. I was the very image of myself -- 40 years old, thin, neglected, with a great song on my mind. It took me a while to finish it.

It's for Janis Joplin at the Chelsea Hotel.

Janis Joplin

Me and Bobby McGee

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' for a train
When I's feelin' near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained
And rode us all the way into New Orleans

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I's playin' soft while Bobby sang the blues
Windshield wipers slappin' time, I was holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', it ain't nothin' honey, if it ain't free
And feelin' good was easy, lord, oh, when he sang the blues
You know feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun
Yeah Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah Bobby baby kept me from the cold

One day up near Salinas, lo-ord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home and I hope he finds it
Well I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', and that's all that Bobby left me
Well, feelin' good was easy, lo-o-ord, when he sang the blues
And feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee yeah

La da da, la da daa, la da daa da daa da daa
La da da da daa dadada Bobby McGee-ah
Laa li daa da daa daa, la da daa da daa
Laa la laa la daada Bobby McGee-ah yeah

La di da, ladida LA dida LA di daa, ladida LA dida LA di daa
Hey now Bobby now now Bobby McGee yeah
Lo lo LO lolo LO lo laa, lololo LO lolo LO lolo LO lolo LO la laa
Hey now Bobby now now Bobby McGee yeah

Lord, I called him my lover, I called him my man
I said I called him my lover, did the best I can
C'mon, hey now Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lo lo lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord, a lord oh
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, lord

The Velvet Underground

Pale Blue Eyes Lyrics

Sometimes I feel so happy,
Sometimes I feel so sad.
Sometimes I feel so happy,
But mostly you just make me mad.
Baby, you just make me mad.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.

Thought of you as my mountain top,
Thought of you as my peak.
Thought of you as everything,
I've had but couldn't keep.
I've had but couldn't keep.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.

If I could make the world as pure and strange as what I see,
I'd put you in the mirror,
I put in front of me.
I put in front of me.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.

Skip a life completely.
Stuff it in a cup.
She said, Money is like us in time,
It lies, but can't stand up.
Down for you is up."
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.

It was good what we did yesterday.
And I'd do it once again.
The fact that you are married,
Only proves, you're my best friend.
But it's truly, truly a sin.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.
Linger on, your pale blue eyes.

R.E.M.

At My Most Beautiful

I've found a way to make you smile
I've found a way
A way to make you smile

I read bad poetry
Into your machine.
I save your messages
Just to hear your voice.
You always listen carefully
To awkward rhymes.
You always say your name,
Like I wouldn't know it's you,
At your most beautiful.

I've found a way to make you smile
I've found a way
A way to make you smile

At my most beautiful
I count your eyelashes, secretly.
With every one, whisper I love you.
I let you sleep.
I know you're closed eye watching me,
Listening.
I thought I saw a smile.

I've found a way to make you smile
I've found a way
A way to make you smile

Dire Straits

Down To The Waterline

Sweet surrender on the quayside
You remember we used to run and hide
In the shadow of the cargoes I take you one time
And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline

Near misses on the dogleap staiways
French kisses in the darkened doorways
A forghom blowing out wild and cold
A policeman shines a light upon my shoulder

Up comes a coaster fast and silent in the night
Over my shoulder all you can see are the pilot lights
No money in our jackets and our jeans are torn
Your hands are cold but your lips are warm

She can see him on the jetty where they used to go
She can can feel him in the places where the sailors go
When she's walking by the river and the railway line
She can still hear him whisper
Let's go down to the waterline

The Beatles

Girl

Is there anybody going to listen to my story
All about the girl who came to stay?
She's the kind of girl you want so much
It makes you sorry
Still, you don't regret a single day
Ah Girl! Girl!

When I think of all the times I've tried so hard to leave her
She will turn to me and start to cry
And she promises the earth to me
And I believe her
After all this times I don't know why
Ah, Girl! Girl!

She's the kind of girl who puts you down
When friends are there, you feel a fool
Didididi..
When you say she's looking good
She acts as if it's understood.
She's cool, cool, cool, cool,
Girl! Girl!

Was she told when she was young the pain
Would lead to pleasure?
Did she understand it when they said
That a man must break his back to earn
His day of leisure?
Will she still believe it when he's dead?
Ah Girl! Girl! Girl!

Eva Cassidy

Fields Of Gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile
Among the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We will walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
As you lie in fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Among the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold

The Smiths

Frankly, Mr. Shankly

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
it pays my way, but it corrodes my soul
I want to leave, you will not miss me
I want to go down in musical history

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, I'm a sickening wreck
I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck
I must move fast, you understand me
I want to go down in celluloid history

Fame, Fame, fatal Fame
it can play hideous tricks on the brain
but still I'd rather be Famous
than righteous or holy, any day, any day, any day
but sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled
making Christmas cards with the mentally ill
I want to Live and I want to Love
I want to catch something that I might be ashamed of

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I've held
it pays my way and it corrodes my soul
oh, I didn't realize that you wrote poetry
(I didn't realize you wrote such bloody awful poetry)

Frankly, Mr. Shankly, since you ask
you are a flatulent pain the ass
I do not mean to be so rude
but still, I must speak frankly, Mr. Shankly

Bright Eyes

First Day Of My Life

This is the first day of my life
Swear I was born right in the doorway
I went out in the rain, suddenly everything changed
They're spreading blankets on the beach

Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don't know where I am, don't know where I've been
But I know where I want to go

And so I thought I'd let you know
That these things take forever, I especially am slow
But I realized that I need you
And I wondered if I could come home

Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning
And I thought it was strange, you said everything changed
You felt as if you'd just woke up

And you said, "This is the first day of my life.
I'm glad I didn't die before I met you.
But, now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you
And I'd probably be happy."

So if you wanna be with me
With these things there's no telling
We'll just have to wait and see
But I'd rather be working for a paycheck
Than waiting to win the lottery

Besides, maybe this time it's different
I mean I really think you like me

Snow & Voices

Goodnight New York

Download "Goodnight New York"

Simon and Garfunkel

The Only Living Boy In New York

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know your part'll go fine.
Fly down to Mexico.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-n-da-da and here I am,
The only living boy in New York.

I get the news I need on the weather report.
I can gather all the news I need on the weather report.
Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da here I am
The only living boy in New York

Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,
And we don't know where.

Here I am...

Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,
And we don't know where.

Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know you've been eager to fly now.
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine now
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da
Like it shines on me
The only living boy in New York,
The only living boy in New York.

Here I am...

Here I am...

Francesco De Gregori

Rimmel

E qualcosa rimane
tra le pagine chiare e le pagine scure
e cancello il tuo nome dalla mia facciata
e confondo i miei alibi e le tue ragioni
i miei alibi e le tue ragioni.

Chi mi ha fatto le carte
mi ha chiamato vincente, ma uno zingaro è un trucco,
e un futuro invadente fossi stato un po' più giovane
l'avrei distrutto con la fantasia
l'avrei stracciato con la fantasia.

Ora le tue labbra puoi spedirle a un indirizzo nuovo,
la mia faccia sovrapporla a quella di chissà chi altro,
ho ancora i tuoi quattro assi bada bene di un colore solo
li puoi nascondere o giocare con chi vuoi
o farli rimanere buoni amici come noi.

Santa voglia di vivere e dolce Venere di Rimmel,
come quando fuori pioveva e tu mi domandavi
se per caso avevo ancora quella foto
in cui tu sorridevi e non guardavi.
Ed il vento passava sul tuo collo di pelliccia e sulla tua persona,
e quando io senza capire ho detto sì,
hai detto è tutto quel che hai di me,
è tutto quel che ho di te.

Ora le tue labbra puoi spedirle a un indirizzo nuovo,
la mia faccia sovrapporla a quella di chissà chi altro,
ho ancora i tuoi quattro assi bada bene di un colore solo
li puoi nascondere o giocare con chi vuoi
o farli rimanere buoni amici come noi.

Buonanotte buonanotte amore mio
buonanotte tra il telefono e il cielo
ti ringrazio per avermi stupito
per avermi giurato che è vero

Il granturco nei campi è maturo
ed ho tanto bisogno di te
la coperta è gelata e l'estate è finita
buonanotte questa notte è per te

Buonanotte buonanotte fiorellino
buonanotte tra le stelle e la stanza
per sognarti devo averti vicino
e vicino non è ancora abbastanza

Ora un raggio di sole si è fermato
proprio sopra il mio biglietto scaduto
tra i tuoi fiocchi di neve e le tue foglie di te
buonanotte questa notte è per te

Buonanotte buonanotte monetina
buonanotte tra il mare e la pioggia
la tristezza passerà domattina
e l'anello resterà sulla spiaggia

Gli uccellini nel vento non si fanno mai male
hanno ali più grandi di me
e dall'alba al tramonto sono soli nel sole
buonanotte questa notte è per te

Benvenuto raggio di sole, a questa terra di terra e sassi
a questi laghi bianchi come la neve sotto i tuoi passi
a questo amore a questa distrazione, a questo carnevale
dove nessuno ti vuole bene, dove nessuno ti vuole male.

A questa musica che non ha orecchi, a questi libri senza parole
benvenuto raggio di sole, avrai matite per giocare
e un bicchiere per bere forte, e un bicchiere per bere piano
un sorriso per difenderti e un passaporto per andare via lontano

Benvenuto a questa finestra, a questo cielo sereno
a tutti i clackson della mattina, a questo mondo già troppo pieno
a questa strana ferrovia, unica al mondo per dove può andare
ti porta dove tira il vento, ti porta dove scegli di ritornare

A questa luna tranquilla, che si siede dolcemente
in mezzo al mare c'è qualche nuvola ma non fa niente
perché lontano passa una nave, tutte le luci accese
benvenuto figlio di nessuno in questo paese.