Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

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comfortandpain
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:41 am
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Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

Post by comfortandpain »

Hello forum,

I tried to find lyrics for Chelsea Hotel No.1, but it turns out there are many different versions of lyrics on the Internet (since there's no "official" recording and he loves changing lyrics when performing live).

So, the version I was listening to was this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ut6S7Hf68

And this is what I got:
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
And those were the reasons and that was New York
I was running for the money and the flesh, say it again
I was running for the money and the flesh
And that was called love for the workers in song
And it still is for those of us left

Ah but you got away, didn’t you babe
You just threw it all to the ground
You got away, they can't pay you now
For making your sweet little sound, [?]
Making your sweet little sound on the jukebox
Making your sweet little sound on the radio
Making your sweet little sound

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
In the winter of '67
My friends of that year, they were all getting queer
And me, I was just getting even
And those were the reasons and that was New York
I was running for the money and the flesh
That was called love for the workers in song
And it still is for those of us left

Ah but you got away, didn’t you babe
You just turned your back on the pain
You got away, on your deepest dream
Racing the midnight train, babe
Racing the midnight train, all naked now
Racing the midnight, feet on the gravel
Racing the midnight train, yes you caught it baby
Racing the midnight train, oh you waved to me now
Racing the midnight train, we can't follow you
Racing the midnight train

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
Then I went down to Tennessee
Sat by the stream listening to nothing else but
Holding my honorable dream
Willie York from the Big East Fork
He came there to talk with me
And we fed the peafowl the bread for their pride
The stream there, it's still running inside

Ah but you got away, didn’t you babe
You just threw it all to the ground
You got away, they can't pay you now
For making your sweet little sound, I'm so tired
Making your sweet little sound, I'm thinking of you baby
Making your sweet little sound, did it happen baby
Were you standing here, just like I am
I am singing, O they're clapping, people listening, nobody doing
Making your sweet little sound, I can hear you now
Go into the jukebox, choose your records, and listen all night now
Making your sweet little sound, baby
Making your sweet little sound on the jukebox
Guess I got nothing more to say to you, baby
I mean, so long, gotta leave you now
Little sound
If anyone knows what that questionable line is, please comment. Thank you!

Howard
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Hartmut
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

Post by Hartmut »

If anyone knows what that questionable line is, please comment.
I think it's: 'For making your sweet little sound, can they?'
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AlanM
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:42 am
Location: Adelaide, Australia

Re: Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

Post by AlanM »

I agree with Harmut.

Alan
Too much Leonard Cohen is never enough.
London 1972, Adelaide 1980, 1985, 2009
Sydney 2010; Adelaide 2010
Sydney 2013 X2; Melbourne 2013; Adelaide 2013
comfortandpain
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:41 am
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Re: Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

Post by comfortandpain »

Hartmut wrote:
If anyone knows what that questionable line is, please comment.
I think it's: 'For making your sweet little sound, can they?'
Thank you so much!
Let's have a chat on Tumblr!
http://comfortandpain.tumblr.com/
alb123
Posts: 106
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:04 pm

Re: Chelsea Hotel NO.1 LYRICS help!

Post by alb123 »

Like you said, Leonard loves to change lyrics during live performances.

Here is another video clip of Leonard performing Chelsea Hotel #1 but it is much different than the version you posted. I hope you enjoy it. Leonard drops an F-bomb in this version. You don't hear that too often... :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4P95cJ-XTc

-Chris
Waterbury, CT - May 14, 2009
Las Vegas, NV - Dec 11, 2010 (Final Show of Leonard's 3 year World Tour) INCREDIBLE!
Boston, MA - Dec 15, 2012 (Best L.C. concert I've been to!)
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