Different versions of "A singer must die"

I'm your fan · Post by **I'm your fan** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:16 pm

[Vienne, 6 july 1985]

Quotation:
"So save me a place in the three - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasure they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lay down with your head on somebody's breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

[Francfort, 1st November 1979]:

Quotation:
"Yes and save me a place in the thirty - dollar grave
With those who take money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lay down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice. "

Philadelphia, 5 february 1975

Quotation:
"Ok then save me a place in the twelve - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress(ed)
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And (all) the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Montréal, 10 february 1975 (1st concert)

Quotation:
"Ah save me a place in the twelve - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, yeah with those who undress
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Copenhague, 17 october 1979

Quotation:
"And save me a place in the thirty - dollar grave
With those who take money for the pleasure they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lay down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Paris, 22 october 1979

Quotation:
"Yes and save me a place in the thirty - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lay down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".
[Leonard says: "listen to the lie in my voice"]
"la la la, la la la...."

Paris, 30 october 1979

Quotation:
"Then save me a place in the twelve - dollar grave
With those who take money for the pleasure they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you may lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And all the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Hannover, 11 novembre 1979

Quotation:
"Ok then save me a place in the twenty - dollar grave
With the whores who take money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undressed
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Bonn, 3 december 1979

Quotation:
"And save me a place in the sixty - dollar grave
With the whores who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Melbourne, 7 and 8 march 1980

Quotation:
"Ok then save me a place in the thirty - dollar grave
With the whores who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's warm breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Philadelphia, 30 april 1985

Quotation:
"And save me a place in the twelve - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lay down with your head on somebody's breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Toronto, 11 may 1985
Quotation:
"And save me a place in the three - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasure they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Reykjavik, 24 june 1988 ("A Singer Must Die" played only 2 times in 1988)
Quotation:
"So save me a place in the twelve - dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasures they gave
With those always ready, with those who undress(ed)
So you could lie down with your head on somebody's breast
And the ladies go moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Compare with the verse of the lyrics published by Stranger Music:

"So save me a place in the ten-dollar grave
With those who took money for the pleasure we gave
With those always ready, with those who are dressed
So you could lay down with your head on their breast yes
And the ladies gone moist, and the judge has no choice,
A singer must die for the lie in his voice".

Can you give any hint&suggestion about the lyrics variation?

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:56 pm

Hi I'm Your Fan ~

My only hint would be that Leonard writes and rewrites many, many times with many minor and major variations, before songs ever get sung in public and/or recorded. Doing the song Live can get old. The minor variations probably help him in keeping it fresh. What comes out as he sings may simply be a matter of how he feels at that moment.

~ Lizzytysh

lightning · Post by **lightning** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:16 pm

All this may prove that the price of whore's graves, like brocolli or any marketable commodity, fluctuates from time to time. Actually "three dollar grave" is the best one for an ungrateful John to trash a sex worker as it is the cheapest ( cheap sex,"two bit whore" = cheap grave) but it is imaginary as there are no graves for $3. There are no $12 graves either, at least around here (NYC) or $10, $30. or $60. It may prove that on some nights Cohen was feeling more flush than others and would afford his hired companion a few extra bucks for her eternal rent payment.

Young dr. Freud · Post by **Young dr. Freud** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:37 pm

L,

It may prove that on some nights Cohen was feeling more flush than others and would afford his hired companion a few extra bucks for her eternal rent payment.

Awesome. I need an assistant analyst. If you can answer this question the job is yours. What is Cohen lying about?

YDF

Young dr. Freud · Post by **Young dr. Freud** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:40 pm

L,

I just read your reply in the "death" thread. I renounce my job offer. Back to group therapy for you.

YDF

lightning · Post by **lightning** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 9:29 pm

I wish you'd be more specific about your objections to my death wish for Cohen reply. "A singer must die for the lie in his voice" always meant to me you have to do an acting job when you perform, you must sound sincere even if you no longer feel whatever made you write that song, and if the crowd hears the lie in your voice it rejects you. They put you down, metaphorically, you die.

Joe Way · Post by **Joe Way** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:10 am

One signifigant observation (at least for me)-I thought that he wrote this verse specificly for Jennifer Warnes on "Famous Blue Raincoat"-I thought "How clever-he changed the 'hinge of her thigh' line to the 'folds of his leather' and eliminated the 'knee in your balls' line, then added this great verse. I had no idea that he had been doing it for years.

Joe

Helga* · Post by Helga* » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:50 pm

Take a look at The Future. There are several versions of it, shorter or longer. I like the way Cohen does that. Adds verses, removes some, changes some words. I own four different versions of The Future, but still it remains a great song.

constantsorrow · Post by **constantsorrow** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:47 pm

Hey "I'm your fan",
maybe you should indicate the source of your post

it comes from a post at The Leonard Cohen French forum: http://www.leonardcohensite.com/forum/index.php?board=6

votre humble serviteur,
JF

I'm your fan · Post by **I'm your fan** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:06 pm

Yes, that's right, Constant Sorrow.
The source of my data was a post
in the Leonard Cohen French forum.
I justed wanted everybody to know
all these versions from the song.

But you are right, I should have indicated the sources.

constantsorrow · Post by **constantsorrow** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 3:09 am

No problem "I'm Your Fan"... I think I feel like a policeman today

Tchocolatl · Post by **Tchocolatl** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 3:16 am

Salut JF!

Les droits d'auteur, ou à tout seigneur tout honneur.

Tchocolatl · Post by **Tchocolatl** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 4:45 am

IYF, my answer : simply Leonard Cohen is not a tape recorder. No second degree.

Vonny · Post by **Vonny** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 3:57 pm

When I first heard Leonard singing this ( I was already familiar with Jennifer Warnes version) i taped it for the car and listened to it whilst driving. I misheard the last line as ".. Sir I didnt see nothing I was just gettin pause LAID - I thought "what a great line!!!" and it was only when I listened to the CD at home that I heard the word "home" and realised it was "getting home late"

lightning · Post by **lightning** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:07 pm

i misheard it the same way. maybe it was intentional.

Different versions of "A singer must die"

Different versions of "A singer must die"

Re: Different versions of "The Stranger Song" (SOU