leonardcohenforum.com

martali wrote:Hello friends,

I'm just listening to the song and think the first stanza of this wonderful lyrics reads:

"I can't break the code
of our frozen love
It's too late to know
what the password was"

Cheers
Marta

Thanks for the good ears. I listened to it again, and you are correct. Makes more sense as well! Edit made above.

I take my words back, this is not just a fine song this is a wonderful song. Anyone for the the chords?
Peter

Ill have a go, please forgive if its all wrong
Peter

D
I can’t
G
break the code
D
of our frozen love.
F#m
It’s too late to know
D
what the password was.
F#m
If your heart is torn,
Bm
I don’t wonder why.
G
If the night is long,
A
here’s my lullaby.
D
Here’s my lullaby.

thank you. that's a great song, leonard still got it

Lullaby definitely has a calming effect as promised.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, what's the "video in response" posted on that YouTube link? It sounds like Leonard performing a traditional Jewish folk song, although it could as easily be slavic as I've heard very similar tunes performed by friends in Ukraine. I guess that D minor, A minor, E major cycle has flowed through and between both cultures.

UrPal wrote:Lullaby definitely has a calming effect as promised.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, what's the "video in response" posted on that YouTube link? It sounds like Leonard performing a traditional Jewish folk song, although it could as easily be slavic as I've heard very similar tunes performed by friends in Ukraine. I guess that D minor, A minor, E major cycle has flowed through and between both cultures.

The "video in response" is a partial clip of Leonard singing a Yiddish folk song "Un Az Der Rebbe Zingt" (And When the Rabbi Sings).

Mike

Thanks for that, Mike. I should have worked out the song title was in the clip title and tried translation - particularly since, as it turns out, the Yiddish isn't that different from its English language equivalent.

Hello Peter, I remember you well in Copenhagen singing with clear voice and the perfect sound of your guitar. I see that you get one new for your book of songs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a parallel forum in Spanish where we have thought a bit about this song. There is easier for me, slightly more brilliant that my clumsy English. I believe that a forum is a place mainly for the opinion, a new song deserves reflection. This that follows is not a letter opened, nor a search of meaning it's just a dream after listening "Lullaby". Forgive me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am surprised, you have lost the channel and now you use the stage to send your message, your message just for one person. Do you believe that she was there, in some place among the Texas public? Did you recognise some face? It was a beautiful gesture though risked. Come on old champ, how could this have happened to you? Why did you send a PM in a site where your fans swarm? I know that you continue liking the game, your illusion is intact as the first day, you like to seduce her and see how she seduce you, feel alive with her, wait for the answer and taste with delight every letter as a part of her body. But I perceive something of desperation; you could have asked to your friend Jarkko in order to fix this of the password, or maybe you can repeat the registration.

I see that it was deep, you built an own place where you will live your truth be it on your knees, far from the mediocre gang that twist the news. Painful is to leave a site like that! Ain't no cure for love and I don't know if the true love leaves no traces. "We will live our truth, be it on our knees" in our secret life, it is the continuation of "But I know what is wrong, and I know what is right, and I'd die for the truth In My Secret Life. - LC and SR - just for this it's justified my admiration for you, Leonard.

The net is a place of lies, but for sure it's not your case, you were always sincere. We know that you are a stranger, your work is full of advice. These things happen. (I don't doubt that there are bad people thereabouts, but I never find them in Internet. I have traded things and always all was fine and when I met someone, they were exactly what they said to be.)

You would say her name, you cannot stand to be hidden, you are proud of your love. When your end arrive you will want to be together with her hand in hand. Really you are not very discreet a poet cannot be it.

You know that her children are her life, for they you sent your lullaby, for her too. For the night long, because you know her pain, your pain. Also you can give it to the man who lives with her, the children father. "Why don't you try?"

Congratulations Leonard, many women who lost her virtual love in the silence of the Net will believe that this song is for them and that you was her lover.

Awesome song and performance. He's really singing it (like all songs on the current tour). Instant classic.

Thanks for the link.

Exquisite, atmospheric and profound...fantastic to see an artists work in progress.

Here is my transcription from April 13th, 2009, Paramount Theater, Oakland, CA recording. Note several significant differences. Looks as if he is still tweaking it.

I can’t break the code
of our frozen love.
It’s too late to know
what the password was.
If your heart is torn,
I don’t wonder why.
If the night is long,
here’s my lullaby.
Here’s my lullaby.

Through the tears of lies,
oh, I will come to you.
When our dead arrive,
I will wait there too.
If your heart is torn,
I don’t wonder why.
If the night is long,
here’s my lullaby.
Here’s my lullaby.

Though we stand accused,
and the world believes,
I will live our truth,
be it on my knees.
If your heart is torn,
I don’t wonder why.
If the night is long,
here’s my lullaby.
Here’s my lullaby.

I reach for the past
But I come up short
And I live my life
Like a last resort
If your heart is torn,
I don’t wonder why.
If the night is long,
here’s my lullaby.
Here’s my lullaby.

In a time of shame,
and we make a stand,
and they have your name,
we’ll go hand in hand.
If your heart is torn,
I don’t wonder why.
If the night is long,
here’s my lullaby.
Here’s my lullaby.

Any rec of the Oakland version?
Small but significant changes (as usual). The Texas version if good enough for me

Tom Sakic wrote:Any rec of the Oakland version?

Check your dimeadozen?

Laura

What a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. Thank you for posting both versions.
Pam

Laura wrote:

Tom Sakic wrote:Any rec of the Oakland version?

Check your dimeadozen?

Laura

I saw the Oakland recording up there - but I can't access my mi-torrent from here (there's free internet but no unlimited download etc. plus administrating...) and it seems I need to test the permissions and speed from here, so I am stuck until July when I am going back to Croatia.

Thanks to martali for sending me the mp3 of new version thru sendspace

The added verse is nice, but Grand Prairie performance was much more powerful, me thinking. In any case, great song. Can't wait for the album, but I can't see how studio recording could be better than this live version. Maybe they should just repeat this in the studio