lifeblood: songs: lyrics: first we take manhattan

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
i'm guided by this birthmark on my skin
i'm guided by the beauty of our weapons
first we take manhattan
then we take berlin

well 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

did i thank you for those items that you sent me
the monkey and the plywood violin
i practiced every night now i'm ready
first we take manhattan
then we take berlin

ah remember me
(remember me)
i used to live for music
(i used to live for the music)
remember me
(i brought yours)
i brought your groceries in
(i brought yours in)
well it's father's day
(father's day)
and everybody's wounded
(wounded)
first we take manhattan
then we take berlin

first we take manhattan
then we take berlin

words and music leonard cohen
as performed with michael stipe september 25, 1988 at the athens music festival in athens, georgia