Tuesday, July 03, 2007

It's the Same Old Song week: Cohen II

Yesterday I mentioned that Leonard Cohen's work manages to maintain the flavor and soul of his originals no matter what transpires in the "cover" versions. It's as if there's a basic DNA to it that manages to remain unchanged and ground the song to Cohen's vision. Take this song, chosen pre-Fourth of July for its cynicism (Happy Independence Day, "Scooter" Libby!) and its vision of deceptive governments, leaders and the apocalyptic loss of freedom. I've heard this one done a number of ways from Cohen's original drawl to Rufus Wainwright's lounge-tango version. But my favorite is the truly unsettling version by Concrete Blonde, done in a conspiratorial whisper--just the right touch.

Everybody Knows

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died
Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stem rose
Everybody knows

Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that you've been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows you've been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

And everybody knows that it's now or never
Everybody knows that it's me or you
And everybody knows that you live forever
Ah when you've done a line or two
Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old Black Joe's still pickin' cotton
For your ribbons and bows
And everybody knows

And everybody knows that the Plague is coming
Everybody knows that it's moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But there's gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows

And everybody knows that you're in trouble
Everybody knows what you've been through
From the bloody cross on top of Calvary
To the beach of Malibu
Everybody knows it's coming apart
Take one last look at this Sacred Heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows

Everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Oh everybody knows, everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows

Everybody knows





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Thanks to Walaka for letting me launch Monday's post from his place (Dish troubles), and to Otis for the scrumptious dinner. Launch and Dinner in one visit, with much good yak-yak--when you've been holed up with a dog for a couple weeks it's nice to be able to have a conversation that doesn't contain directions...or baby-talk. It was a fine trip to the Mainland with Dog as my co-pilot--he got a burger for his patience. He now reacts to the words "Supersize it."

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