Who By Fire And who by fire, who by water, who in the sunshine, who in the night time, who by high ordeal, who by common trial, who in your merry merry month of may, who by very slow decay, and who shall I say is calling? And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate, who in these realms of love, who by something blunt, and who by avalanche, who by powder, who for his greed, who for his hunger, and who shall I say is calling?
And who by brave assent, who by accident, who in solitude, who in this mirror, who by his lady's command, who by his own hand, who in mortal chains, who in power, and who shall I say is calling?
So Long Marianne Come over to the window, my little darling, I'd like to try to read your palm. I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy before I let you take me home. Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.
Well you know that I love to live with you, but you make me forget so very much. I forget to pray for the angels and then the angels forget to pray for us.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
We met when we were almost young deep in the green lilac park. You held on to me like I was a crucifix, as we went kneeling through the dark.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Your letters they all say that you're beside me now. Then why do I feel alone? I'm standing on a ledge and your fine spider web is fastening my ankle to a stone.
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
For now I need your hidden love. I'm cold as a new razor blade. You left when I told you I was curious, I never said that I was brave.
Oh so long, Marianne, it's time that we began ...
Oh, you are really such a pretty one. I see you've gone and changed your name again. And just when I climbed this whole mountainside, to wash my eyelids in the rain!
Chelsea Hotel #2 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. Those were the reasons and that was New York, we were running for the money and the flesh. And that was called love for the workers in song probably still is for those of them left. Ah but you got away, didn't you babe, you just turned your back on the crowd, you got away, I never once heard you say, I need you, I don't need you, I need you, I don't need you and all of that jiving around.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel you were famous, your heart was a legend. You told me again you preferred handsome men but for me you would make an exception. And clenching your fist for the ones like us who are oppressed by the figures of beauty, you fixed yourself, you said, "Well never mind, we are ugly but we have the music."
And then you got away, didn't you babe...
I don't mean to suggest that I loved you the best, I can't keep track of each fallen robin. I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel, that's all, I don't even think of you that often.
Click here to read a story about The Chelsea Hotel by Christof Graf, and to check the lyrics of Chelsea Hotel # 1!
Lady Midnight I came by myself to a very crowded place; I was looking for someone who had lines in her face. I found her there but she was past all concern; I asked her to hold me, I said, "Lady, unfold me," but she scorned me and she told me I was dead and I could never return. Well, I argued all night like so many have before, saying, "Whatever you give me, I seem to need so much more." Then she pointed at me where I kneeled on her floor, she said, "Don't try to use me or slyly refuse me, just win me or lose me, it is this that the darkness is for."
I cried, "Oh, Lady Midnight, I fear that you grow old, the stars eat your body and the wind makes you cold." "If we cry now," she said, "it will just be ignored." So I walked through the morning, sweet early morning, I could hear my lady calling, "You've won me, you've won me, my lord, you've won me, you've won me, my lord, yes, you've won me, you've won me, my lord, ah, you've won me, you've won me, my lord, ah, you've won me, you've won me, my lord."
Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone. They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on. And they brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song. Oh I hope you run into them, you who've been travelling so long. Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control. It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul. Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned: When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.
Well they lay down beside me, I made my confession to them. They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem. If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn they will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem.
When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon. Don't turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon. And you won't make me jealous if I hear that they sweetened your night: We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right, We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right.
Bird on the Wire Like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free. Like a worm on a hook, like a knight from some old fashioned book I have saved all my ribbons for thee. If I, if I have been unkind, I hope that you can just let it go by. If I, if I have been untrue I hope you know it was never to you. Like a baby, stillborn, like a beast with his horn I have torn everyone who reached out for me. But I swear by this song and by all that I have done wrong I will make it all up to thee. I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch, he said to me, "You must not ask for so much." And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door, she cried to me, "Hey, why not ask for more?"
Oh like a bird on the wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir I have tried in my way to be free.
Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river You can hear the boats go by You can spend the night beside her And you know that she's half crazy But that's why you want to be there And she feeds you tea and oranges That come all the way from China And just when you mean to tell her That you have no love to give her Then she gets you on her wavelength And she lets the river answer That you've always been her lover And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind And you know that she will trust you For you've touched her perfect body with your mind. And Jesus was a sailor When he walked upon the water And he spent a long time watching From his lonely wooden tower And when he knew for certain Only drowning men could see him He said "All men will be sailors then Until the sea shall free them" But he himself was broken Long before the sky would open Forsaken, almost human He sank beneath your wisdom like a stone And you want to travel with him And you want to travel blind And you think maybe you'll trust him For he's touched your perfect body with his mind.
Now Suzanne takes your hand And she leads you to the river She is wearing rags and feathers From Salvation Army counters And the sun pours down like honey On our lady of the harbour And she shows you where to look Among the garbage and the flowers There are heroes in the seaweed There are children in the morning They are leaning out for love And they will lean that way forever While Suzanne holds the mirror And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind And you know that you can trust her For she's touched your perfect body with her mind.
Lover Lover Lover I asked my father, I said, "Father change my name." The one I'm using now it's covered up with fear and filth and cowardice and shame. Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me, yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
He said, "I locked you in this body, I meant it as a kind of trial. You can use it for a weapon, or to make some woman smile."
Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
"Then let me start again," I cried, "please let me start again, I want a face that's fair this time, I want a spirit that is calm."
Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
"I never never turned aside," he said, "I never walked away. It was you who built the temple, it was you who covered up my face."
Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
And may the spirit of this song, may it rise up pure and free. May it be a shield for you, a shield against the enemy.
Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
Yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me yes and lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover, lover come back to me.
Winter Lady Trav'ling lady, stay awhile until the night is over. I'm just a station on your way, I know I'm not your lover. Well I lived with a child of snow when I was a soldier, and I fought every man for her until the nights grew colder.
She used to wear her hair like you except when she was sleeping, and then she'd weave it on a loom of smoke and gold and breathing.
And why are you so quiet now standing there in the doorway? You chose your journey long before you came upon this highway.
Trav'ling lady stay awhile until the night is over. I'm just a station on your way, I know I'm not your lover.
Tonight Will Be Fine Sometimes I find I get to thinking of the past. We swore to each other then that our love would surely last. You kept right on loving, I went on a fast, now I am too thin and your love is too vast. But I know from your eyes and I know from your smile that tonight will be fine, will be fine, will be fine, will be fine for a while.
I choose the rooms that I live in with care, the windows are small and the walls almost bare, there's only one bed and there's only one prayer; I listen all night for your step on the stair.
But I know from your eyes and I know from your smile that tonight will be fine, will be fine, will be fine, will be fine for a while.
Oh sometimes I see her undressing for me, she's the soft naked lady love meant her to be and she's moving her body so brave and so free. If I've got to remember that's a fine memory.
And I know from her eyes and I know from her smile that tonight will be fine, will be fine, will be fine, will be fine for a while.
When they poured across the border I was cautioned to surrender, this I could not do; I took my gun and vanished. I have changed my name so often, I've lost my wife and children but I have many friends, and some of them are with me.
An old woman gave us shelter, kept us hidden in the garret, then the soldiers came; she died without a whisper.
There were three of us this morning I'm the only one this evening but I must go on; the frontiers are my prison.
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing, through the graves the wind is blowing, freedom soon will come; then we'll come from the shadows.
Les Allemands e'taient chez moi, [The Germans were at my home] ils me dirent, "Signe toi," [They said, "Sign yourself,"] mais je n'ai pas peur; [But I am not afraid] j'ai repris mon arme. [I have retaken my weapon.]
J'ai change' cent fois de nom, [I have changed names a hundred times] j'ai perdu femme et enfants [I have lost wife and children] mais j'ai tant d'amis; [But I have so many friends] j'ai la France entie`re. [I have all of France]
Un vieil homme dans un grenier [An old man, in an attic] pour la nuit nous a cache', [Hid us for the night] les Allemands l'ont pris; [The Germans captured him] il est mort sans surprise. [He died without surprise.]
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing, through the graves the wind is blowing, freedom soon will come; then we'll come from the shadows.
Diamonds in the Mine The woman in blue, she's asking for revenge, the man in white -- that's you -- says he has no friends. The river is swollen up with rusty cans and the trees are burning in your promised land. And there are no letters in the mailbox, and there are no grapes upon the vine, and there are no chocolates in the boxes anymore, and there are no diamonds in the mine.
Well, you tell me that your lover has a broken limb, you say you're kind of restless now and it's on account of him. Well, I saw the man in question, it was just the other night, he was eating up a lady where the lions and Christians fight.
And there are no letters in the mailbox and there are no grapes upon the vine, and there are no chocolates in the boxes anymore, and there are no diamonds in the mine.
(You tell them now)
Ah, there is no comfort in the covens of the witch, some very clever doctor went and sterilized the bitch, and the only man of energy, yes the revolution's pride, he trained a hundred women just to kill an unborn child.
And there are no letters in the mailbox, oh no, there are no, no grapes upon your vine, and there are, there are no chocolates in your boxes anymore, and there are no diamonds in your mine. And there are no letters in the mailbox, and there are no grapes upon the vine, and there are no chocolates in your boxes anymore, and there are no diamonds in your mine.