The Old Revolution

by Leonard Cohen

From the album: Songs From a Room

Track 6 of 10 on Songs From a Room (1969).

Duration: 04:46

Songs From a Room cover art

Lyrics for The Old Revolution

I finally broke into the prison I found my place in the chain Even damnation is poisoned with rainbow All the brave young men They're waiting now to see a signal Which some killer will be lighting for pay Into this furnace I ask you now to venture You, whom I cannot betray I fought in the old revolution On the side of the ghost and the king Of course I was very young And I thought that we were winning I can't pretend, I still feel very much like singing As they carry the bodies away Into this furnace I ask you now to venture You, whom I cannot betray Lately you've started to stutter As though you had nothing to say To all of my architects Let me be traitor Now let me say, I myself gave the order To sleep and to search and to destroy Into this furnace I ask you now to venture You, whom I cannot betray Yes, you, who are broken by power You, who are absent all day You, who are kings For the sake of your children's story The hand of your beggar is burdened down with money The hand of your lover is clay Into this furnace I ask you now to venture You, whom I cannot betray

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More from Songs From a Room

  1. Bird on the Wire
  2. Story of Isaac
  3. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
  4. The Partisan
  5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
  6. The Old Revolution
  7. The Butcher
  8. You Know Who I Am
  9. Lady Midnight
  10. Tonight Will Be Fine