Democracy

by Leonard Cohen

From the album: The Essential Leonard Cohen

Track 24 of 31 on The Essential Leonard Cohen (2002).

Duration: 7:03

The Essential Leonard Cohen cover art

Lyrics for Democracy

It's coming through a hole in the air, From those nights in Tiananmen Square. It's coming from the feel That this ain't exactly real Or it's real, but it ain't exactly there From the wars against disorder From the sirens night and day From the fires of the homeless From the ashes of the gay Democracy is coming to the U.S.A. It's coming through a crack in the wall On a visionary flood of alcohol From the staggering account Of the Sermon on the Mount Which I don't pretend to understand at all It's coming from the silence On the dock of the bay From the brave, the bold, the battered Heart of Chevrolet Democracy is coming to the U.S.A. It's coming from the sorrow in the street The holy places where the races meet From the homicidal bitchin' That goes down in every kitchen To determine who will serve and who will eat From the wells of disappointment Where the women kneel to pray For the grace of God in the desert here And the desert far away Democracy is coming to the U.S.A. Sail on, sail on O mighty Ship of State! To the Shores of Need Past the Reefs of Greed Through the Squalls of Hate Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on It's coming to America first The cradle of the best and of the worst. It's here they got the range And the machinery for change And it's here they got the spiritual thirst It's here the family's broken And it's here the lonely say That the heart has got to open In a fundamental way Democracy is coming to the U.S.A. It's coming from the women and the men O baby, we'll be making love again We'll be going down so deep The river's going to weep And the mountain's going to shout Amen! It's coming like the tidal flood Beneath the lunar sway Imperial, mysterious In amorous array Democracy is coming to the U.S.A. Sail on, sail on O mighty Ship of State! To the Shores of Need Past the Reefs of Greed Through the Squalls of Hate Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean I love the country but I can't stand the scene And I'm neither left or right I'm just staying home tonight Getting lost in that hopeless little screen But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags That Time cannot decay I'm junk but I'm still holding up This little wild bouquet Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

Listen On

More from The Essential Leonard Cohen

  1. Suzanne
  2. The Stranger Song
  3. Sisters of Mercy
  4. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
  5. So Long, Marianne
  6. Bird on the Wire
  7. The Partisan
  8. Famous Blue Raincoat
  9. Chelsea Hotel #2
  10. Take This Longing
  11. Who By Fire
  12. The Guests
  13. Hallelujah
  14. If It Be Your Will
  15. Night Comes On
  16. I'm Your Man
  17. Everybody Knows
  18. Tower of Song
  19. Ain't No Cure for Love
  20. Take This Waltz - Paris Version
  21. First We Take Manhattan
  22. Dance Me to the End of Love - Live in Toronto, 1993
  23. The Future
  24. Democracy
  25. Waiting for the Miracle
  26. Closing Time
  27. Anthem
  28. In My Secret Life
  29. Alexandra Leaving
  30. A Thousand Kisses Deep
  31. Love Itself