The only guy who could ever remember all those fabulous lyrics has to be the guy who wrote them. Cohen is totally awesome. That band and those singers are fabulous.
This man takes my breath away -- with his music, with his poetry (lyrics), with his masterly performance, his art in general...Have actually just discovered him and can't have enough of him...:)
Our friend has been down on his knees not begging us please. He has danced us to end of love with a mighty expectation of relief. He has been sublime. May the fiddler never stop
Couldn't say it better than Mr. Castro,I can't find the words to express how much Ieonard cohen means to me. His songs just wrap themselves around my heart and soul. So genuine,honest,humble and sincere.Just saw him the beginning of April and he is in a class all by himself. Thank-you Leonard Cohen for the beauty and gift of your music.
I was at this taping. I was also at the video release party for this song around the same time when Leonard sat with us at our table and wrote "Magic Is Afoot" on my shoe. Great to see again, thanks for posting this!
It was Joe Bodolai, an Allegheny College alumnus, who introduced me to the music of Leonard Cohen. I regret that I never had the pleasure of meeting either of them. I love watching Mr. Cohen in this video!
This is a great performance! I agree the live version is much better than the recorded one. Leonard Cohen loves women, and that's obvious here. I like the energy of the crowd. Usually his live performances are rather somber, but this one is full of life. You really got the best out of him here. (Sorry if this is a duplicate -- I tried to post something earlier and wasn't sure what happened.)
He is coming/came? to Hamilton Ontario this April and again I have to miss his show due to Work, I would love to see him live...I feel uplifted and happy when I hear his music and that voice...reaches out to me in many ways
Ah we're drinking and we're dancing And the band is really happening And the Johnny Walker wisdom running high And my very sweet companion She's the Angel of Compassion She's rubbing half the world against her thigh And every drinker every dancer Lifts a happy face to thank her The fiddler fiddles something so sublime All the women tear their blouses off And the men they dance on the polka-dots And it's partner found, it's partner lost And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops: It's closing time Yeah the women tear their blouses off And the men they dance on the polka-dots And it's partner found, it's partner lost And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops: It's closing time Ah we're lonely, we're romantic And the cider's laced with acid And the Holy Spirit's crying, "Where's the beef?" And the summer night is fragrant And the moon is swimming naked With a mighty expectation of relief So we struggle and we stagger Down the snakes and up the ladder To the tower where the blessed hours chime And I swear it happened just like this: A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss The Gates of Love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since But closing time I swear it happened just like this: A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss The Gates of Love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since But Closing time, closing time I loved you for your beauty But that doesn't make a fool of me: You were in it for your beauty too And I loved you for your body There's a voice that sounds like God to me Declaring, declaring, declaring that your body's really you And I loved you when our love was blessed And I love you now there's nothing left But sorrow and a sense of overtime And I missed you since the place got wrecked And I just don't care what happens next Looks like freedom but it feels like death It's something in between, I guess It's closing time Yeah I missed you since our place got wrecked By the winds of change and the weeds of sex Looks like freedom but it feels like death It's something in between, I guess It's closing time Yeah we're drinking and we're dancing But there's nothing really happening And the place is dead as Heaven on a Saturday night And my very sweet companion Gets me fumbling gets me laughing She's a hundred but she's wearing Something tight And I lift my glass to the awful truth Which you can't reveal to the ears of youth Except to say it isn't worth a dime And the whole damn place goes crazy twice And it's once for the devil and it's once for Christ But the boss don't like these dizzy heights We're busted in the blinding lights Of closing time The whole damn place goes crazy twice And it's once for the devil and it's once for Christ But the boss don't like these dizzy heights We're busted in the blinding lights Busted in the blinding lights Of closing time Oh the women tear their blouses off And the men they dance on the polka-dots It's closing time And it's partner found, it's partner lost And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops It's closing time I swear it happened just like this: A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss It's closing time The Gates of Love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since But closing time I loved you when our love was blessed I love you now there's nothing left But closing time The whole damn place goes crazy twice And it's once for the devil and it's once for Christ But the boss don't like these dizzy heights We're busted in the blinding lights Busted in the blinding lights Of closing time
i wish i got to c his concerts when he was still hangin around but he had to close up shop he was 1 of the greats of canandain singers dude rulz for shoo
Looks like freedom feels like death, something in between I guess. Lift my glass to the awful truth which you can't reveal to the innocent youth except to say it isn't worth a dime. Beautiful, profound and a good tune!!
I keep thinking what a trip it must have been for the backup singer at the end of the line closest to Leonard to have him leering at her while she sang with him. :) Great performance here.
funny..i dont' remember making that post LOL but you know I feel it even MORE now than I did then.. thanks for the excuse to watch and listen to this great song again!!
Everyone are remembering Leonard Cohen of course, but we are forgetting Joe Bodolai (the producer of the show and much much more) who took his life Dec 26th 2011. You can read his last blog entry on Dec 23rd 2011 here: qualityshows.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/if-this-were-y0ur-last-day-alive-what-would-you-do/ It's heartbreaking to read.
One of my favorite songs of all. I love how he messes the lyrics up, or mixes them up I guess. I loved you since our place got wrecked................. The back ups knew the words. Still a brilliant version and way better than the produced video.