leonard cohen
With this song we enter Cohen's 3rd CBS album "Songs of Love and Hate", released March 19th 1971, carrying his unique classic guitar playing pattern, this time enforced by genius producer Bob Johnston.
This is the song that brought me to the dark world of Leonard Cohen. A classmate brought the album with her to a music lesson at high school, and I was stuck. 20 years later I played the song at an anniversary meeting, and she asked me "WHO wrote that???" Well, time sure goes by ...
I stepped into an avalanche • it covered up my soul
when I am not this hunchback that you see I sleep beneath the golden hill
you who wish to conquer pain you must learn ... learn to serve me well
you strike my side by accident as you go down for your gold
the cripple here that you clothe and feed is neither starved nor cold
he does not ask for your company • not at the centre ... the centre of the world
when I am on a pedestal you did not raise me there
your laws do not compel me to kneel grotesque and bare
I myself am the pedestal for this ugly hump at which you stare
you who wish to conquer pain you must learn what makes me kind
the crumbs of love that you offer me they're the crumbs I've left behind
your pain is no credential here • it's just the shadow ... shadow of my wound
I have begun to long for you • I who have no greed
I have begun to ask for you • I who have no need
you say you've gone away from me but I can feel you when you breathe
do not dress in those rags for me • I know you are not poor
you don't love me quite so fiercely now when you know that you are not sure
it is your turn beloved • it is your flesh that I wear
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
Em C Em D Em I stepped into an avalanche it covered up my soul Em C Em D Em when I am not this hunchback that you see I sleep beneath the golden hill G B7 Em C ...Bsus4...B11...B7 you who wish to conquer pain you must learn learn to serve me well
