Leonard Cohen – First We Take Manhattan

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  My Interpretation:Cohen hooks phrasing and seemingly wordless messages into a poetic/singing experience. Like all good poets he expects you to tell him what he’s talking about. So, it’s my turn. This is a verse about revenge. What the German people allowed Hitler to do to the Jews is, in our day, inexcusable.
  But the purging of Jews is nothing new to the history books. Manhattan represents Hollywood, Las Vegas, and anywhere else the communications gods can thrive. Jews are masters of communication and own these towns. Next in these appropriations is Berlin to prove that guy Goebbles was just an amateur. .
  

  Flag RohnEnghon March 17, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:Whenever I hear this song, I imagine Jean Valjean from Les Miserables singing it during the battle at the barricade. Probably with a wind machine blowing his hair back, and a few street wenches dancing behind him.
  
  Just throwing that out there.

  Flag kmggk5on February 07, 2013   Link

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  My Opinion:I think that Leo is talking us about the Manhattan Project in the World War II. First we take the atomic bomb (we take Manhattan) and then we take Berlin.

  Flagged johnq99on October 28, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:It's a song about conquest, possibly more sexual than actual. 'Manhattan' has phallic connotations - with its name, shape on the map and tall buildings. Berlin was, of course, divided down the middle, and is meant, I feel sure, to symbolise the female parts.

  Flag Toby1974on October 11, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:While I seriously do not believe Leonard Cohen, as a Jew, intended this song to be interpreted the way in which THIS Jew does, here is MY take on it. First we take Manhattan (the 20 years sentence to boredom would certainly cover Einstein's existence in places that did not appreciate him) covers the Manhattan Project which, although post-dated the taking of Berlin, the song screams such things as this. The plywood violin, the taking of groceries, the things done to his sister all speak of associations with the Holocaust. Cohen, mind you, was born in 1934, I believe. By 1944 he was 10 years old. Although Canadian I am certain he had HUGE numbers of relatives affected by the Nazis, just as I did even though most of my people came to the States in the 1880's. They still had family there, until Hitler. References to "moving through the station" - Mengele was the man at the station determining the fate of those passing through; the drugs for the thinness? Yeah, right, call that starvation rations. The monkey and the violin? Indeed, the prisoners were as trained monkeys forced to play music for the overlords. This song screamed Holocaust the minute I heard it. You loved me as a loser? Now you're afraid I just might win? Let my work begin? Guess that just speaks things of WWII to me. Such is my take on it, and it satisfies me.

  Flag logcutteron October 04, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:I agree the song is about terrorism, but more in a way of Taxi Driver. References to Manhattan and Berlin were probably chosen not because of the cities, but because of how well names rhyme together and how they create a beautiful rhythm. I agree just mentioning those two cities invokes all sorts of theories, but in my opinion it's there for shock value and a sound.

  Flag iliadavon September 26, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Any chance to ask Leonard Cohen what he meant to say?
  Still not too late to ask.

  Flag brillisofton August 31, 2012   Link

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    He probably doesn´t know the meaning.
    
    Because, well, simply watch the song video:
    People carrying packaged stuff to a beach.
    
    Imo, these are song writers and ordinary writers,
    transporting hidden messages to a location,
    authorized by some sufficiently trustworthy source.
    
    The person taking responsibility for the validity and nice nature of these messages might be the girl in the video, aka Martha Jones from 'Sound of Drums'.
    The beach itself is an example of the nature of the messages. It´s related to Shell Beach from 'Dark City' and a lot more movies and video clips.
    Mostly, it the beach in 'The Needle' movie, it´s the pick up location for some sort of secret agent.
    
    You think I´m a nut?
    
    Read about Cohen:
    He admits connections to 'NWO', Lyubavich.
    Wilson´s Illuminati are a code word. So are the group names. What´s so cool about the original 'Illuminati' is the fact they don´t exist anymore, so no real conspirators get angry because of being pinpointed by some writer.
    In real life, many of the groups involved in this bizarre game are real and recognizable, No Such Agency et al, but there are also unknown private nooby conspiracy groups. Cohen´s Lyubavich patrons are but one of many gamers in this NWO thing. The thing is, Cohen = Levite = according to bible responsible for special duties, his song 'Everybody Knows' probably refers to these Lyubavich Levites.
    
    Now that we´re that far, my take:
    
    First Manhattan then Berlin.
    First, the more sensible NWO-gamers ought to try to convince the United Nations ( headqartered in Manhattan ), before carrying 'The Game' to Berlin ( which is a hot spot in the NWO game, it represents the legal interests for Babylon ( which is actually the anagram (it´s true) for a medium town in Germany, so Berlin ( seat of government ) has to defend it, which will have happened already, sigh ) ( anagram / riddle, well, deception and not to be seen at all is what the bad-guy-conspiracies aim at, so, the prophetical Babylon could never habe been the real Babylon, because the bad guys avoid such omens if they are able ie see them by themselves in time ), Zion and Jerusalem, well, it´s just the opposite: the 'nice guys' want to be as obvious and reliable as possible.
    
    Well:
    NWO is a game.
    Cohen and his Lyubavich patrons are a team competing in this game, they represent the team 'Protectors of genuine Jewish faith'.
    There are other players, groups with worldy interests ( intelligence agencies of diverse countries ), groups with criminal interests ( too unknown to be named ), etc.
    
    If you don´t believe me:
    As long as Cohen does not oppose my interpretation, it´s as valid as any other.
    Plus, who knows?, he might completely agree to this de-cryption attempt.
    

    Flag griffin13on May 02, 2013  
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  Song Meaning:leonardcohen-prologues.com/
  
  Go here, search for the song on the left panel, click, read.
  
  This would give you the exact meaning Leonard intended when he wrote this song and all other meanings that were attached to the song as time passed and humanity grew with time.

  Flagged sujiton May 09, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:It´s about jewish supremacy

  Flag galerason February 14, 2012   Link

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  Song Meaning:Could this have unknowingly been a prophecy in light of today's happenings on Wall Street and the economic situation in Europe????

  Flagged Audrapdon October 19, 2011   Link

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