I think this is one of the deepest songs Cohen ever wrote, if not the deepest.
This song is about Cohen's Spirit, his new born life that he confirms with songs like Last Year's man, Hallelujah, Sisters of Mercy, Bird on the Wire and others. It is undoubtley that Cohen is influenced with the Word of God ("there's a baze of light in Every Word") as he says ih Hallelujah. In this song, we also have connections with Cohens fascinantion and passion of Word in Bible.
Prof of that is in this song also: "But everything will happen if he only gives the word" - this verse is of course clear reflection on Mathew 8-8 - every who knows Bible very well will know that.
When Cohen is in love, he describes feeling and stata of love as a highest God's gift - describeing it as most perfect harmony in life, a highest gift from the sky - this stands for words: "and Bethlehem inflamed us both" - describing state of emotions beetween he and that woman that was femme fatale.
This song is a mixture of witer's personal insight voice and reflect his person in deep.
Cohen when speaking, actually writes about his spiritual growth, his connection with Living God. His love life, his falls - because he is very emotional - that is why he writes about Joan of Arc - hero woman, but also about hurted people who fought for heart of that woman which she (maybe not with her will, but because of choices she had in life) hurted because she is femme fatale:
"all these wounded boys you lie beside"
In Bible, "Great Babilon" is described as fallen being (like fallen city). It is also described as female, and as place where everyone should espace form (John's Revelation). Betlehem, on the other hand, is place of goodnes - place of birth of living Word, Way, Truth, and Life.
So, we have a fight beetween of good and evil. I personally think it is fight in Cohen that is also that fight. But Cohen is in good side, and want's to stand in front of evil:
"And when we fell together all our flesh was like a veil
that I had to draw aside to see
the serpent eat its tail."
I think that Cohen with this verses proves that he's fought seprent with his mind.. and his spirit defeated evil in, as he actually describes his fight with seprent - his personal spiritual growth is point off his life were he could see and feel more and more clearly serpent's presence. He puts himself in place of good - place of God and Spirit which he strongly believes and lusts for it.
This, as many Cohen songs, is actually about Cohens strong and deep faith in God - which he finds in Bible, in Jeusus - living Word, and in nature.
Words: "and all the rain falls down amen
on the works of last year's man"
mean that Cohen agrees in his humble spirit with his tears in life, and that also ceans his spirit from sins - he proves that with word "amen".
And works of the last year's man - are works of Cohen himslef - old Cohen, wthout spirit in his Heart, without him knowing the Living Word of God, and with his old ways. Now all that sins are washed away by blood of the one that is mentioned in Betlehem ("and all the rain falls down amen") - and Cohen says "amen".
I think this is one of the deepest songs Cohen ever wrote, if not the deepest.
This song is about Cohen's Spirit, his new born life that he confirms with songs like Last Year's man, Hallelujah, Sisters of Mercy, Bird on the Wire and others. It is undoubtley that Cohen is influenced with the Word of God ("there's a baze of light in Every Word") as he says ih Hallelujah. In this song, we also have connections with Cohens fascinantion and passion of Word in Bible. Prof of that is in this song also: "But everything will happen if he only gives the word" - this verse is of course clear reflection on Mathew 8-8 - every who knows Bible very well will know that.
When Cohen is in love, he describes feeling and stata of love as a highest God's gift - describeing it as most perfect harmony in life, a highest gift from the sky - this stands for words: "and Bethlehem inflamed us both" - describing state of emotions beetween he and that woman that was femme fatale.
This song is a mixture of witer's personal insight voice and reflect his person in deep. Cohen when speaking, actually writes about his spiritual growth, his connection with Living God. His love life, his falls - because he is very emotional - that is why he writes about Joan of Arc - hero woman, but also about hurted people who fought for heart of that woman which she (maybe not with her will, but because of choices she had in life) hurted because she is femme fatale: "all these wounded boys you lie beside"
In Bible, "Great Babilon" is described as fallen being (like fallen city). It is also described as female, and as place where everyone should espace form (John's Revelation). Betlehem, on the other hand, is place of goodnes - place of birth of living Word, Way, Truth, and Life. So, we have a fight beetween of good and evil. I personally think it is fight in Cohen that is also that fight. But Cohen is in good side, and want's to stand in front of evil:
"And when we fell together all our flesh was like a veil that I had to draw aside to see the serpent eat its tail."
I think that Cohen with this verses proves that he's fought seprent with his mind.. and his spirit defeated evil in, as he actually describes his fight with seprent - his personal spiritual growth is point off his life were he could see and feel more and more clearly serpent's presence. He puts himself in place of good - place of God and Spirit which he strongly believes and lusts for it.
This, as many Cohen songs, is actually about Cohens strong and deep faith in God - which he finds in Bible, in Jeusus - living Word, and in nature.
Words: "and all the rain falls down amen on the works of last year's man"
mean that Cohen agrees in his humble spirit with his tears in life, and that also ceans his spirit from sins - he proves that with word "amen". And works of the last year's man - are works of Cohen himslef - old Cohen, wthout spirit in his Heart, without him knowing the Living Word of God, and with his old ways. Now all that sins are washed away by blood of the one that is mentioned in Betlehem ("and all the rain falls down amen") - and Cohen says "amen".
Dario, Croatia