The Old Revolution – English Lyrics

• By: Leonard Cohen
• Album: Songs from a Room

Lyrics & Translation

Discover Leonard Cohen's "The Old Revolution," a profound exploration of war, disillusionment, and the human condition. This song, with its stark lyrics and haunting melody, offers a unique opportunity to delve into Cohen's poetic genius and understand the complexities of social and personal conflict. Explore the depths of its meaning and uncover the layers of history and emotion embedded within .

[English]

I finally broke into the prison

...

I found my place in the chain

...

Even damnation is poisoned with rainbow

...

All the brave young men

They're waiting now to see a signal

Which some killer will be lighting for pay

Into this furnace I ask you now to venture

You, whom I cannot betray

...

I fought in the old revolution

On the side of the ghost and the king

Of course I was very young

And I thought that we were winning

...

I can't pretend, I still feel very much like singing

As they carry the bodies away

Into this furnace I ask you now to venture

You, whom I cannot betray

...

Lately you've started to stutter

As though you had nothing to say

To all of my architects

Let me be traitor

...

Now let me say, I myself gave the order

To sleep and to search and to destroy

...

Into this furnace I ask you now to venture

You, whom I cannot betray

...

Yes, you, who are broken by power

...

You, who are absent all day

You, who are kings

For the sake of your children's story

...

The hand of your beggar is burdened down with money

The hand of your lover is clay

Into this furnace I ask you now to venture

You, whom I cannot betray

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
prison /ˈprɪzən/ B1	noun - a place where people are kept as punishment
chain /tʃeɪn/ A2	noun - a series of linked metal rings
damnation /dæmˈneɪʃən/ C1	noun - condemnation to eternal punishment
rainbow /ˈreɪn.boʊ/ A1	noun - an arc of colors formed in the sky after rain
brave /breɪv/ B1	adjective - courageous; showing no fear verb - to face danger or difficulty without fear
killer /ˈkɪl.ər/ B2	noun - a person who kills
furnace /ˈfɜːr.nəs/ B2	noun - an enclosed structure for heating or melting materials
venture /ˈven.tʃɚ/ B2	verb - to undertake a risky or daring journey or action noun - a risky or speculative undertaking
betray /bɪˈtreɪ/ B2	verb - to be disloyal to someone; to reveal secrets
revolution /ˌrev.əˈluː.ʃən/ C1	noun - a forcible overthrow of a government or social order
ghost /ɡoʊst/ B2	noun - the spirit or soul of a dead person, often imagined as a haunting presence
king /kɪŋ/ A1	noun - a male monarch; ruler of a kingdom
stutter /ˈstʌt.ɚ/ B2	verb - to speak with involuntary repetitions and pauses noun - a speech disorder characterized by repeated sounds
architect /ˈɑːr.kɪ.tekt/ C1	noun - a professional who designs buildings and oversees construction
traitor /ˈtreɪ.tɔːr/ B2	noun - a person who betrays a friend, cause, or principle
destroy /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ B1	verb - to ruin or demolish completely
broken /ˈbroʊ.kən/ B1	adjective - damaged and no longer in one piece; also emotionally damaged
power /ˈpaʊ.ɚ/ A2	noun - ability or capacity to do something or act; control or influence
beggar /ˈbeɡ.ɚ/ B2	noun - a person who lives by asking others for money or food
lover /ˈlʌv.ɚ/ A2	noun - a person who is in a romantic relationship