The captain

Leonard Cohen

Transposer:

Now the Captain called me to his bed He fumbled for my hand Take these silver bars he said I'm giving you command. Command of what there's no one here There's only you and me All the rest are dead or in retreat Or with the enemy. Complain complain that's all you've done Ever since we lost If it's not the Crucifixion Then it's the Holocaust. May Christ have mercy on your soul For making such a joke Amid these hearts that burn like coal And the flesh that rose like smoke. I know that you have suffered lad But suffer this awhile Whatever makes a soldier sad Will make a killer smile. I'm leaving Captain I've got to go There's blood upon your hand But tell me Captain if you know Of a decent place to stand. There is no decent place to stand In a massacre But if a woman take your hand Then go and stand with her. I left a wife in Tennessee And a baby in Saigon I risked my life but not to hear Some country-western song. Ah but if you cannot raise your love To a very high degree Then you're just the man I've been thinking of So come and stand with me. Your standing days are done I cried You'll rally me no more I don't even know what side We fought on or what for. I'm on the side that's always lost Against the side of Heaven I'm on the side of Snake-eyes tossed Against the side of Seven And I've read the Bill of Human Rights And some of it was true But there wasn't any burden left So I'm laying it on you. Now the Captain he was dying But the Captain wasn't hurt The silver bars were in my hand I pinned them to my shirt

Du même artiste :

The hills

Am, Dm, G, E, F, C, Fm

Crazy to Love You

B, A, E, E7, F#, Db, Dbm, G#

Banjo

C, F, G, E, Am, Cm

Field Commander Cohen

Am, Dm, C, G, Bb, Gm, F, Cm, A, E, Bm, D

Steer Your Way

A, B, Db, Dbm, F#m, G#, Db7, E

Come Healing

F, Bb, C, Dm

You Want It Darker

Em, G, Am, C, D

My Oh My

Am, Am/G, F, D, C/E, C, E

It Seemed the Better Way

Em, Am

Death of a Ladies Man

D, E7, Em, A7, G, Bm, F#m, Eb

La chanson évoque une conversation poignante entre un soldat et son capitaine, qui lui remet les clés du commandement au cœur d'une tragédie. Le capitaine exprime des reproches sur la perte et la souffrance, évoquant des événements historiques tragiques tels que la Crucifixion et l’Holocauste, soulignant la douleur humaine face à l’absurdité de la guerre. Le soldat, en proie au doute et à la confusion, questionne le sens des combats menés et cherche un endroit où se tenir, où l’humanité pourrait encore exister au milieu de la violence. Le contexte de la chanson semble être lié à la guerre, mais elle dépasse ce cadre pour rejoindre un questionnement plus profond sur la souffrance, la responsabilité et le sens de l'existence. Les références au désespoir et à l'espoir, ainsi qu'à des relations humaines dans un monde chaotique, font écho à des luttes internes, rendant la scène aussi universelle qu'intime.

Le Chansonnier