First We Take Manhattan

First We Take Manhattan - context Summary

I'm Your Man (1988)

Published on Leonard Cohen’nd Sharon Robinson’ollaborative album I'm Your Man (1988), "First We Take Manhattan" is a dark, ambiguous protest-persona song that blends personal obsession and political ambition. Cohen presents a determined, possibly vengeful speaker whose repeated refrain—"First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin"—frames the poem as both a threat and a manifesto. The piece reads as irony-tinged commentary on power, discipline, and the conflation of romantic and ideological conquest.

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They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom For tryin' to change the system from within I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin I'm guided by a signal in the heavens I'm guided by this birthmark on my skin I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin I'd really like to live beside you, baby I love your body and your spirit and your clothes But you see that line there moving through the station? I told you, I told you, told you, I was one of those Ah you loved me as a loser, but now you're worried that I just might win You know the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin I don't like your fashion business, mister And I don't like these drugs that keep you thin I don't like what happened to my sister First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin I'd really like to live beside you, baby I love your body and your spirit and your clothes But you see that line there moving through the station? I told you, I told you, told you, I was one of those And I thank you for those items that you sent me The monkey and the plywood violin I practiced every night, now I'm ready First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin