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Democracy Lyrics
It's coming through a hole in the air;
from those nights in Tiananmen Square.
It's coming from the feel that this ain't exactly real;
Or it's real but it ain't exactly there.
From the war against disorder;
from the sirens night and day.
From the fires of the homeless, from the ashes of the gay:
Democracy is comming to the U.S.A.
It's coming through a crack in the wall, on a visionary flood of alcohol.
From the staggering account of the Sermon on the Mount which I don't pretend to understand at all.
It's coming from the silence on the dock of the bay.
From the brave, the bold, the battered heart of Chevrolet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
It's coming from the sorrow in the street, the holy places where the races meet.
From the homicidal bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen to determine who will serve and who will eat.
From the wells of disappointment where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of God in the desert here and the desert far away:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Sail on, sail on
O mighty Ship of State!
To the Shores of Need
Past the Reefs of Greed
Through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on.
It's coming to America first;
The cradle of the best and of the worst.
It's here they got the range and the machinery for change,
And it's here they got the spiritual thirst.
It's here the family's broken
And it's here the lonely say that the heart has got to open in a fundamental way.
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
It's coming from the women and the men.
O baby, we'll be making love again.
We'll be going down so deep the river's going to weep,
and the mountain's going to shout Amen!
It's coming like the tidal flood beneath the lunar sway.
Imperial, mysterious, in amorous array:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Sail on, sail on ...
I'm sentimental, if you know what I mean.
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
from those nights in Tiananmen Square.
It's coming from the feel that this ain't exactly real;
Or it's real but it ain't exactly there.
From the war against disorder;
from the sirens night and day.
From the fires of the homeless, from the ashes of the gay:
Democracy is comming to the U.S.A.
From the staggering account of the Sermon on the Mount which I don't pretend to understand at all.
It's coming from the silence on the dock of the bay.
From the brave, the bold, the battered heart of Chevrolet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
From the homicidal bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen to determine who will serve and who will eat.
From the wells of disappointment where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of God in the desert here and the desert far away:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
O mighty Ship of State!
To the Shores of Need
Past the Reefs of Greed
Through the Squalls of Hate
Sail on, sail on, sail on, sail on.
The cradle of the best and of the worst.
It's here they got the range and the machinery for change,
And it's here they got the spiritual thirst.
It's here the family's broken
And it's here the lonely say that the heart has got to open in a fundamental way.
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
O baby, we'll be making love again.
We'll be going down so deep the river's going to weep,
and the mountain's going to shout Amen!
It's coming like the tidal flood beneath the lunar sway.
Imperial, mysterious, in amorous array:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
I love the country but I can't stand the scene.
And I'm neither left or right
I'm just staying home tonight,
getting lost in that hopeless little screen.
But I'm stubborn as those garbage bags
that time cannot decay,
I'm junk but I'm still holding up
this little wild bouquet:
Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
Song Info
Submitted by
nursejen On Feb 07, 2006
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Am I the only guy that likes this song?
@Mr_Craw I've absolutely loved it since 1991.
@Mr_Craw I've absolutely loved it since 1991.
no.
lol.
lol.
i swear to god I never thought this might be sarcastic, and 9-11 is years to early, but i think my understanding has morphed.... either way I think Mr Cohen would like that were talking about it still!!!!
i dont think its sarcastic. i think he's being ironic saying that "democracy is 'coming' to the USA" when the point of the USs existence is to be and have always been democratic although for along time it hasn't been.
so at first this song sounds patriotic, preaching manifestdestiny etc when infact Cohen is cleverly highlighting the hypocracy of the whole system
I love that it's cynical and hopeful at the same time. And "From the homicidal bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen / To determine who will serve and who will eat." Can anyone write better than this?
I love that it's cynical and hopeful at the same time. And "From the homicidal bitchin' that goes down in every kitchen / To determine who will serve and who will eat." Can anyone write better than this?
Radio host Thom Hartmann often uses this song as a bumper track for his daily show. http://www.thomhartmann.com
This was one of the first Leonard Cohen songs I remember hearing. Like another poster, I too love the combination of cynicism and hope in this song. It cynically reminds us that America is not the democracy it claims to be: that racism and classes have not been abolished. Then he points out that while that time is not here yet, it is coming in its own time, and that America is paving its way without trying. It also makes me think that when democracy arrives, it will be those who speak of it most who will reject it without recognizing it for what it is.
@Sylvied Well so much for that idea...
@Sylvied Well so much for that idea...
Most songs about politics, government, or the USA are either patriotic and overly optimistic to the point of blind sentimentality and how wonderful "government by the people" is, or else they are protest songs that are negative, pessimistic, and focus on the injustices and deep flaws in the system. This song obviously aims to see things in all of the shades of gray, not denying all of the darkness that is all around, but yet somehow trying to see the potential for good and the hope that still remains in the midst of all of the negativity. As a political system, democracy has largely failed to live up to all of the idealistic talk of the people who made it into the world's predominant political system. And yet, the thought here is that there is still hope for the future, and that total cynicism may be an easy perspective, but it is somehow not the true one or the best one.
I dislike the song, but I am mightily impressed by the spoken word version. The only reason I can see that he made a commercial video and studio production of the spoken word version is that it clarifies the meaning better when it is spoken - and what it speaks of is MENACE. I think democracy, real democracy, is potentially very dangerous. It could destroy the world economy, leaving millions to die; it could mean draconian laws, religious and cultural persecution. To assume the majority is kind spirited and generous to others unlike themselves is a folly.
I like this song. ascer's interpretation from August 29, 2015 says it best. I could not have interpreted any better. Absolutely right on the money!
Well, I don't know about only guy, but definitely not the only person. :-)
I love this song, although I must admit to liking his "spoken word poem" version better. It's very dark, showcases his voice perfectly, and very fitting considering the subject matter.
I think it's pretty self-explanatory in meaning. However, I find it interesting to note that a born-Montrealer (now NYer) manages to capture so perfectly the notion of contemporary American democracy. Perhaps it shows that the concept of Americanism is a universal one.
At any rate, lyrically, Leonard Cohen > Bob Dylan. :-)
@Phanta5manic first, LC is wonderful, but. It greater than Dylan. They're different but equal. Second "it's self xplanatory"? No itbisnt, and that's a cop out
@Phanta5manic first, LC is wonderful, but. It greater than Dylan. They're different but equal. Second "it's self xplanatory"? No itbisnt, and that's a cop out
@Phanta5manic yeah, WTF about ‘Democracy’ is “self-explanatory”? Ugh...
@Phanta5manic yeah, WTF about ‘Democracy’ is “self-explanatory”? Ugh...