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The Law Lyrics

How many times did you call me
And I knew it was late
I left everybody
But I never went straight
I don't claim to be guilty
But I do understand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand

Now my heart's like a blister
From doing what I do
If the moon has a sister
It's got to be you
I'm going to miss you forever
Tho' it's not what I planned
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand

Now the deal has been dirty
Since dirty began
I'm not asking for mercy
Not from the man
You just don't ask for mercy
While you're still on the stand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand

I don't claim to be guilty
Guilty's too grand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand

That's all I can say, baby
That's all I can say
It wasn't for nothing
That they put me away
I fell with my angel
Down the chain of command

There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
There's a Law, there's an Arm, there's a Hand
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Cover art for The Law lyrics by Leonard Cohen

Drugs?

Now the deal has been dirty Since dirty began I'm not asking for mercy Not from the man You just don't ask for mercy While you're still on the stand There s a Law, there's an ARM, there's a Hand

Cover art for The Law lyrics by Leonard Cohen

There is no arm. There is a Law, twice, then a Hand. This is not a drug song. It is a song about morality and judgement, both of oneself and by a higher power. The narrator's guilt is ambiguous, but only because he is still committing the crime of being alive.