Leonard Cohen

Different Sides

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Different Sides Lyrics

We find ourselves on different sides
Of a line nobody drew
Though it all may be one in the higher eye
Down here where we live it is two
I to my side call the meek and the mild
You to your side call the Words
By virtue of suffering I claim to have won
You claim to have never been heard
Both of us say there are laws to obey
Yeah, but frankly I don't like your tone
You want to change the way I make love
(But) I want to leave it alone
The pull of the moon, the thrust of the sun
Thus the ocean is crossed
The waters are blessed while a shadowy guest
Kindles a light for the lost
Both of us say there are laws to obey
But frankly I don't like your tone

You want to change the way I make love
(But) I want to leave it alone
Down in the valley the famine goes on
The famine up on the hill
I say that you shouldn't, you couldn't, you can't
You say that you must and you will
You want to live where the suffering is
I want to get out of town
Come on, baby, give me a kiss
Stop writing everything down
Both of us say there are laws to obey
Yeah, but frankly I don't like your tone
You want to change the way I make love
(But) I want to leave it alone
Both of us say there are laws to obey
Yeah, but frankly I don't like your tone
You want to change the way I make love
(But) I want to leave it alone

Submitted by

realexkav On Feb 01, 2012

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realexkav

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2012-02-01 20:12:20

1 Meaning

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by Monir

6y ago

I look at this song in a very spiritual way. I think Cohen here refers to the dualities of the world where people need to take sides and prefer one over the other (black vs. white, dark vs. light, high vs. Low and so on), while at the end we are all playing our roles in the world and in the essence we are part of the Divine (i.e. we are all one )

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