Leonard Cohen The Captain Lyrics

The Captain Lyrics

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 must 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 
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.