Lyrics of „Born in Chains“, as far as I can make them out

[Mollydog]

I've just got back from the marvellous Malmo concert. I REALLY listened carefully and it definitely isn't *hammered*. To me it sounds like happered or happert.

Leonard was in wonderful spirits tonight. He keeps getting better and better.

Mary

[sturgess66]

I've just got back from the marvellous Malmo concert. I REALLY listened carefully and it definitely isn't *hammered*. To me it sounds like happered or happert.

Leonard was in wonderful spirits tonight. He keeps getting better and better.

Mary

Ahhhhhhhhhh Mollydog/Mary -

We have a new recording from "fanLCfan - same performance that we already had - Sligo 7/31/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM-G4RMtZHQ

Words in Hattie's and Charley's verses still don't seem correct to me -

[HATTIE]
I was idled? [ ____?] with my soul, when I heard that you could use me [resided? battered?]
I followed very closely, but my life remained the same
But then you showed me where you had [have?] been wounded
In every atom [____?], broken is the name

[CHARLEY]
I was alone on the road, your love was so confusing
And all the teachers told me that I had myself to blame
But in the arms of sensual illusion [hours?]
A sweet unknowing unified the name [undoubting?]

[IMM]

Perhaps some of it depends on whether or not this is Tuesday?

[sturgess66]

Perhaps some of it depends on whether or not this is Tuesday?

I'm sure it is a work in progress ...
And then also - different nights bring different delights.

Is everyone else happy with the words we have for Hattie's and Charley's verses but me?

Actually - what we need is video from another performance - another show. We have one from Salzburg - and 3 from the first Sligo show.
And they had made changes between Salzburg and Sligo.

[IMM]

BTW - when I say related to Habbakuk it takes me into the ancient, into Akkadia, not so much to the more modern themes - but that's just me

[sue7]

Words in Hattie's and Charley's verses still don't seem correct to me -

[HATTIE]
I was idled? [ ____?] with my soul, when I heard that you could use me [resided? battered?]
I followed very closely, but my life remained the same
But then you showed me where you had [have?] been wounded
In every atom [____?], broken is the name

[CHARLEY]
I was alone on the road, your love was so confusing
And all the teachers told me that I had myself to blame
But in the arms of sensual illusion [hours?]
A sweet unknowing unified the name [undoubting?]

Linda, I wanted to write about the line "In every atom, broken is the name." I'm not sure if your concern about the line is about what you hear or the sense of it. If it's about the meaning/sense:
I connect it with the creation myth in the Lurianic Kabbalah.
The myth is that at the moment of creation there was a kind of infinite withdrawal of energy from a state of chaos into a pinprick and then an explosion of energy (kind of like the Big Bang); when the energy moves outwards it is caught and held by "vessels". The energy (love?) was too great for the vessels, the vessels cracked and the sparks of divine energy were lost. It is the task of all of us to "raise the sparks," to heal the vessels and unify the energy. (Think the lyrics of Anthem.) I think that this line is connected to that idea, along with the idea that the name of G-d is intimately connected with divine energy. If one sees this as happening at an atomic level, I think the line makes sense.

It seems as though there is still no video of the Malmo performance of Born In Chains??
Sue

[sturgess66]

Thanks for that explanation Sue - and I think you may be correct - that I was struggling with the sense of it - although also - I still can't hear that word clearly enough. Also - not convinced about "idled" in the first line of that verse. I just don't know.

And it is disappointing so far - no video from Malmo for this song - although a lot of great video!

This is the version that we have to date - and it is looking good I think.
I still have concerns about words in both Charley's and Hattie's verses (see my posts above), but I don't have any "for sure" edits!
And Mollydog who was at the show last night says that the word is definitely not "hammered."

So - any further comments at this point?

[LEONARD COHEN] [SPOKEN]
I was born in chains but I was taken out of Egypt
I was bound to a burden, but the burden it was raised
Oh Lord, I can no longer keep this secret
Blessed is the name, the name be praised.

[SHARON ROBINSON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY WEBB]
I was born …

[LEONARD]
I was born in chains but I was taken out of Egypt
I was bound to a burden, but the burden it was raised
Oh Lord, I can no longer keep this secret
Blessed is the name, the name be praised.

[SHARON]
I fled to the edge of a mighty sea of sorrow
Pursued by the riders of a cruel and dark regime
But the waters parted and my soul crossed over
Out of Egypt, out of Pharaoh's dream.

[LEONARD, ROSCOE BECK, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Word of words and the measure of all measures
Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
Written on my heart in burning letters
That’s all I know, I cannot read the rest

[HATTIE]
I was idled with my soul, when I heard that you could use me
I followed very closely, but my life remained the same
But then you showed me where you had been wounded
In every atom, broken is the name

[CHARLEY]
I was alone on the road, your love was so confusing
And all the teachers told me that I had myself to blame
But in the arms of sensual illusion
A sweet unknowing unified the name

[LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Word of words, and the measure of all measures
Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
Written on my heart in burning letters
That’s all I know, I do not know the rest

[LEONARD]
I’ve heard the soul unfold in the chambers of its longing
And the bitter liquor sweeten in the hammered cup
Ah but all the ladders of the night have fallen
Just darkness now, to lift the longing up.

[DINO SOLDO (saxophone), LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
But all the ladders of the night have fallen
Just darkness now, to lift the spirit up

[LEONARD, ROSCOE, SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Word of words, and measure of all measures
Blessed is the name, the name be blessed
Written on my heart in burning letters
That’s all I know, I cannot read the rest

[SHARON, HATTIE AND CHARLEY]
Cannot read the rest
Shall not read the rest

[IMM]

And Mollydog who was at the show last night says that the word is definitely not "hammered."

The plot thickens - maybe we have to wait for the album vor the definitive version. One I heard, sounds very much like he's gone chalice (grail) with "haba cup"

[sturgess66]

Another video from Sligo uploaded by "bladeriderno1" -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mHbqb3IhHI

****
And also - video from Malmo -
Uploaded by "hrjgr -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBpPd88CfMU

By "coolcohen100" - very nice video - and after listening - agree with Mollydog - does not sound like at all like "hammered"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDBOhN0V-Ew

[scocoh]

.
.
.
The "Hammered cup" makes sense to me, going by what I wrote last week:

I think Leonard sings "I heard the soul unfolds"
which matches the 's' in the next line--"sweetens". This second line, I believe, is a reference to Holy Communion, where wine becomes Christ's blood.
The "chambers of this longing" is a reference to the human heart. The soul resides in the human heart as Christ' blood does in the cup of wine. He may even be saying "Abba cup" but I am not sure. I can't yet match "amber" with "cup" in any effective way.

The eucharistic chalice is usually made of hammered metal, silver or gold.

[sturgess66]

I googled "ABBA cup"

Mark 14:36
Bible in Basic English About BBE
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me: but even so let not my pleasure, but yours be done.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/mark/14-36-compare.html

This is a beautiful video - the camera is directly on Leonard when he says the line. I'm not sure what the word is but it doesn't look like "hammered" - the second syllable looks more like a "b"

By "coolcohen100" -
"Born In Chains"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDBOhN0V-Ew

[Adam la Terre]

Could the line be Manna Cup?

[mnkyface]

I really think Hattie's line is "I was idle with my soul" because it suggests mistreatment of one's soul, neglecting it.

I have no idea on the cup and it is driving me crazy. It does not sound like hammered, abba, habba, or manna or anything else that has been suggested. It sounds exactly like habbered. I think Leonard sees this thread and is actually messing with us.

I agree here:

I think Leonard sings "I heard the soul unfolds"
which matches the 's' in the next line--"sweetens".

[IMM]

I think Leonard sees this thread and is actually messing with us.

Should it not have then been ABBA cup in Scandinavia ?

[Puddingdale]

I understand hampered cup. But does that make any sense???