Jennifer Warnes - First We Take Manhattan Lyrics






They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

I'm guided by a signal in the heavens
I'm guided by the birthmark on my skin
I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.

I really like to live beside you, baby
I love your body and your spirit and your clothes
But you see that line that's moving through the station?
I told you, I told you, told you. I was one of those

I don't like your fashion business mister
I don't like these drugs that keep you thin
I don't like what happened to my sister
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.
Then we take Berlin.
Then we take Berlin.





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Jennifer Warnes First We Take Manhattan Comments
  1. P.... S....

    what a voice😯

  2. e.... ....

    Stevie Ray Waughn on guitar,no wonder sound so good

  3. P.... M....

    Still, in my own opinion, the best-ever produced ALBUM, get~got to be her very own ' THE HUNTER ' ... ; a pure MARVEL !

  4. I.... O....

    Haunting vocals

  5. O.... P....

    "I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons 
    First we take Manhattan then we take Berlin"
    Trump: "Representing the Air Force you will soon see beautiful brand new F-22 Raptors from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, and one magnificent B-2 Stealth bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.” (July 4, 7:05 pm ET)

  6. m.... ....

    I heard this version before the original and have preferred it ever since.

  7. m.... ....

    "I'd really like to live beside you baby, I love your body, and your spirit and your clothes, but you see that line that's moving through the station, I told you, I told you, I told you, I was one of those ..."
    The line always got me for some reason. Missing from Leonard's version

  8. B.... F....

    Real quality, absolute class.

  9. P.... M....

    With JONI MITCHELL , my very own CLOSEST interpreter's ... !

  10. m.... m....

    this sounds eerily like Chris Rea on guitar

    m.... m....

    That is the world famous Guitar Genius Stevie Ray Vaughn!

  11. M.... A....

    Love this song and it’s artist, great work Jennifer!!

  12. i.... w....

    Marlon Brando was First Nations as was Jennifer Warnes....here...imitating a conversation of Marlon Brando as spoken. Jennifer was also First Nations North America with several country dna counts going back to Wounded Knee. Marlon was not just upset about Wounded Knee, Martha's Vineyard, his sister but also his daughter...the list does not end of atrocities committed by bullies.

  13. i.... w....

    It was NEVER Leonard Cohen's song...Marlon Brandon as redished by Jennifer Warnes. And, it is haunting...was Marlon Brandon part of 911. The Twin studios had a studio and CIA. It is there...just a question. Marlon, like me, was First Nations. His son almost died, or did die, during a simple river ride by high hills people...maybe he survived...I don't remember. My mother, grandmother, like Marlon Brando and J E Hoover were First Nations. It is a sad question...I went there to 911 secretly, my husband did not know, and searched through the rubble and made arrangements for equipment and v belts to remove the rubble...Jennifer Warned...it was just a premonition that did not include Muslims.

  14. r.... b....

    first we turn to left, then we turn to right,
    Time to 3-times 23

    best regards from chrom Os Omen!

  15. K.... F....

    A truly great singer. I got the distinct feeling that Stevie Ray was wanting to break out and go wild,. but he kept to the script. Hee hee. Good man!

  16. P.... A....

    Is this song intentionally anti-Semitic ?

  17. i.... w....

    Jennifer had a conversation with Marlon Brando....wrote down his words...and composed this song. Marlon went with the flow until...his sister.....well...we all have a legal war one way or the other.

  18. W.... ....

    Looks like it's sung live too - it's subtlety different to the album version...

  19. F.... M....

    Wonderful voice and guitar!!!!

  20. s.... ....

    Superb singer and interpreter of song. She is top notch.

  21. N.... ....

    what a voice - what pitch control. you could tune an instrument to her voice. amazing. i've never heard a singer hit the pitches so exactly.

  22. R.... K....

    Illuminati

  23. R.... B....

    First we take Manhatten,
    Then we say Mayday.
    First will be forget, then
    May..be second seconds stay.

    Greetings from Evening to Morning of 9/11/9 ;)

  24. N.... M....

    Warnes on vocals, Dire Straits on instruments

  25. A.... F....

    The album was released in 1987. & had good reviews in record mirror.

  26. M.... M....

    Came here for the SRV solo
    Jennifer warns us......

  27. M.... ....

    Yeah...without LC`s voice it`s just another popsong. Not as depressing as some of the 80ies britpop, not as happy as some of the 80ies curly hair bimbo american pop. Nevertheless...great guitarriffs

  28. F.... Z....

    Wow,she just murder the song

  29. S.... t....

    What a spirited matter of fact deliverer. 22018

  30. �.... �....

    Баба

  31. P.... S....

    It's funny, I don't recall the release of Famous Blue Raincoat. But I do recall the release of Cohen's "I'm Your Man." Because it was the first album to make me take notice of him as anyone other than the guy who wrote "Suzanne." And of the songs on that album, the two that had the most immediate impact on me were this one, "First We Take Manhattan", and "Everybody Knows" (a song I find even more haunting, and troubling, than I did then). I have to say that in the case of this song, I still prefer the original. Ms. Warnes' performance here is powerful and heartfelt, and I very much appreciate it, but it's almost too much so. Cohen, on the other hand, performs it with that particular combination of deadpan seriousness and sly wit that was his specialty and which was particularly apt for lyrics such as "I'm guided by the beauty of your weapons." The Cold War was still on when this song was released, albeit in its waning days, so the dry humor had that little extra edge to it. Anyway, kudos to beach umbrella dude for giving some airtime to this performance.

  32. D.... ....

    Stupendous.

  33. P.... L....

    wow!!!!!!! she is supremely talented

  34. d.... ....

    Famous Blue Raincoat is a great album and this is a killer song with superb vocals and guitar from Stevie Ray Vaughan.

  35. E.... v....

    What a woman, what a voice, what a song...

  36. R.... ....

    My god her voice....just love it so much. I seriously need to buy some new CD's I think :)

  37. g.... m....

    So very good!

  38. E.... ....

    Guitar by Stevie Ray Vaughan, you're right!

  39. Y.... ....

    Not a good version. Lacks the vegence that can only come from a deep throat of a man.

    Y.... ....

    I really like this version, but your comment is interesting.

  40. J.... ....

    " They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
    For trying to change the system from within
    I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them
    First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin "

  41. B.... S....

    I emailed Ms. Warnes. She's coming out with new recording in September!!!

  42. f.... ....

    Donald Trump: First I take the White House...

  43. R.... B....

    Yes, and then we will take Toronto and the rest of Ontario!

  44. D.... D....

    Jennifer Warnes as always is amazing.

  45. D.... H....

    This was a masterpiece...

  46. T.... ....

    crazily prophetic

  47. M.... R....

    This is a masterpiece - we shall miss him. RIP and thanks.

  48. S.... F....

    Jennifer Warnes is a wonderful woman and she was born, as well as the big humble man Leonard Choen, with a golden voice. The great poet, intuitiongenius Leonard Cohen was guided by a signal in the heavens, now being a spirit himself in thatdimension. His songs will live forever. Everyone's souls are eternal in my opinion. We'll come back to the physical plane and working towards humanism, compassion and pure love. Now I wonder if there is any numerologist out there who can explain what LOT 04935 behind Jennifer Warnes means?
      L = 12 O = 15 T = 20 = 47 = 11
    If you remove no. 3 from 04935 to get numerology and get 18 = 9
    2001, namely, No. 3 numerology.
    Elite / NWO / Illuminati's are very familiar with, and dependent on numbers and numerology.
    "We" have to be NWO in my opinion. Is there a new, even a worse devistating Fals flag than 9/11 on/in Berlin soon? I pray to God that's not.

  49. K.... A....

    My Mom had Famous Blue Raincoat on tape when I was a kid. She's an avid reader, and a Leonard Cohen fan, I think. This makes me think of her.

  50. h.... ....

    How about those licks by Stevie Ray?

  51. W.... J....

    DEAR LADY JENIFERE IS YOUR DAUTHER HOPE OURE DATHER THAN WHY I MEA NOT HERN ABOUT HER AND SHE NOT FROM ME I HAVE HEART YOUR A DRINKING PROBLE THAT NOT GOOG FOR A GRILL LIKE HOPE DO YOU THINK SO DEAR JENIFER AL MY LOVE TO YOU THANK YOU WOUTER JOANNES

  52. D.... L....

    awesome, great singer, she made Leonords words come to life

  53. G.... D....

    Jennifer Warnes is the best interpreter of the music of Leonard Cohen. She takes the work of the master and makes it her own and definitive. Thank you for sharing!

  54. K.... ....

    Jennifer, easily the most inspired interpreter of Leonard's songs. We are "guided by the beauty of our weapons". So long, Leonard.

  55. A.... S....

    What a great version of "First We Take Manhattan"! I would submit that Jennifer Warnes came up with a much more muscal turn than the late Leonard Cohen. But then only Leonard could have written such poetic lyrics. It's an inspired combination.

    A.... S....

    Anne Saturley Poetic?! Where is the poetry? All I hear are words that don't fit the music and actually sound more like a badly translated song from another language. If "that's" your idea of poetry then I'd hate to see what you call stylish. You're probably a Quaker and those folks have their taste in their backsides.

    A.... S....

    @Leepshin If you do not understand the prose, the iambic pentameter and assonance in the lyrics .it is down to your crappy education.

    A.... S....

    @John Hylton The what and the who when is it??! If you feel you need several education degrees and doctorates to fulfil yourself then all the more power to you. I just go by what I hear in sounds and rhythms. Whilst poetry regardless of how beautifully it's crafted sometimes just can not be "shoehorned" into a time signature of 4/4 with the lid slammed down and nailed shut just so an arty farty over achiever can say "There you go, the greatest song in the world." There will still be those shaking their heads thinking "No it's not, that's just a tribute." Each to their own I suppose, I merely gave an honest and open opinion. In this particular instance though, I like it darker.

  56. h.... ....

    We always loved you Leonard.

  57. d.... ....

    R.I.P dear Leonard

  58. 4.... ....

    The words of a master...our Canadian master...and the THE songbird. Glorious!

  59. S.... ....

    Rip Leonard cohen

  60. S.... M....

    What could these lyrics possibly mean?

    S.... M....

    Who knows? If a lyricist can't tell me straight away, I lose respect for their work -- which, when lyrics are jumbled and covert, is usually anguished and mediocre anyway. Furthermore: if there is a cause involved in the bleating sounds, I'm questioning the cause as well. It's about common sense and respect, really. If the art intelligentsia has something important to say, let them say it plainly. Getting older means to me being honest and cutting the bullshit. Who has time?

    S.... M....

    Schlomo McGoldstein check out album cover and you will see cohen is a mason with advanced knowledge of 911, 14 yrs BEFORE it happened

    S.... M....

    Amazing poetry and meaning. I know Mr. Cohen was 82 and in failing health, but his passing has just greatly upset me.

    It's just a treat to have this non-studio version of this song. Just the best album of all time.

    S.... M....

    I am sure there are multiple interpretations. Mine: He sees many things wrong with "new york", things worse than what happened in or came out of Berlin. "I don't like your fashion business mister, I don't like that drugs that make you thin, I don't like what happened to my sister,..." so he thinks these corruptions should be addressed first and then we can fix "Berlin".

    S.... M....

    #1. L.Cohen often writes lyrics that are in an assumed "voice" (poetic voice, not singing voice). In this case, take the words as being those of a deranged, fascistic person, and then listen again.

  61. Y.... A....

    best voice ever

  62. A.... K....

    There is a more than suspicious 'coincidence' in this song - if Discogs is right and the song was produced already in January 1986. The newsspeaker in the beginning mentions an 'attack on the discotheque La Belle' (in German: 'Anschlag auf die Diskothek La Belle') in Berlin which really happened in April 1986.
    If these dates are correct, the song 'predicted' the La Belle attack. Maybe also 9/11?
    Links:
    'https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Belle_(Diskothek)' (Translator helps)
    'https://www.discogs.com/de/Jennifer-Warnes-Famous-Blue-Raincoat/release/5797972'

    I have made a save of the Discogs page.

    A.... K....

    Nostradamus already predicted it in the 16th century.

    A.... K....

    Agent K 2 great insight, album cover proves cohen was initiate-traveler

    A.... K....

    + Thor Thorsson This is a serious topic - not 'Nostradamus' nonsense. Either Discogs and Amazon are very sloppy with dates or the makers of this had very probably prior knowledge of the La Belle attack in which people died. The odds that this is a coincidence are near zero.

    A.... K....

    + n I'm that Guy This is not an 'insight', just a simple observation. What is an 'initiate-traveler'??!

  63. d.... b....

    I've had this album from day one and never tire of listening, she's sooooo.

  64. M.... R....

    Ohh what a beautiful voice!!!

  65. a.... a....

    요새 알아서 듣게 되었는데 참 명곡이네요, 예전에 얼굴도 예쁘셨군요..

  66. M.... W....

    Wow. She is simply stunning.

  67. A.... A....

    I don't really like this version of the song. :/

  68. D.... ....

    Too bad about the awful 80's production.

    D.... ....

    Umm, you can take any decade at all, and it will have a certain sound to it. This is the 80's sound. What's the problem? It's the nature of music evolving.

    D.... ....

    First of all it's a matter of taste. Personally I hate the gated reverb effects and strong syncopated sound of 80's pop/rock music. It gave the music a slick, plastic and unnatural "detached" feeling and ruined many of what could have been great albums. I would not call it "evolving" since not much of those ideas survived more than a decade or so, thank god.

    D.... ....

    what I like most about this era is the electric guitar, it wasn't just a cool looking prop. Musicians of this era produced a sound called a guitar solo.

    D.... ....

    Not awful to me. Your taste is a little precious, honey. I doubt you would know a decent rendition of a decent song if you fell over one. And I too like the electric guitar solo!

    D.... ....

    @Anne Saturley I find nothing wrong with Jennifer Warnes rendition, she's a great singer. Again, it's the typical 80's over-the-top production I can't stand.

  69. W.... ....

    im coming now to reward them

  70. A.... A....

    I do not respond well to many LC covers. But this one is a great interpretation and it gets some extra frisson on some lines from a female singer. Great example of how to cover such an original. Well done.

    A.... A....

    Jennifer Warnes fans...search her name and "an anthology that never was". Should lead you to a little creation of mine...

    A.... A....

    +Annuvyn Arawn  It's no cover, it's the original version. Cohen has written the song for J. W.

  71. I.... M....

    Nice voice - but ruined cover.

  72. f.... o....

    Stevie Ray Vaughn on guitar...

    f.... o....

    Is this song intentionally anti-Semitic ?

    f.... o....

    Oh my! That’s him! Mr SRV, I loved that guy

    f.... o....

    @ProNorden Agrarian-Nationalism How so? The protagonist may be interpreted to identify as Jewish (although the "line in the station" is ambiguous at best and need not refer to the trains to the death camps) but where do you get he's singing about a "Jewish takeover"?

  73. S.... W....

    The wire mesh at the end reminds me of when Jake and Ellwood played Bob's Country Bunker. Surely NOBODY would chuck stuff at our dear Jennifer would they?

  74. S.... N....

    Very very good!

  75. S.... ....

    Here for Leonard Cohen's birthday...and for this gorgeous version of his song.

  76. M.... ....

    The Muppets took Manhattan in 1984.

    M.... ....

    +MisterDeSoto hahahahaha! You won the internet man!. Damn, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of that

    M.... ....

    +MisterDeSo You would know Waldorf.

    M.... ....

    damm Trump took over manhatten

  77. M.... ....

    Prophetic considering it was released three years before the fall of the Berlin wall (1989).

  78. W.... E....

    No worries I gotjhi Manhattan

  79. R.... C....

    Is the presenter a famous DJ ?

  80. R.... C....

    She absolutely nails this song. Prophetic of US banking encroachment destroying Europe.

  81. c.... d....

    I thank you Jennifer for you led to me to Mr Cohen

  82. p.... ....

    Stevie Ray V. - RIP.

  83. M.... B....

    An interesting song.

  84. b.... ....

     love this song from one of my favourite singers of all time!  Outstanding!

  85. v.... ....

    Theme song for Gore Vidal's "Messiah" if they ever make the movie.

  86. J.... F....

    Unfortunately - we took Berlin but not Manhattan.

    J.... F....

    +Joe Flood it'll happen

    J.... F....

    So far the Devil took Manhattan at 666 E 5th St
    The name is Kushner
    K

  87. J.... F....

    Possibly my favourite song performance and guitar break, didn't realise it was SRV. Awesome.

    "But you see that line that's moving through the station"
    "I told you, I told you, I told you I was one of those"

  88. j.... ....

    A Real 1980s Classic.

  89. C.... A....

    Just pulled this album out... as I seem to every few years... just cant let it go.... cohen is simply the best song poet out there...

  90. T.... P....

    I remember buying the cassette of this album way back when it came out just because of Stevie Ray Vaughn's guitar work on this  song.  I immediately listened to the entire cassette to see if any of the other songs had SRV on them. None did. Only First We Take Manhattan has SRV playing guitar. The rest of the album is completely different. Rewound many many times to listen to this song over and over.  Too bad they don't have a video of Stevie performing this song. 

  91. C.... S....

    Has a whole different meaning these days. 

  92. C.... S....

    Love this song, discovered it on Sam's page (old FB friend).

  93. I.... d....

    Beautiful version!.

  94. f.... d....

    on that backing track is the vile Stevie Ray Vaughan

  95. T.... C....

    I was lucky enough to interview miss Warnes and she signed my CD copy of "Famous Blue Raincoat". In case you don't know, Ms. Warnes was a hugely successful studio artist and her records have sold a TON. Couldn't happen to a nicer soul. Sweet. If only all big talents were as kind.

    T.... C....

    Is this song intentionally anti-Semitic ?

  96. T.... ....

    Wow.  John Candy was much thinner in the early days of his career.

  97. K.... ....

    Makes me wann'a ride the subway all night long.

    K.... ....

    I know what you mean it gives me the same feel especially at night crossing the bridge going into Manhattan all the building lit up.

  98. K.... ....

    Whats the meaning of that song ? I dont get it

    K.... ....

    He's Insane!

    K.... ....

    Today Manhattan. Tomorrow Ze World!