Take This Waltz
Leonard Cohen
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Now in Vienna there are ten pretty women There's a shoulder where Death comes to cry There's a lobby with nine hundred windows There's a tree where the doves go to die There's a piece that was torn from the morning And it hangs in the Gallery of Frost I, I-I-I Take this waltz, take this waltz Take this waltz with the clamp on its jaws Oh, I want you, I want you, I want you On a chair with a dead magazine In the cave at the tip of the lilly In some hallway where love's never been On a bed where the moon has been sweating In a cry filled with footsteps and sand I, I-I-I Take this waltz, take this waltz Take its broken waist in your hand This waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz With its very own breath of brandy and Death Dragging its tail in the sea There's a concert hall in Vienna Where your mouth had a thousand reviews There's a bar where the boys have stopped talking They've been sentenced to death by the blues Ah, but who is it climbs to your picture With a garland of freshly cut tears? I, I-I-I Take this waltz, take this waltz Take this waltz, it's been dying for years There's an attic where children are playing Where I've got to lie down with you soon In a dream of Hungarian lanterns In the mist of some sweet afternoon And I'll see what you've chained to your sorrow All your sheep and your lillies of snow I, I-I-I Take this waltz, take this waltz With its "I'll never forget you, you know!" This waltz, this waltz, this waltz, this waltz With its very own breath of brandy and Death Dragging its tail in the sea And I'll dance with you in Vienna I'll be wearing a river's disguise The hyacinth wild on my shoulder My mouth on the dew of your thighs And I'll bury my soul in a scrapbook With the photographs there, and the moss And I'll yield to the flood of your beauty My cheap violin and my cross And you'll carry me down on your dancing To the pools that you lift on your wrist Oh my love, oh my love Take this waltz, take this waltz It's yours now, it's all that there is (La-la-la, la-la-la) (La-la-la, la-la-la) (La-la-la, la-la-la) (La-la-la, la-la-la) (La-la-la, la-la-la) (La-la-la, la-la-la) (I, I-I-I)
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Written by: Garcia Lorca, Leonard Cohen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Song Origin"Take This Waltz" is a song originally written by the legendary Canadian poet/songwriter Leonard Cohen and was first released in 1986 on his album "I'm Your Man".
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Spanish InfluenceIt is actually an interpretation and translation of the famous poem "Pequeño Vals Viennés" by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca.
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Album SuccessThe album "I'm Your Man", which includes "Take This Waltz", was a critical and commercial success, reaching number one in several countries.
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Song ElementsThe song showcases Cohen's signature style, characterized by his distinct, deep, gravelly voice and poetry set to music.
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LengthThe track has a runtime of nearly six minutes, which is relatively long compared to typical pop songs.
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Live PerformancesIn concerts, Cohen often performed "Take This Waltz" while accompanied by a female backing vocalist. This can be seen in his 2008 London concert featured in the DVD "Live in London".
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Raw Emotional Appeal"Take This Waltz" has often been praised for its evocative and emotional nature, which was a distinctive characteristic of much of Cohen's songwriting work.
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Music VideoIn 1988, Leonard Cohen filmed a music video for "Take This Waltz" in Spain where he lip-syncs the song accompanied by scenes of the cafe culture and the bullfighting tradition.
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Famous Cover VersionsThe song has been widely covered by other artists in various music styles. Popular covers include those by artists like Jennifer Warnes, Neil Diamond, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, among others.
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Song RecognitionRolling Stone magazine included "Take This Waltz" in their list of the 50 greatest Leonard Cohen songs.
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Lorca's InfluenceLeonard Cohen had been fascinated by García Lorca's works since his student days, and the song "Take This Waltz" can be seen as a tribute to the impact that the poet's work had on Cohen's own artistry.
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Celebration of Life and DeathThe song has often been interpreted as a poignant illustration of the dance between life and death, passion and loss - common themes in Cohen's music.
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Symbolism and Metaphors"Take This Waltz" is filled with intricate symbolism and metaphors, common characteristics of Cohen's lyrics, encouraging multiple interpretation levels from listeners.
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Citation
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"Take This Waltz Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/14958258/Leonard+Cohen/Take+This+Waltz>.
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