Take This Waltz

Leonard Cohen

About Take This Waltz

"Take This Waltz" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, originally released as part of the 1986 Federico García Lorca tribute album Poet in New York (Poeta en Nueva York) and as a single. The song was later included in Cohen's 1988 studio album I'm Your Man, in a slightly re-arranged version (with addition of violin and Jennifer Warnes's duet vocals, both absent from the 1986 version). The song's lyrics are a loose translation, into English, of the poem "Pequeño vals vienés" (Little Viennese Waltz) by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (one of Cohen's favorite poets). The poem was first published in Lorca's seminal book Poeta en Nueva York. The song reached number one in Spain in 1986. 


Year:
1988
5:59
535 
#7

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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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Leonard Cohen

Leonard Norman Cohen, (September 21, 1934- November 7, 2016) CC GOQ, was a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. His work often explored religion, isolation, sexuality, and interpersonal relationships. Cohen was inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011 Cohen received Prince of Asturias Award for literature. more »

30 fans

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".
Spanish Influence
It is actually an interpretation and translation of the famous poem "Pequeño Vals Viennés" by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca.
Album Success
The album "I'm Your Man", which includes "Take This Waltz", was a critical and commercial success, reaching number one in several countries.
Song Elements
The song showcases Cohen's signature style, characterized by his distinct, deep, gravelly voice and poetry set to music.
Length
The track has a runtime of nearly six minutes, which is relatively long compared to typical pop songs.
Live Performances
In 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".
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.
Music Video
In 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.
Famous Cover Versions
The 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.
Song Recognition
Rolling Stone magazine included "Take This Waltz" in their list of the 50 greatest Leonard Cohen songs.
Lorca's Influence
Leonard 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.
Celebration of Life and Death
The 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.
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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