Cohen recounts, evidently romanticizing the episode, that late at night ('around three in the morning', he would also specify) he used to meet Janis in the lift.

The American singer is Janis Joplin, who in the years of her success lived in suite 411 of the Chelsea Hotel (Dylan was in 2011, Cohen often in 424 but, as Stanley Bard - the historic manager of the Chelsea Hotel - recalls, he did not disdain other rooms). Ron Cornelius helped me by changing a chord in an earlier version.' I started it in the bar of a Polynesian restaurant in Miami in 1971 and finished it in Asmara, Ethiopia, just before the monarchy was overthrown. 'I wrote it for an American singer who died some time ago. That’s all, I don’t even think of you that often. I don’t mean to suggest that I loved you the best, You fixed yourself, you said, “Well never mind, Who are oppressed by the figures of beauty, You told me again you preferred handsome menĪnd clenching your fist for the ones like us You were famous, your heart was a legend. You got away, I never once heard you say, Probably still is for those of them left. We were running for the money and the flesh.Īnd that was called love for the workers in song

Those were the reasons and that was New York, I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel, 'But I'm not in it any more', cried the bridegroom and then The Arabian beggar has something in his hat 'The bridegroom's gone mad or he's been drinking'Īlice watches the cats and the cats go round in the sun 'But I'm not in it any more', and you're the fools He's been waiting for six hours for his love dancer 'The groom's gone mad or he's been drinking'īut the bride is with child and he knows itĪlice watches the cats and the cats die in the sun 'But I'm not in it anymore', cried the groom and then Irene on the fourth floor is there quietlyĪnd she looks in the mirror and lights another cigarette Il mendicante arabo ha qualcosa nel cappelloĪlice looks at cats and cats look into the sun 'Ma io non ci sto più', e i pazzi siete voiĪlice guarda i gatti e i gatti girano nel sole Sta aspettando da sei ore il suo amore ballerina Ma la sposa aspetta un figlio e lui lo saĪlice guarda i gatti e i gatti muoiono nel sole 'Ma io non ci sto più', gridò lo sposo e poi Youtu.be/tqVI77t1SXk?list=PLp7nLbzPSe5y7LV6P_gH348TLfWZxLP8pĪlice guarda i gatti e i gatti guardano nel soleĮ si guarda nello specchio e accende un'altra sigaretta I guess that I miss you, I guess I forgive you. Well I see you there with the rose in your teethĪnd what can I tell you my brother, my killer You'd been to the station to meet every train, and You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of recordĪh, the last time we saw you you looked so much older I thought it was there for good so I never triedĪnd Jane came by with a lock of your hair

Yes, and thanks for the trouble you took from her eyes I see you there with the rose in your teethĪnd what can I tell you my brother, my killer? You'd been to the station to meet every trainīut then you came home without Lili MarleneĪnd you treated my woman to a flake of your lifeĪnd when she came back she was nobody's wife Your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder Oh, the last time we saw you you looked so much older Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair I hope you're keeping some kind of record I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert

There's music on Clinton Street all through the evening New York is cold, but I like where I'm living I'm writing you now just to see if you're better It's four in the morning, the end of December

The hayseed knight deviantart