Now the Swan it floated on the English river
Ah the Rose of High Romance it opened wide
A sun tanned woman yearned me through the summer
and the judges watched us from the other side
I told my mother "Mother I must leave you
preserve my room but do not shed a tear
Should rumour of a shabby ending reach you
it was half my fault and half the atmosphere"

But the Rose I sickened with a scarlet fever
and the Swan I tempted with a sense of shame
She said at last I was her finest lover
and if she withered I would be to blame

The judges said you missed it by a fraction
rise up and brace your troops for the attack
Ah the dreamers ride against the men of action
Oh see the men of action falling back

But I lingered on her thighs a fatal moment

Sing with the song of Leonard Cohen, The Traitor lyrics!

I kissed her lips as though I thirsted still
My falsity had stung me like a hornet
The poison sank and it paralysed my will

I could not move to warn all the younger soldiers
that they had been deserted from above
So on battlefields from here to Barcelona
I'm listed with the enemies of love

And long ago she said "I must be leaving,
Ah but keep my body here to lie upon
You can move it up and down and when I'm sleeping
Run some wire through that Rose and wind the Swan"

So daily I renew my idle duty
I touch her here and there -- I know my place
I kiss her open mouth and I praise her beauty
and people call me traitor to my face

leonard cohen

Artist Information

Name:	Leonard Norman Cohen
Profile:	Canadian singer, born in Montreal in 1934. His first collection of poetry, Let Us Compare Mythologies, was published in 1956, followed by The Spice Box of Earth in 1961. After travelling throughout Europe, he settled on the Greek island of Hydra, where he stayed 7 years. There he wrote another collection of poetry, Flowers for Hitler (1964), and two novels, The Favorite Game (1963) and Beautiful Losers (1966). After returning to America, he began his career as a singer, recording 11 studio albums: Songs Of Leonard Cohen 1967/1968 Songs From A Room 1969 Songs Of Love And Hate 1971 New Skin For The Old Ceremony 1974 Death Of A Ladies' Man 1977 (produced by Phil Spector) Recent Songs 1979 Various Positions 1984 I'm Your Man 1988 The Future 1992 Ten New Songs 2001 Dear Heather October 2004 In 1992, a tribute with 18 songs was released, featuring REM, John Cale, Nick Cave, lan McCulloch, The Pixies, House of Love and Lloyd Cole among others. After 1993 Leonard Cohen lived several years at the Zen Center on Mount Baldy (a buddhist monastery) in California.
Albums / OSTs:	dear heather death of a ladies' man i'm your man natural born killers new skin for the old ceremony recent songs songs from a room songs of leonard cohen songs of love and hate ten new songs the future the passion of the christ various positions wonder boys Click here to view All Albums and Song Lyrics of Leonard Cohen!