Last Year’s Man Lyrics
[Verse 1]
The rain falls down on last year's man
That's a Jew's harp on the table, that's a crayon in his hand
And the corners of the blueprint are ruined since they rolled
Far past the stems of thumbtacks that still throw shadows on the wood
And the skylight is like skin for a drum I'll never mend
And all the rain falls down amen on the works of last year's man
[Verse 2]
I met a lady, she was playing with her soldiers in the dark
Oh, one by one she had to tell them that her name was Joan of Arc
I was in that army, yes I stayed a little while
I want to thank you, Joan of Arc, for treating me so well
And though I wear a uniform, I was not born to fight
All these wounded boys you lie beside, goodnight, my friends, goodnight
[Verse 3]
I came upon a wedding that old families had contrived
Bethlehem the bridegroom, Babylon the bride
Great Babylon was naked, oh she stood there trembling for me
And Bethlehem inflamed us both like the shy one at some orgy
And when we fell together all our flesh was like a veil
That I had to draw aside to see the serpent eat its tail
[Verse 4]
Some women wait for Jesus, and some women wait for Cain
So I hang upon my altar and I hoist my axe again
And I take the one who finds me back to where it all began
When Jesus was the honeymoon and Cain was just the man
And we read from pleasant Bibles that are bound in blood and skin
That the wilderness is gathering all its children back again
The rain falls down on last year's man
That's a Jew's harp on the table, that's a crayon in his hand
And the corners of the blueprint are ruined since they rolled
Far past the stems of thumbtacks that still throw shadows on the wood
And the skylight is like skin for a drum I'll never mend
And all the rain falls down amen on the works of last year's man
[Verse 2]
I met a lady, she was playing with her soldiers in the dark
Oh, one by one she had to tell them that her name was Joan of Arc
I was in that army, yes I stayed a little while
I want to thank you, Joan of Arc, for treating me so well
And though I wear a uniform, I was not born to fight
All these wounded boys you lie beside, goodnight, my friends, goodnight
[Verse 3]
I came upon a wedding that old families had contrived
Bethlehem the bridegroom, Babylon the bride
Great Babylon was naked, oh she stood there trembling for me
And Bethlehem inflamed us both like the shy one at some orgy
And when we fell together all our flesh was like a veil
That I had to draw aside to see the serpent eat its tail
[Verse 4]
Some women wait for Jesus, and some women wait for Cain
So I hang upon my altar and I hoist my axe again
And I take the one who finds me back to where it all began
When Jesus was the honeymoon and Cain was just the man
And we read from pleasant Bibles that are bound in blood and skin
That the wilderness is gathering all its children back again
[Verse 5]
The rain falls down on last year's man
An hour has gone by and he has not moved his hand
But everything will happen if he only gives the word
The lovers will rise up and the mountains touch the ground
But the skylight is like skin for a drum I'll never mend
And all the rain falls down, amen, on the works of last year's man
The rain falls down on last year's man
An hour has gone by and he has not moved his hand
But everything will happen if he only gives the word
The lovers will rise up and the mountains touch the ground
But the skylight is like skin for a drum I'll never mend
And all the rain falls down, amen, on the works of last year's man
About
Genius Annotation
Note from the Greatest Hits compilation textbook:
I don’t know why but I like this song. I used to play it on a Mexican twelvestring until I destroyed the instrument by jumping on it in a fit of impotent fury in 1967. The song had too many verses and it took about five years to sort out the right ones. I like the children in this version. I always wait for them if I have to listen to it.
Despite his own favorable comments, this is the only song from Songs of Love and Hate that Cohen never played live.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 1.Avalanche
- 2.Last Year’s Man
- 8.Joan of Arc
Credits
Produced By
Written By
Recorded At
Columbia Studio A, Nashville
Release Date
March 19, 1971
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