Diamonds in the Lines : Leonard Cohen in his own live words

Diamonds in the mine (1979-1985)

1979 and 1988 Tours

Sung additional verse

Hanover 1979

I think I told you this, back in the days of Vietnam
When the poets march for Uncle Ho (*)
And the jerks for Uncle Sam
Whose side you're gonna take now ?
Whose song you're gonna sing ?
With the mega-corpses stinking of a million in the wind…
And there are no letters in your mail-box…

alternative in Birmingham 08/10/79, and then later in 1988

I think I told you all about it in the days of Vietnam
When your poets march for Uncle Ho (*)
And your children for Uncle Sam
Which side you gonna choose today?
Which song you gonna sing?
With the mega stench of corpses that is blowin' in the wind
And there are no diamonds in the mine...

(*) Ho-Chi-Minh

Eppelheim November 5th, 1980

I'd like to dedicate this next song to the new president of the United States. We wish him well. He's got a hard job. He's got to take care of all of us. (Singing) "I think I told you all about it." (Talking again) Wait a second. That's the wrong song for him. Not so much the wrong song, it's the wrong key. I have to collect my thoughts, I have to aim my mind, what's left of it, toward that gleaming white dome in Washington . Here it goes.

Wiesbaden 02/02/85

Verse variation

I see you changed the water all into wine
That was a pretty trick to do
I sit at your table every night
Baby I just can't get through (..) to you.
And there are no letters in your mailbox
There are no grapes upon the vine

Munchen 09/03/85

This is an old song about the little there is. Even where there was a
lot, there was a little. But now that there is a little, there's even less.

Verse variation

There is no comfort in the covens of the witch
Some clever Jewish doctor went and sterilized the bitch
And here she comes, Miss Liberty, the liberation's pride
She showed a million women how to kill an unborn child

Wien 07/03/85

sung as an additional verse

I haven't said a word since you've been gone
That (?) liar couldn't still his voice
I can't believe the static coming on
You were (?)
You were my (?)
And there are no letters in the mailbox...

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