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

Everybody knows (1988-1993)

Amsterdam April 1988

Here's a terrible new song. Yes, it embodies all my darkest thoughts. Here it comes.

Hamburg 14/4/88

sung verse variation

Everybody knows that the Jews are clever
Everybody knows that the Blacks are blue
Everybody knows that you live forever
When you've done a line or two
Everybody knows the deal is rotten:
Old Black Joe's still picking cotton
For your ribbons and bows.
Everybody knows.

Interview (Magazine "Poetry Commotion", 1988 *)

About the verse "Everybody knows the plague is coming"

The plague in the most physical sense is AIDS. But there's another kind of plague going on too, of which AIDS is one of the symptoms. If indeed disease does have ultimately a psychic origin, then there's a plague of alienation and separation and lassitude and panic; a sense of not being in control.

*Read the complete interview

Boston 16/07/93 (alternative in San Sebastian, 1988)

spoken verse (Boston 1993)

Everybody knows that Christ was born in Bethlehem without a dime
Everybody knows the homeless people could be you some other time
Everybody knows the deal is rotten ....

Sung verse (San Sebastian 1988)

Everybody knows that Jesus was born in Bethlehem without a single dime
Everybody knows the homeless people could be himself some other time
Everybody knows the deal is rotten ....

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