Last Year's Man Lyrics - Songs Of Love And Hate - Leonard Cohen

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. 

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. 

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. 

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, 

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.