on the following CD's: SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN SO LONG, MARIANNE GREATEST HITS ...
Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone. They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on. And they brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song. Oh I hope you run into them, you who've been travelling so long. Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control. It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul. Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned: When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned. Well they lay down beside me, I made my confession to them. They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem. If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn they will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem. When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon. Don't turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon. And you won't make me jealous if I hear that they sweetened your night: We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right, We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right.
A D A E-------0-----0------------2-----2----|-------0-----0------0----------------| B-------2-----2------------3-----3----|-------2-----2------------------0----| G----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-|----2-----2-----2---------1----------| D--------------------0----------------|-----------------------2-----2-----2-| A-0-----------------------------------|-0-----------------------------------| E-------------------------------------|--------------------0----------------| Sisters of Mercy they are not de- parted or A D A E-------------0------2-----------2----|-0------------------------0----------| B-------2--------2---------3----------|-------2-----0------2-----------0----| G----2-----2------------2-----2-----2-|----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-| D--------------------0----------------|-------------------------------------| A-0-----------------------------------|-0-----------------------------------| E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| gone They were C#m G#m C#m G#m E-------4------------------4----------|-------4------------------4----------| B-------------5------------------4----|-------------5------------------4----| G----6-----6-----6------4-----4-----4-|----6-----6-----6------4-----4-----4-| D-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| A-4------------------6----------------|-4------------------6----------------| E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| waiting for me when I thought that I just cannot go E E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| B-0------------------------0----------|-------0-----------------------------| G-------1-----1------2-----------2----|-1-----------1------------1-----1----| D----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-|----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-| A-------------2------2-----------2----|-------------2-----------------------| E-0-----------------------------------|-0------------------0----------------| on And they D A G7 E-2------------------0----------------|-------------------------------------| B-------3-----3-----------------------|-3------------------2----------------| G----2-----2-----2---------2-----2----|-------4-----4------------2-----2----| D-0---------------------2-----2-----2-|----3-----3-----3------4-----4-----4-| A--------------------0----------------|-------------------------------------| E-------------------------------------|-3------------------2----------------| brought me their comfort and later they brought me their E E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| B-0------------------------0----------|-------0-----------------------------| G-------1-----1------2-----------2----|-1-----------1------------1-----1----| D----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-|----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-| A-------------2------2-----------2----|-------------2-----------------------| E-0-----------------------------------|-0------------------0----------------| song OH, I A D A E-------0------------------2----------|-------0------------0----------------| B-------------2------------------3----|-------------2------------3-----0----| G----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-|----2-----2-----2------1-----1-----1-| D--------------------0----------------|-------------------------------------| A-0-----------------------------------|-0-----------------------------------| E-------------------------------------|--------------------0----------------| hope you run into them you who've been travling so A D E-------------0------2-----------2----|-------2-----2------3-----2-----0----| B----------------2---------3----------|----3-----3-----3------0-----3-----3-| G-2-----2---------------2-----2-----2-|-------------------------------------| D----2-----2---------0----------------|-------------0------0-----0-----0----| A-0-----------------------------------|-0-----------------------------------| E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| long D A E-------2-----2------3-----2-----0----|-------2------------------------0----| B-3--------3-----3------0-----3-----3-|-3-----------3------0-----2----------| G----2--------------------------------|----2-----2-----2------2-----2-----2-| D-0-----0-----0------0-----0-----0----|-0-----0-----0-----------------------| A-------------------------------------|--------------------0-----0-----0----| E-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| A E------------------| B-------0-----2----| G----2-----2-----2-| D------------------| A-0----------------| E------------------| E E-0------------------0----------------|-0------------------0----------------| B-------0-----0------------0-----1----|-------0-----1------------0-----1----| G----1-----1-----1------1-----1-----1-|----1-----1-----1------1-----1-----1-| D-------------2------------------2----|-------------2------------------2----| A-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------| E-0------------------0----------------|-0------------------0----------------| OH, I
Tu avais pourtant tout quitté
Ta famille ton métier
Mais bientôt c'est ton âme
Que tu ne pourras plus contrôler
Je suis passé par là
Et je sais qu'on est vite épignalé
Et que toujours la solitude
Reconnaît le pêché
Je me suis confessé à elles
A mes côtés couchées
Elles ont touché mes yeux
Sur leurs mains j'ai senti la rosée
Si ta vie est une feuille
Que les saisons arrachent et déchirent
Ouvre à l'amour qui est grave
Et gracieux comme une tige.
J'espère que tu les trouveras
Toi qui cherche fortune
N'allume pas la lumière
Leur adresse est écrite sur la lune
Et je ne serais pas jaloux
De savoir que tu tentes ta chance
On ne s'aimait pas comme ça
Et c'est sans importance
remarks about the story of the song (from booklet - greatest hits)
and how to play the song.
Cohen selbst schreibt zu Sisters Of Mercy: "Das hier ist in einer Winternacht innerhalb weniger Stunden in einem Hotelzimmer in Edmonton, Alberta, geschrieben worden. Barbara und Lorianne schliefen auf der Couch. Das Mondlicht reflektiert vom Eis des Sascachewan River, erfüllte den Raum. Ich hatte es für sie fertig, als sie aufwachten." Man kann es auf der LP "Songs Of Leonard Cohen" hören.
Für die Arpeggiotechnik, mit der die Gitarre gespielt ist, wird eine 'klassische' Stellung der rechten Hand benötigt (Unterarm liegt auf, Handgelenk hängt locker nach unten, der Anschlag kommt aus dem Fingergrundgelenk). Den einzelnen Fingern sind fest Saiten zugeordnet: in der 1. Handstellung Ringfinger F-Saite, Mittelfinger B- Saite, Zeigefinger G-Saite, in der 2. Handstellung Ringfinger B-Saite, Mittelflnger G-Saite, Zeigefinger D-Saite. Die Handstellung wechselt öfter während des Stücks, achtet auf die Fingeransätze! Das Lied steht im 3/4 Takt, hat aber einen Rhythmuswechsel ab dem 30. Takt.
Cohen spielt das Stück auf einer klassischen Gitarre sehr gleichmäßig ohne Tempoveränderungen durch.
Die Tablutar ist im Songbook "Songs of Leonard Cohen" zu finden. Es lohnt sich das Stück zu üben!
