Teachers

TEACHERS on the following CD: SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN

4/4 beat Am F e:----------------------------------------------------------------------------| B:-------1--------1--------1--------1---------1---------1----------1--------0-| G:----2--------2--------2--------2---------2---------2----------2--------2----| D:----------2-----------------2-------------------3-------------------3-------| A:-0--------------------------------------------------------------------------| E:-------------------0------------------1--------------------1----------------| p i m p i m p i m p i m etc. or simplier 1 + e 2 e + 3 + e 4 e + e:------------------------------------------| B:-------1------------------1---------------| G:-------------2-------------------2--------| D:----2-----------2------3-------------3----| A:-0--------0-------------------------------| E:--------------------1---------1-----------| p p m p i p etc. or whatever you like This song is about all the teachers we hade:

Teachers /Am F I met a woman long ago /Am /F her hair the black that black can go, /Am /F Are you a teacher of the heart? /Am /Am Soft she answered no. /Am etc. I met a girl across the sea, her hair the gold that gold can be, Are you a teacher of the heart? Yes, but not for thee. I met a man who lost his mind in some lost place I had to find, follow me the wise man said, but he walked behind. I walked into a hospital where none was sick and none was well, when at night the nurses left I could not walk at all. Morning came and then came noon, Dinner time, a scalpel blade lay beside my silver spoon. Some girls wander by mistake into the mess that scalpels make. Are you the teachers of my heart? We teach old hearts to break. One morning I woke up alone, the hospital and the nurses gone. Have I carved enough my Lord? Child, you are a bone. I ate and ate and ate, no I did not miss a plate, well How much do these suppers cost? We'll take it out in hate. I spent my hatred everyplace, on every work on every face, someone gave me wishes and I wished for an embrace. Several girls embraced me, then I was embraced by men, Is my passion perfect? No, do it once again. I was handsome I was strong, I knew the words of every (Cohen) song. Did my singing please you? No, the words you sang were wrong. Who is it whom I address, who takes down what I confess? Are you the teachers of my heart? We teach old hearts to rest. Oh teachers are my lessons done? I cannot do another one. They laughed and laughed and said, Well child, are your lessons done? are your lessons done? are your lessons done? German translation by Elisabeth Hannover-Drück Ich traf eine Frau vor langer Zeit, ihr Haar so schwarz, so schwarz wie keins. Bist du ein Lehrer des Herzens? Sie sagte nein ganz leis. Ich traf ein Mädchen überm Meer ihr Haar war gold, wie Gold nur glänzt. Bist du ein Lehrer des Herzens? Ja, doch nicht für dich. Ich traf einen Mann, der verlor seinen Geist an einem verlorenen Ort, den ich finden mußte, Folge mir, sprach der weise Mann, aber er ging hinter mir Ich kam in ein Krankenhaus wo keiner krank war und keiner gesund. Als zur Nacht die Schwestern fort waren konnt ich nicht mehr gehen. Der Morgen kam, und dann kam der Mittag, Essenszeit ein Skalpell lag neben meinem Silberlöffel Manche Mädchen treten aus Versehen in den Schmutz, den Skalpelle hinterlassen. Seid ihr der Lehrer meines Herzens? Wir lehren alte Herzen brechen. Eines Morgens wachte ich auf allein das Krankenhaus, die Schwestern fort Hab ich mein Messer gut geführt? Kind, du bist aus Bein. Ich aß und aß und aß nein, ich ließ keinen Teller aus, Nun was kosten die Mahlzeiten? Wir halten uns schadlos mit Haß. Ich vergab meinen Haß überall für jede Arbeit, für jedes Gesicht. Jemand gab mir Wünsche frei und ich bat um eine Umarmung. Manches Mädchen umarmte mich, dann wurde ich von Männeren umarmt. Ist meine Leidenschaft vollkommen? Nein, tu es noch einmal. Ich war schön und ich war stark ich kannte die Worte zu jedem Lied. Gefielen dir die Lieder? Nein, die Worte, die du sangst, waren falsch. Wer ist es, den ich anrufe? Wer schreibt auf, was ich gestehe? Seid ihr die Lehrer meines Herzens? Wir lehren alte Herzen ruhen. Oh Lehrer, ist mein Unterricht zu Ende, oder muß ich noch eine Stunde sitzen? Sie lachten und lachten und sagten: Nun mein Kind, sind deine Lektionen gemacht?. Sind deine Lektionen gemacht? Sind deine Lektionen gemacht? Earlier version 1965: Parasites of Heaven I met a woman long ago hair the black that black can go, Are you a teacher of the heart? Soft she answered no. I met a girl across the sea, hair the gold that gold can be, Are you a teacher of the heart? Yes, but not for thee. I knew a man who lost his mind in some lost place I whised to find, follow me, he said, but he walked behind. I walked into a hospital where none was sick and none was well, when at night the nurses left I could not walk at all. Not too slow, not too soon Morning came and then came noon, dinner time a scalpel blade lay beside my spoon. Some girls wander by mistake into the mess that scalpels make. Are you teachers of the heart? We teach old hearts to break. One day I woke up alone, hospital and nurses gone. Have I carved enough? You are a bone. I ate and ate and ate, I didn't miss a plate, well How much do these suppers cost? We'll take it out in hate. I spent my hatred everyplace, on every work on every face, Someone gave me wishes I wished for an embrace. Several girls embraced me, then I was embraced by men, Is my passion perfect? Ddo it once again. I was handsome I was strong, I knew the words of every song. Did my singing please you? The words you sang were wrong. Who are you whom I address, who takes down what I confess? Are you the teachers of the heart? A chorus answered Yes. Teachers, are my lessons done? or musi I do another one. They laughed and laughed: Child, you've just begun.