This version of The Traitor was released by Leonard Cohen in 1979.
Our Decade Lyrics Leonard Cohen profile has all of the
Here's more interesting things in songs and lyrics tied to Leonard Cohen or about the 1970s in general.
Now the Swan it floated on the English river
Ah the Rose of High Romance it opened wide
A sun tanned woman yearned me through the summer
and the judges watched us from the other side
I told my mother “Mother I must leave you
preserve my room but do not shed a tear
Should rumour of a shabby ending reach you
it was half my fault and half the atmosphere”
But the Rose I sickened with a scarlet fever
and the Swan I tempted with a sense of shame
She said at last I was her finest lover
and if she withered I would be to blame
The judges said you missed it by a fraction
rise up and brace your troops for the attack
Ah the dreamers ride against the men of action
Oh see the men of action falling back
But I lingered on her thighs a fatal moment
I kissed her lips as though I thirsted still
My falsity had stung me like a hornet
The poison sank and it paralysed my will
I could not move to warn all the younger soldiers
that they had been deserted from above
So on battlefields from here to Barcelona
I’m listed with the enemies of love
And long ago she said “I must be leaving,
Ah but keep my body here to lie upon
You can move it up and down and when I’m sleeping
Run some wire through that Rose and wind the Swan”
So daily I renew my idle duty
I touch her here and there — I know my place
I kiss her open mouth and I praise her beauty
and people call me traitor to my face
Want more lyrics and songs by Leonard Cohen?
Leonard Cohen has released many songs over the years besides
If you're a fan of the music of the 1970s looking for more songs from 1979 or the 1970s overall, you've come to the right place!
About Lyrics and The Traitor by Leonard Cohen
The lyrics to The Traitor are just the words, phrases, verses and chorus that Leonard Cohen used when the song was created in 1979. The lyrics to The Traitor have both easy-to-spot meanings and hidden metaphors that have been discussed by the music press and fans, but only Leonard Cohen and any collaborators know all of the inspirations for the song. If you like etymology or breaking apart phrases and words, it is easy to understand the lyrics to The Traitor by Leonard Cohen.
More Songs & Lyrics by Leonard Cohen
- Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye (1967)
- Master Song (1967)
- One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong (1967)
- Sisters Of Mercy (1967)
- So Long Marianne (1967)
- Stories Of The Street (1967)
- Stranger Song (1967)
- Suzanne (1967)
- Teachers (1967)
Show More Lyrics
- Winter Lady (1967)
- A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes (1969)
- Bird On The Wire (1969)
- Lady Midnight (1969)
- Seems So Long Ago, Nancy (1969)
- Story Of Isaac (1969)
- The Butcher (1969)
- The Old Revolution (1969)
- The Partisan (1969)
- Tonight Will Be Fine (1969)
- You Know Who I Am (1969)
- Avalanche (1971)
- Diamonds In The Mine (1971)
- Dress Rehearsal Rag (1971)
- Famous Blue Raincoat (1971)
- Joan Of Arc (1971)
- Last Year’s Man (1971)
- Love Calls You By Your Name (1971)
- Sing Another Song, Boys (1971)
- A Singer Must Die (1974)
- Chelsea Hotel #2 (1974)
- Field Commander Cohen (1974)
- I Tried To Leave You (1974)
- Is This What You Wanted (1974)
- Leaving Green Sleeves (1974)
- Lover Lover Lover (1974)
- Take This Longing (1974)
- There Is A War (1974)
- Who By Fire (1974)
- Why Don’t You Try (1974)
- Death Of A Ladies’ Man (1977)
- Don’t Go Home With Your Hard-On (1977)
- Fingerprints (1977)
- I Left A Woman Waiting (1977)
- Iodine (1977)
- Memories (1977)
- Paper Thin Hotel (1977)
- True Love Leaves No Traces (1977)
- Ballad Of The Absent Mare (1979)
- Humbled In Love (1979)
- I Came So Far For Beauty (1979)
Visit our Leonard Cohen profile for more Leonard Cohen songs, lyrics & info!
- AIR22 Songs & Lyrics
- DIDO22 Songs & Lyrics
- STORY OF THE YEAR22 Songs & Lyrics
- 3RD STOREE22 Songs & Lyrics
- EVANESCENCE22 Songs & Lyrics
- JAMELIA22 Songs & Lyrics
- MELANIE B22 Songs & Lyrics
- UNCLE KRACKER22 Songs & Lyrics
- 2GETHER22 Songs & Lyrics
- RICHARD ASHCROFT22 Songs & Lyrics
- BREAKING POINT22 Songs & Lyrics
- FROM ZERO22 Songs & Lyrics
Show More
- LIL' MO22 Songs & Lyrics
- PUDDLE OF MUDD22 Songs & Lyrics
- EARSHOT22 Songs & Lyrics
- N.O.R.E.22 Songs & Lyrics
- PEPPER22 Songs & Lyrics
- ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI22 Songs & Lyrics
- ARMIN VAN BUUREN22 Songs & Lyrics
- ELEMENT EIGHTY22 Songs & Lyrics
- FREEWAY22 Songs & Lyrics
- THE KILLS22 Songs & Lyrics
- DEM FRANCHIZE BOYZ22 Songs & Lyrics
- EVERLIFE22 Songs & Lyrics
- KINGSPADE22 Songs & Lyrics
- PRINCE22 Songs & Lyrics
- VYBZ KARTEL22 Songs & Lyrics
- RYAN CABRERA22 Songs & Lyrics
- BO BICE22 Songs & Lyrics
- FIGHTSTAR22 Songs & Lyrics
- GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS22 Songs & Lyrics
- LCD SOUNDSYSTEM22 Songs & Lyrics
- PUBLIC ENEMY22 Songs & Lyrics
- BRANDON HEATH22 Songs & Lyrics
- TITO EL BAMBINO22 Songs & Lyrics
- SOULJA BOY22 Songs & Lyrics
- BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR22 Songs & Lyrics
- ryan22 Songs & Lyrics
- THE TRAVELING WILBURYS21 Songs & Lyrics
- ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO'OLE21 Songs & Lyrics
- GOSSIP21 Songs & Lyrics
- MARK SCHULTZ21 Songs & Lyrics
- GROOVE ARMADA21 Songs & Lyrics
- HANDSOME DEVIL21 Songs & Lyrics
- OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW21 Songs & Lyrics
- NIKKA COSTA21 Songs & Lyrics
- DISTURBING THA PEACE21 Songs & Lyrics
- MURDERDOLLS21 Songs & Lyrics
- TAKING BACK SUNDAY21 Songs & Lyrics
- MARC BROUSSARD21 Songs & Lyrics
- SMOKIE NORFUL21 Songs & Lyrics
- HOWIE DAY21 Songs & Lyrics
- ENTER SHIKARI21 Songs & Lyrics
- KEM21 Songs & Lyrics
- JOSE GONZALEZ21 Songs & Lyrics
- KATHLEEN EDWARDS21 Songs & Lyrics
- THE MUSIC21 Songs & Lyrics
- BRIAN MCFADDEN21 Songs & Lyrics
- COSIMA21 Songs & Lyrics
- CROSSFADE21 Songs & Lyrics
- MODERN DAY ZERO21 Songs & Lyrics
- STRATA21 Songs & Lyrics
- 10 YEARS21 Songs & Lyrics
- INGRID MICHAELSON21 Songs & Lyrics
- BIRDS OF TOKYO21 Songs & Lyrics
- DETHKLOK21 Songs & Lyrics
- ANGELS & AIRWAVES21 Songs & Lyrics
- DEADBOY & THE ELEPHANTMEN21 Songs & Lyrics
- richard21 Songs & Lyrics
- MEW20 Songs & Lyrics
- IDINA MENZEL20 Songs & Lyrics
- PANDA BEAR20 Songs & Lyrics
- JAH CURE20 Songs & Lyrics
- OZMA20 Songs & Lyrics
- GROOVE COVERAGE20 Songs & Lyrics
- MAGNA-FI20 Songs & Lyrics
- SINCH20 Songs & Lyrics
- THE DARKNESS20 Songs & Lyrics
- BROOKE FRASER20 Songs & Lyrics
- DAY OF FIRE20 Songs & Lyrics
- CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH20 Songs & Lyrics
- FLYLEAF20 Songs & Lyrics
- MARION RAVEN20 Songs & Lyrics
- BEACH HOUSE20 Songs & Lyrics
- BOB SINCLAR20 Songs & Lyrics
- DIDDY20 Songs & Lyrics
- HANNAH MONTANA20 Songs & Lyrics
- LUPE FIASCO20 Songs & Lyrics
- BROKENCYDE20 Songs & Lyrics
- JORDIN SPARKS20 Songs & Lyrics
- willie20 Songs & Lyrics
- MC HAMMER19 Songs & Lyrics
- EVE 619 Songs & Lyrics
- DAFT PUNK19 Songs & Lyrics
- YOUNGBLOODZ19 Songs & Lyrics
- OPM19 Songs & Lyrics
- CROSSBREED19 Songs & Lyrics
- OLIVIA19 Songs & Lyrics
- THE MOLDY PEACHES19 Songs & Lyrics