This version of The Captain was released by Leonard Cohen in 1984.
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 1980s in general.
Now the Captain called me to his bed
He fumbled for my hand
“Take these silver bars,” he said
“I’m giving you command.”
“Command of what, there’s no one here
There’s only you and me —
All the rest are dead or in retreat
Or with the enemy.”
“Complain, complain, that’s all you’ve done
Ever since we lost
If it’s not the Crucifixion
Then it’s the Holocaust.”
“May Christ have mercy on your soul
For making such a joke
Amid these hearts that burn like coal
And the flesh that rose like smoke.”
“I know that you have suffered, lad,
But suffer this awhile:
Whatever makes a soldier sad
Will make a killer smile.”
“I’m leaving, Captain, I must go
There’s blood upon your hand
But tell me, Captain, if you know
Of a decent place to stand.”
“There is no decent place to stand
In a massacre;
But if a woman take your hand
Go and stand with her.”
“I left a wife in Tennessee
And a baby in Saigon —
I risked my life, but not to hear
Some country-western song.”
“Ah but if you cannot raise your love
To a very high degree,
Then you’re just the man I’ve been thinking of —
So come and stand with me.”
“Your standing days are done,” I cried,
“You’ll rally me no more.
I don’t even know what side
We fought on, or what for.”
“I’m on the side that’s always lost
Against the side of Heaven
I’m on the side of Snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of Seven.
And I’ve read the Bill of Human Rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn’t any burden left
So I’m laying it on you.”
Now the Captain he was dying
But the Captain wasn’t hurt
The silver bars were in my hand
I pinned them to my shirt.
Want more lyrics and songs by Leonard Cohen?
Leonard Cohen has released many songs over the years besides
If you're a fan of 1980s music looking for more songs from 1984 or the 1980s overall, you've come to the right place!
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!
- DIRTY VEGAS19 Songs & Lyrics
- HAWK NELSON19 Songs & Lyrics
- SCARLING19 Songs & Lyrics
- AMICI FOREVER19 Songs & Lyrics
- MATT DUSK19 Songs & Lyrics
- ANNA NALICK19 Songs & Lyrics
- BOYZ N DA HOOD19 Songs & Lyrics
- YOUNG JEEZY19 Songs & Lyrics
- BAND OF HORSES19 Songs & Lyrics
- DJ KHALED19 Songs & Lyrics
- LEONA LEWIS19 Songs & Lyrics
- ALESHA DIXON19 Songs & Lyrics
Show More
- taylor19 Songs & Lyrics
- FIELD MOB18 Songs & Lyrics
- HURT18 Songs & Lyrics
- LOLLIPOP LUST KILL18 Songs & Lyrics
- NAPPY ROOTS18 Songs & Lyrics
- SIMPLE PLAN18 Songs & Lyrics
- THE MARS VOLTA18 Songs & Lyrics
- DA BAND18 Songs & Lyrics
- G-UNIT18 Songs & Lyrics
- SMILE EMPTY SOUL18 Songs & Lyrics
- THE FRAY18 Songs & Lyrics
- THE PINK SPIDERS18 Songs & Lyrics
- LLOYD BANKS18 Songs & Lyrics
- COLD WAR KIDS18 Songs & Lyrics
- COWBOY TROY18 Songs & Lyrics
- SUICIDE SILENCE18 Songs & Lyrics
- VASHAWN MITCHELL18 Songs & Lyrics
- J. COLE18 Songs & Lyrics
- J. HOLIDAY18 Songs & Lyrics
- YOUNG MC17 Songs & Lyrics
- SHAI17 Songs & Lyrics
- THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND17 Songs & Lyrics
- TIESTO17 Songs & Lyrics
- YO GOTTI17 Songs & Lyrics
- BIG BROVAZ17 Songs & Lyrics
- DEATH FROM ABOVE 197917 Songs & Lyrics
- WE ARE SCIENTISTS17 Songs & Lyrics
- MURPHY LEE17 Songs & Lyrics
- ALL TIME LOW17 Songs & Lyrics
- ALTER BRIDGE17 Songs & Lyrics
- YOUNG GUNZ17 Songs & Lyrics
- 21317 Songs & Lyrics
- SARA BAREILLES17 Songs & Lyrics
- ARASH17 Songs & Lyrics
- ED SHEERAN17 Songs & Lyrics
- KANO17 Songs & Lyrics
- TONY YAYO17 Songs & Lyrics
- WEBBIE17 Songs & Lyrics
- JOHN CENA17 Songs & Lyrics
- JONAS BROTHERS17 Songs & Lyrics
- ASHLEY TISDALE17 Songs & Lyrics
- BLAQK AUDIO17 Songs & Lyrics
- ONEREPUBLIC17 Songs & Lyrics
- PLIES17 Songs & Lyrics
- SERJ TANKIAN17 Songs & Lyrics
- THE NAKED BROTHERS BAND17 Songs & Lyrics
- jamie17 Songs & Lyrics
- LADY SAW16 Songs & Lyrics
- SEAN LENNON16 Songs & Lyrics
- GOLDFRAPP16 Songs & Lyrics
- PHOENIX16 Songs & Lyrics
- ZERO 716 Songs & Lyrics
- THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT16 Songs & Lyrics
- BABY AKA THE #1 STUNNA16 Songs & Lyrics
- FIREFLIGHT16 Songs & Lyrics
- HOME TOWN HERO16 Songs & Lyrics
- LUMIDEE16 Songs & Lyrics
- SHEEK LOUCH16 Songs & Lyrics
- GEORGE HUFF16 Songs & Lyrics
- JAY SEAN16 Songs & Lyrics
- LUDO16 Songs & Lyrics
- RAGHAV16 Songs & Lyrics
- AUGUSTANA16 Songs & Lyrics
- PROOF16 Songs & Lyrics
- US516 Songs & Lyrics
- WE THE KINGS16 Songs & Lyrics
- MARCOS HERNANDEZ16 Songs & Lyrics
- BUSY SIGNAL16 Songs & Lyrics
- YUNG JOC16 Songs & Lyrics
- THE AVETT BROTHERS16 Songs & Lyrics
- INFERNAL16 Songs & Lyrics
- MIMS16 Songs & Lyrics
- WILL.I.AM16 Songs & Lyrics
- ACE HOOD16 Songs & Lyrics
- mariah16 Songs & Lyrics
- keyshia16 Songs & Lyrics
- THE FIRM15 Songs & Lyrics
- ROB ZOMBIE15 Songs & Lyrics
- DREAM15 Songs & Lyrics
- MATT WERTZ15 Songs & Lyrics
- O-TOWN15 Songs & Lyrics
- SUNSHINE ANDERSON15 Songs & Lyrics
- MS. JADE15 Songs & Lyrics
- S CLUB15 Songs & Lyrics
- THE CLIPSE15 Songs & Lyrics
- ROONEY15 Songs & Lyrics
- SHINEDOWN15 Songs & Lyrics