Great Songs 1: The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
– by Leonard Cohen
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 gave me their comfort
And later they gave 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 round to your soul
But I’ve been where your hanging
I think I can see how you’re pinned
When you’re not feeling holy
Your loneliness says that you’ve sinned
They laid 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 light
You can read their address by the moon
And it won’t make me jealous
If I learn that they’ve sweetened your night
We weren’t lovers like that
And besides it would still be alright
We weren’t lovers like that, and besides it would still be alright
I first heard this song on Judy Collins’ album Wildflowers, in 1967. I’ve just ordered the CD from Amazon, so I can hear it again. The melody, if you haven’t heard it, is rather French. In fact there’s a French air to the song… like other Leonard Cohen songs, it suggests that it was translated into English from some other language. The Judy Collins album is… orchestrally ethereal. Joshua Rifkin, I believe, did the arrangements. It was a perfect album of 1967, and if you would study that year, this is one of the artifacts you must consider.
While I was at it, on Amazon that is, I ordered Judy Collins’ even more masterful Who Knows Where The Time Goes. Van Dyke Parks on piano, Stephen Stills on bass, no less, James Burton, Buddy Emmons… and a tune by another great songwriting hero of mine: Ian Tyson.
In 1967, or early 1968, I was in one of the two clubs of Philadelphia– not The Electric Factory, the other one… what was it’s name? I tell you kids, it’s frightening the things you’ll forget over the next 40 years! Anyhow, I was there to see Tim Buckley. Contrary to what you might expect of those years, I was not taking any drugs. I was still in high school, and I didn’t know where to get any (except diet pills). Also, I didn’t really think I needed any. In 1967, if you wanted to be high, you just could be. We were waiting for the show to start. They were playing this album through the house sound system. It was haunting, it was a total mood. I didn’t know what it was, but others told me: it was Wildflowers.