Leonard Cohen’s conventional live performance of First We Take Manhattan requires 6+ minutes to perform (see, for example, First We Take Manhattan – San Jose: Nov 13, 2009, video at end of this post). Who has that kind of time? By eliminating textual redundancies (How many times do you need to hear someone tell you “I’d really like to live beside you, baby?”) and the singing, the condensed content of the song can be presented in PowerPoint format in less than 2 minutes – without the need for backup singers, a band, or the wear and tear on Mr Cohen’s knees.

And, as it turns out, many venues, such as the Dublin site. already have handy projection screens in place:

Now, this change does not obviate the need for Leonard Cohen himself. Fans, after all, crave that personal contact with their icon.

Besides, do you think that laser pointer moves itself?

PowerPoint Version Of First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen

 

Leonard Cohen – First We Take Manhattan
San Jose: Nov 13, 2009
Video by albertnoonan

 

Update: See Take This Waltz By Leonard Cohen – The PowerPoint Version

 

Lyrics: First We Take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen

They sentenced me to 20 years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
I’m coming now, I’m coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I’m guided by a signal in the heavens
I’m guided by this birthmark on my skin
I’m guided by the beauty of our weapons
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I’d really like to live beside you, baby
I love your body and your spirit and your clothes
But you see that line there moving through the station?
I told you, I told you, told you I was one of those

Ah, you loved me as a loser, but now you’re worried that I just might win
You know the way to stop me, but you don’t have the discipline
How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I don’t like your fashion business, mister
And I don’t like these drugs that keep you thin
I don’t like what happened to my sister
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I’d really like to live beside you, baby
I love your body and your spirit and your clothes
But you see that line there moving through the station?
I told you, I told you, told you I was one of those

And I thank you for those items that you sent me, ha ha ha ha
The monkey and the plywood violin
I practiced every night, now I’m ready
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I’m guided by a signal in the heavens
I’m guided by this birthmark on my skin
I’m guided by the beauty of our weapons
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

Ah, remember me, I used to live for music
Remember me, I brought your groceries in
Well, it’s Father’s Day, and everybody’s wounded
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I am republishing selected posts from my former Leonard Cohen site, Cohencentric, here on AllanShowalter.com (these posts can be found at Leonard Cohen). This entry was originally posted May 21, 2010 at 1HeckOfAGuy.com.