Leonard Cohen "The partisan" Live on french TV 1969 - Présenté par Joe Dassin

"The Partisan"

When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
this I could not do;
I took my gun and vanished.
I have changed my name so often,
I've lost my wife and children
but I have many friends,
and some of them are with me.

An old woman gave us shelter,
kept us hidden in the garret,
then the soldiers came;
she died without a whisper.

There were three of us this morning
I'm the only one this evening
but I must go on;
the frontiers are my prison.

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we'll come from the shadows.

Les Allemands étaient chez moi, (The Germans were at my home)
ils me dirent, "Signe toi," (They said, "Sign yourself,")
mais je n'ai pas peur; (But I am not afraid)
j'ai repris mon arme. (I have retaken my weapon.)

J'ai changé cent fois de nom, (I have changed names a hundred times)
j'ai perdu femme et enfants (I have lost wife and children)
mais j'ai tant d'amis; (But I have so many friends)
j'ai la France entière. (I have all of France)

Un vieil homme dans un grenier (An old man, in an attic)
pour la nuit nous a caché, (Hid us for the night)
les Allemands l'ont pris; (The Germans captured him)
il est mort sans surprise. (He died without surprise.)

The Arms of Regina

Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,

through the graves the wind is blowing,

freedom soon will come;

then we'll come from the shadows.

This transcription is an improvisation!

And the Holston river sparkles in the moonlight

And the Holston river [door slams] rushes to the sea.

Well the British (?) mountain towers o'r the valley

Still the arms of Regina reach for me.

Ten years ago i tried to save the president (?) [hummm humm...]

[ta da da da ta da da da da run (?????)]

[ah ?? ???? ??? ???? the arms of Regina]

And on her robe I could not tell a lie [?]

I've worked and slaved to be a rock mount [???][spanish ship?]

And the Brushy Mountain (p)imitates your eee[??]

Now I'm a going back to see Regina

and a [?????] (we need you)

[?????] ...memory

Still the Holston valley sparkles in the moonlight (sunlight)

Still the Holston river rushes to the sea

Still the Planeish(?) mountain towers o'r the valley

Still the arms of Regina reach for me.

(let's do that once again)

Still the Holston valley sparkles in the moon light

Still the Holston river rushes through the sea

Still the Plainish mountain towers o'r the valley

Still the arms of Regina reach for me

Still the arms of Regina reach for me...

(let's get out of here...)

Let's get out of this place (hum hum hum), What are we..