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about 2 years ago
Lyrics of Everybody Knows by Leonard Cohen
verse
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That′s how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died
Everybody talking to their pockets
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long-stem rose
Everybody knows
Everybody knows that you love me, baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that you've been faithful
Ah, give or take a night or two
Everybody knows you′ve been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows
chorus
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
verse
And everybody knows that it′s now or never
Everybody knows that it′s me or you
And everybody knows that you live forever
Ah, when you've done a line or two
Everybody knows the deal is rotten
Old Black Joe′s still picking cotton
For your ribbons and bows
And everybody knows
And everybody knows that the plague is coming
Everybody knows that it's moving fast
Everybody knows that the naked man and woman
Are just a shining artifact of the past
Everybody knows the scene is dead
But there′s gonna be a meter on your bed
That will disclose
What everybody knows
And everybody knows that you're in trouble
Everybody knows what you′ve been through
From the bloody cross on top of Calvary
And to the beach of Malibu
Everybody knows it's coming apart
Take one last look at this Sacred Heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows
chorus
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
That's how it goes
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
That′s how it goes
Oh, everybody knows
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
That′s how it goes
Everybody knows
outro
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
Writer(s): Leonard Cohen, Sharon Robinson
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Meaning
The song 'Everybody Knows' by Leonard Cohen paints a bleak picture of society, highlighting the injustices, deceptions, and inevitable decay that are widely recognized but often ignored. The lyrics delve into themes of corruption, unfaithfulness, mortality, and societal decay, using metaphors like loaded dice, leaking boats, and a broken feeling akin to losing a loved one, to convey a sense of disillusionment and impending doom.
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Themes
Disillusionment and resignation
• Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
• Everybody knows the war is over
• That's how it goes
Social inequality
• Everybody knows the deal is rotten
• The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
• Old Black Joe's still picking cotton
Universal truths and shared experiences
• Everybody got this broken feeling
• Everybody knows that you love me, baby
• Everybody knows that the plague is coming
Inevitability of fate
• And everybody knows that it's now or never
• Everybody knows it's coming apart
• Take one last look at this Sacred Heart
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Moods
Social commentary, angst, heartbreak, despair, love
Rating: PG-13
Lyrics may be unsuitable for younger ears
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Credits
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Contributions
Last edit about 2 years ago
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I'm Your Man
Album • 1988 • 9 tracks
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