"First We Take Manhattan" is a song written by Leonard Cohen. It was originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes on her 1987 album Famous Blue Raincoat, which consisted entirely of songs written or co-written by Cohen.
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They sentenced me to twenty 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 make 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 ...

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

I am guided

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