Montrealers unite in a balcony singalong

On Sunday, March 22 and March 31, POP Montreal streamed the voice of “virtual choir master” Martha Wainwright to lead Montrealers in a citywide sing-along of “So Long, Marianne” by Leonard Cohen (see the video from March 22 below). Whether or not you participated, you have four more opportunities to sing the classic tune from your balcony, porch or window. Tonight, Tuesday, March 31 — and every Tuesday night in April, at 7:30 p.m. — they’ll do it again.

Tonight Li’l Andy will join Martha Wainwright to sing “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, “I lost my baby” by Jean Leloup, “The Partisan” by Leonard Cohen and “Angel from Montgomery” by John Prine.

Alone Together – Martha Wainwright, en direct du balcon

Posted by URSA mtl on Sunday, March 22, 2020

Here’s what POP Montreal had to say about the event on Facebook:

“We as Montrealers are proud of our ability to work together through difficult times. We did it during the ice storm and we are ready to do it again. So while there are dark clouds ahead, let us gather together and conjure the spirit, endurance, and wit of our favorite son — Leonard Cohen.”

They also provided the lyrics for all four songs:

“I Lost My Baby” – Jean Leloup

I lost my baby, I lost my darling, I lost my friends, I lost my mind
I lost my baby, I lost my darling, I lost my friends, I lost my mind

Pour une fille d’Ottawa, grandie à Sainte-Foy
D’un père militaire, et d’une belle fille qui fut sa mère
Qui écoutait du country, entre deux caisses de bières
Et partait le samedi, pour un lac d’Hawkesbury
Rejoindre la grand-mère and all the family
And all the family

Ah, je ne peux vivre sans toi
Et je ne peux vivre avec toi
Mais tu peux très bien vivre sans moi
Je suis foutu dans les deux cas

I lost my baby, I lost my darling, I lost my friends, I lost my mind

Coup de fil de Jami, qui un jour tomba
Pour une fille d’Ottawa
Grandie je ne sais pas
D’un père pilote de l’air
Et d’une mère je ne sais quoi
Tous deux aimaient le cinéma

Nous sommes habitants de la terre
Il y a des milliers de frontières
Quelqu’un existe dans l’univers
Pour quelqu’un d’autre et c’est la guerre

I lost my baby, I lost my darling, I lost my friends, I lost my mind

Pour une fille d’Ottawa, grandie à Sainte-Foy
Et qui un jour tomba pour un chanteur populaire
Grandi en Algérie, assez fucké merci
Et qui lui dit adieu, je repars faire ma vie
À Hawkesbury
À Hawkesbury
À Hawkesbury
À Hawkesbury

I lost my baby, I lost my darling, I lost my friends, I lost my mind

–––

“The Partisan” – Leonard Cohen

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
Ils me dirent, “Signe-toi,”
Mais je n’ai pas peur;
J’ai repris mon arme

J’ai changé cent fois de nom
J’ai perdu femme et enfants
Mais j’ai tant d’amis;
J’ai la France entière

Un vieil homme dans un grenier
Pour la nuit nous a caché
Les Allemands l’ont pris;
Il est mort sans surprise

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

–––

“Angel from Montgomery” – John Prine

I am an old woman named after my mother
My old man is another child that’s grown old
If dreams were lightning thunder was desire
This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Make me an angel that flies from Montgom’ry
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

When I was a young girl well, I had me a cowboy
He weren’t much to look at, just free rambling man
But that was a long time and no matter how I try
The years just flow by like a broken down dam.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgom’ry
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

There’s flies in the kitchen I can hear ’em there buzzing
And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today.
How the hell can a person go to work in the morning
And come home in the evening and have nothing to say.

Make me an angel that flies from Montgom’ry
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

Sing along from your balcony, porch or window anywhere in Montreal on Tuesday, April 7, 7:30 p.m. See more details here.

See our recent interview with Martha Wainwright here.

For more coverage of the Montreal music scene, see the Music section.

To read the latest issue of Cult MTL, click here.

To support your favourite Montreal bands, restaurants and more, vote in the Best of MTL readers poll here.