haMephorash

May 14th, 2017
music, unsong
The last installment of Unsong comes out today. I transcribed the words of the main song from the chapter headings:
haMephorash
 - Leonard Cohen
   - Scott Alexander

(Tune is Hallelujah by non-fictional
 Leonard Cohen)

Now I've heard there was a sacred word
  That Jala said, and it named the Lord
But you don't really know of magic, or us.
    It goes like this - a tav, a resh
    A fearsome joy, a fervent wish
The Comet King incanting haMephorash

haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephor-or-a-ash

Your faith was strong, but you needed proof
  (Hay hay yud tav mem tav vav kuf)
A ship on which another sailed before us
    She saw his flag on the highest mast
    She saw a dream that couldn't last
The Comet King receiving haMephorash

haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephor-or-a-ash

You say I took the Name in vain
  And after that, I lost the Name
I gave it back to Him who holds it for us,
    But echoes sound in every word
    It doesn't matter what occured
You never really lose the haMephorash

haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephor-or-a-ash

Somebody had to, no one would
  I tried to do the best I could
And now it's done, and now they can't ignore us
     And even though it all went wrong
     I'll stand against the whole unsong
With nothing on my tongue but haMephorash

haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephorash
haMephor-or-a-ash

Julia and I also made a quick recording of it, singing and playing guitar in front of my laptop (without ambient noise reduction): mp3.

Referenced in: Post-EAG Music Party

Comment via: substack

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