prologue
Philip Glass / Leonard Cohen Lyrics

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I've been listening
To all the dissension
I've been listening
To all the pain
And I feel that no matter
What I do for you
It's going to come back again
But I think that I can heal it

But I think that I can heal it

I'm a fool, but I think I can heal it
With this song

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Philip Glass / Leonard Cohen's song Prologue portray the singer as someone who has been listening to all the pain and discord present in the world. Despite feeling that no matter what they do, the pain will return, they believe that they can heal it through their music. The singer acknowledges their own foolishness for believing they can make a difference, but they are still willing to try.

The song speaks to the idea that even in times of darkness and strife, music can be a powerful tool for healing and bringing people together. The singer recognizes that they may not be able to fix everything, but they still hold onto the hope that their music can make a difference.

Overall, Prologue is a contemplative and introspective song that speaks to the power of music to heal and bring hope in even the darkest of times.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been listening
I have been paying close attention

To all the dissension
To all the disagreement and conflict

I've been listening
I have been paying close attention

To all the pain
To all the suffering

And I feel that no matter
I have a sense that regardless of what I do

What I do for you
Any action I take on your behalf

It's going to come back again
Will eventually be returned or repeated

But I think that I can heal it
Despite this, I believe I can resolve the issue

But I think that I can heal it
Again, I have hope that I can fix this problem

I'm a fool, but I think I can heal it
I may be foolish to have this belief, but it is still there