Leonard Cohen
Lyric guide

God is Alive, Magic is Afoot

Read God is Alive, Magic is Afoot lyrics by Leonard Cohen on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Leonard Cohen Canonical path: /leonard-cohen/god-is-alive-magic-is-afoot Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

God is Alive, Magic is Afoot

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God is alive; Magic is afoot

God is alive; Magic is afoot

God is afoot; Magic is alive

Alive is afoot...

Magic never died.

God never sickened;

Many poor men lied

Many sick men lied

Magic never weakened

Magic never hid

Magic always ruled

God is afoot

God never died.

God was ruler

Though his funeral lengthened

Though his mourners thickened

Magic never fled

Though his shrouds were hoisted

The naked God did live

Though his words were twisted

The naked Magic thrived

Though his death was published

Round and round the world

The heart did not believe

Many hurt men wondered

Many struck men bled

Magic never faltered

Magic always led.

Many stones were rolled

But God would not lie down

Many wild men lied

Many fat men listened

Though they offered stones

Magic still was fed

Though they locked their coffers

God was always served.

2...

Magic is afoot. God rules.

Alive is afoot. Alive is in command.

Many weak men hungered

Many strong men thrived

Though they boasted solitude

God was at their side

Nor the dreamer in his cell

Nor the captain on the hill

Magic is alive

Though his death was pardoned

Round and round the world

The heart did not believe.

Though laws were carved in marble

They could not shelter men

Though altars built in parliaments

They could not order men

Police arrested Magic

And Magic went with them,

For Magic loves the hungry.

But Magic would not tarry

It moves from arm to arm

It would not stay with them

Magic is afoot

It cannot come to harm

Iit rests in an empty palm

It spawns in an empty mind

But Magic is no instrument

Magic is the end.

Many men drove Magic

But Magic stayed behind

Many strong men lied

Tthey only passed through Magic

And out the other side

Many weak men lied

They came to God in secret

And though they left him nourished

They would not tell who healed

Though mountains danced before them

They said that God was dead

Though his shrouds were hoisted

The naked God did live

3...

This I mean to whisper to my mind

This I mean to laugh with in my mind

This I mean my mind to serve 'til

Service is but Magic

Moving through the world

And mind itself is Magic

Coursing through the flesh

And flesh itself is Magic

Dancing on a clock

And time itself the magic length of God

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Who performs "God is Alive, Magic is Afoot"?

Leonard Cohen performs "God is Alive, Magic is Afoot", and this lyric page sits inside the Leonard Cohen catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "God is Alive, Magic is Afoot"?

Yes. The related section below points to Minute Prologue and Ain't No Cure For Love with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Leonard Cohen?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Leonard Cohen's lyric pages.

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