The just, the merciful, the cruel
The stumbling well-intentioned fool
The deft, the oaf, the witless pawn
The golden one life smiles upon
The squalling infant in mid-squall
The neighbors fighting down the hall
The list is long - as I recall
Our orders said to love them all
The cynic and the crooked priest
The woman wise, the sullen beast
The enemy outside the gate
The friend who leaves it all to fate
The drunk who tags the bathroom stall
The proud boy headed to his fall,
The list is long - as I recall
Our orders said to love them all
The pastor preaching shades of hate
The self-inflating head of state
The black and blue, the starved for bread
The dread, the red, the better dead
The sweet, the vile, the small, the tall
The one who rises to the call
The list is long - as I recall
Our orders said to love them all
The one who lets his demons win
The one we think we’re better than
A challenge great - as I recall
Our orders said to love them all
ORDONNANCES
Le juste, le miséricordieux, le cruel
Le sot bien intentionné qui trébuche
Le rusé, le niais, le pion naïf
La personne en or à laquelle la vie sourit
Le bébé au milieu d'une crise de larmes
Les voisins se querellant au bout du corridor
La liste est longue - en autant que je me souvienne
Nos ordonnances nous disent de les aimer tous
Le cynique et le prêtre pervers
La femme sage, la bête maussade
L'ennemi à la porte
L'ami qui laisse tout aller au destin
L'ivrogne qui laisse sa marque sur les murs des toilettes
Le Proud Boy en route vers sa chute
La liste est longue - en autant que je me souvienne
Nos ordonnances nous disent de les aimer tous
Le pasteur prêchant des nuances de haine
Le chef d'état auto-gonflable
Les maltraités, celui privé de pain
La terreur, le rouge, le mieux mort
Le doux l'abject le petit le grand
Celui qui répond à l'appel
La liste est longue en autant que je me souvienne
Nos ordonnances nous disent de les aimer tous
Celui qui laisse gagner ses démons
Celui dont on pense que l'on est meilleur
Un grand défi - en autant que je m'en souvienne
Nos ordonnances nous disent de les aimer tous
SF, 7 décembre 2020
Musicians
Bruce Cockburn / Vocal, Acoustic Guitar
Gary Craig / Percussion
Viktor Krauss / Upright Bass
Jim Hoke / Marimba, Clarinet, Saxophones
Jeff Taylor / Accordion, Dulceola
Chris Brown / Drums
Traduction français par Marcel Moussette et Jane Macaulay.
All songs by Bruce Cockburn, c 2020 Holy Drone Corp
Editors Note:
Released on O Sun O Moon 12 May 2023
Orders was previously released on FOUR NEW SONGS a video demo, made in January and February of 2121. Recording was done at Yahiro Barn Studio in San Francisco. The expectation is that in the fullness of time there will be an album containing these songs and others yet to be written. If live shows were possible they would be showing up in the repertoire. Since that isn’t happening, here they are...
Known comments by Bruce Cockburn about this song, by date:
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This page is part of The Cockburn Project, a unique website that exists to document the work of Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Bruce Cockburn. The Project archives self-commentary by Cockburn on his songs and music, and supplements this core part of the website with news, tour dates, and other current information.
