0:00:06 > 0:00:08This is BBC1.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Among the aficionados of American folk music,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16the name Bob Dylan, I'm told, is murmured with hushed respect.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20He it was who wrote the now famous protest song, Blowin' In The Wind.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24He's just arrived here to sing at the Royal Festival Hall
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and his latest protest is called With God On Our Side.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38# Oh, my name, it ain't nothin'
0:00:38 > 0:00:40# My age, it means less
0:00:41 > 0:00:45# The country I come from
0:00:45 > 0:00:47# Is called the Midwest
0:00:47 > 0:00:52# I was taught and brought up there
0:00:52 > 0:00:55# The laws to abide
0:00:55 > 0:00:59# And that land that I live in
0:00:59 > 0:01:01# Has God on its side
0:01:09 > 0:01:13# Oh, the history books tell it
0:01:13 > 0:01:15# They tell it so well
0:01:16 > 0:01:20# The cavalries charged
0:01:20 > 0:01:23# The Indians fell
0:01:24 > 0:01:28# The cavalries charged
0:01:28 > 0:01:31# The Indians died
0:01:31 > 0:01:35# Oh, the country was young
0:01:35 > 0:01:38# With God on its side
0:01:48 > 0:01:54# The Spanish-American War's had its day
0:01:54 > 0:01:58# And the Civil War too
0:01:58 > 0:02:01# Was soon laid away
0:02:02 > 0:02:05# And the names of the heroes
0:02:05 > 0:02:08# I was made to memorise
0:02:08 > 0:02:12# With guns in their hands
0:02:12 > 0:02:15# And God on their side... #
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Bob Dylan.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30APPLAUSE Thank you. It's been a while since I left California and came to Europe.
0:02:30 > 0:02:36When I first came to Europe, I went to a Greek island and met a lot of interesting people.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Among them, I met a young poet from Canada called Leonard Cohen.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43After I left the island, I went my way and he went his
0:02:43 > 0:02:48and we didn't see each other again until yesterday when we got together to decide what to do in the show.
0:02:48 > 0:02:54Since then, he's become a major poet. He always was, but he's recognised as a major poet now.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58And his last book, Beautiful Losers, was a best-seller in America,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01though it hasn't been published here.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05But Leonard, besides being a writer, has written many beautiful songs.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09They've been recorded by Judy Collins, Noel Harrison and many others.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13I'm very proud to have him here on the show and introduce him to the English public.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Here is the writer, poet, songwriter...
0:03:16 > 0:03:19He's a friend, but he says he's a stranger in this song.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Ladies and gentlemen, Leonard Cohen.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24APPLAUSE
0:03:29 > 0:03:31# It's true that all the men you knew
0:03:31 > 0:03:35# Were dealers who said they were through
0:03:35 > 0:03:39# With dealing every time you gave them shelter
0:03:40 > 0:03:43# I know that kind of man
0:03:43 > 0:03:46# It's hard to hold the hand of anyone
0:03:46 > 0:03:48# Who's reaching for the sky
0:03:48 > 0:03:50# Just to surrender
0:03:51 > 0:03:55# Who is reaching for the sky Just to surrender
0:03:58 > 0:04:02# And sweeping up the jokers that he left behind
0:04:02 > 0:04:06# You'll find he did not leave you very much
0:04:06 > 0:04:08# Not even laughter
0:04:09 > 0:04:12# Like any dealer, he was watching
0:04:12 > 0:04:15# For the card that is so high and wild
0:04:15 > 0:04:18# He'll never need to deal another
0:04:19 > 0:04:24# He was just some Joseph looking for a manger
0:04:25 > 0:04:29# He was just some Joseph looking for a manger
0:04:31 > 0:04:35# And then leaning on your windowsill
0:04:35 > 0:04:37# He'll say one day you caused his will
0:04:37 > 0:04:41# To weaken with your love and warmth and shelter
0:04:43 > 0:04:45# And then taking from his wallet
0:04:45 > 0:04:48# An old schedule of trains
0:04:48 > 0:04:50# He'll say I told you when I came
0:04:50 > 0:04:52# I was a stranger
0:04:53 > 0:04:57# I told you when I came I was a stranger
0:04:59 > 0:05:04# Oh, but now another stranger seems to want you
0:05:04 > 0:05:09# To ignore his dreams as though they were the burden of some other
0:05:10 > 0:05:13# You've seen that man before
0:05:13 > 0:05:16# His golden arm dispatching cards
0:05:16 > 0:05:20# But now it's rusted from the elbow to the finger
0:05:21 > 0:05:25# And he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter
0:05:27 > 0:05:31# Yes, he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter
0:05:33 > 0:05:39# Oh, you hate to watch another tired man lay down his hand
0:05:39 > 0:05:43# Like he was giving up the holy game of poker
0:05:44 > 0:05:47# And while he talks his dreams to sleep
0:05:47 > 0:05:50# You notice there's a highway
0:05:50 > 0:05:54# That is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
0:05:55 > 0:05:59# And suddenly you feel a little older
0:06:01 > 0:06:05# Now you tell him to come in, sit down
0:06:05 > 0:06:08# But something makes you turn around
0:06:08 > 0:06:12# The door is open You can't close your shelter
0:06:13 > 0:06:16# You try the handle of the road
0:06:16 > 0:06:18# It opens, do not be afraid
0:06:18 > 0:06:22# It's you, my love You, who are the stranger
0:06:23 > 0:06:28# It is you, my love You, who are the stranger
0:06:30 > 0:06:32# Well, I've been waiting
0:06:32 > 0:06:37# I was sure we'd meet between the trains we're waiting for
0:06:37 > 0:06:40# I think it's time to board another
0:06:41 > 0:06:45# Please understand I never had a secret chart
0:06:45 > 0:06:50# To get me to the heart of this or any other matter
0:06:52 > 0:06:53# When he talks like this
0:06:53 > 0:06:55# You don't know what he's after
0:06:57 > 0:06:59# When he speaks like this
0:06:59 > 0:07:01# You don't know what he's after
0:07:03 > 0:07:07# Let's meet tomorrow if you choose
0:07:07 > 0:07:09# Upon the shore, beneath the bridge
0:07:09 > 0:07:13# That they are building on some endless river
0:07:15 > 0:07:17# Then he leaves the platform
0:07:17 > 0:07:19# For the sleeping car that's warm
0:07:19 > 0:07:24# You realise he's only advertising one more shelter
0:07:26 > 0:07:29# And it comes to you He never was a stranger
0:07:31 > 0:07:35# And you say OK, the bridge or someplace later
0:07:37 > 0:07:40# And then leaning on your windowsill
0:07:40 > 0:07:44# He'll say one day You caused his will to weaken
0:07:44 > 0:07:47# With your love and warmth and shelter
0:07:48 > 0:07:53# And then taking from his wallet an old schedule of trains
0:07:53 > 0:07:57# He'll say, I told you when I came I was a stranger
0:07:59 > 0:08:03# I told you when I came I was a stranger
0:08:04 > 0:08:09# I told you when I came I was a stranger. #
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:08:23 > 0:08:26E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk