One of the world's greatest singer-songwriters passed away yesterday. Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82.
His most recent record was released 3 weeks ago and is titled 'You Want It Darker.' He gave an interview earlier in the summer where he said he was ready to die:
“The big change is the proximity to death,” he says. “I am a tidy kind of guy. I like to tie up the strings if I can. If I can’t, that’s OK. But my natural thrust is to finish things that I’ve begun.”
He goes on to say, however, that he might never be able to release his incomplete tracks: “I don’t think I’ll be able to finish those songs. Maybe, who knows? And maybe I’ll get a second wind, I don’t know. But I don’t dare attach myself to a spiritual strategy. I don’t dare do that. I’ve got some work to do. Take care of business. I am ready to die. I hope it’s not too uncomfortable. That’s about it for me.”
The lyrics to the title track 'You Want It Darker' are haunting. The first verse:
If you are the dealer, I'm out of the game
If you are the healer, it means I'm broken and lame
If thine is the glory then mine must be the shame
You want it darker
We kill the flameHineni, hineni
I'm ready, my lord
He's probably most well-known for his song 'Hallelujah' that has been covered by lots of artists, most famously Jeff Buckley.
If you've watched True Detective Season 2, his song "Nevermind" is the theme music that starts every episode.
In the '90s his song 'Everybody Knows' was used in the movie "Pump Up The Volume."
He has so many great records and songs. One of my favorites is 'Dance Me To The End of Love.'
If you're not familiar, consider checking out his catalog. His newest song 'You Want It Darker' is a great listen.
