No question whether Leonard knew this will be his swan song - 'twas why the song was published on the Net before the album came out. He had wanted it out there before he died, and waiting for the entire album might have turned out too late. He also wrote a farewell letter to his old love Marianne Ihlen when she was dying, saying: "Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine." So, now doubt there - he knew.
Nor is there any question whom he's talking to in the song.
Question is, however, what exactly does "You want it darker" mean. Who wants it darker? The person he's talking to? God? Or if not, who else then?
Also what does this subject want darker - and most important, WHY?
You might ask: What difference does that make? Why would a single "You" be so important to the meaning of the whole song?
Well, because it changes everything!
It turns the whole thing upside down.
Namely, I don't see that Cohen is making peace with God here.
Quite the contrary in fact. I think, he's proclaiming a mighty grudge against God!
Why?
Well, most obviously because of these verses:
A million candles burning for the help that never came
A million candles burning for the love that never came
I can't think of any other interpretaion to these than: millions of people are asking (praying) for help, but God never listens or answers. God is supposed to guide, help and love humans, however none of that help, nor love are ever there. Worse yet - when Cohen says:
You want it darker
We kill the flame
it's of utmost importance to know whom this "You" refers to.
I think it still refers to God, and if so, these two verses can be interpreted as:
It's God that wants us to do bad things ("You want it darker") and we tend to always obey that ("We kill the flame"). Not a very merciful and loving God then, is it?
When you view it like this, then verses:
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
suddenly make much more sense as well. In this case they mean: "I have enough of being a game peon - a mere toy to a god, whom lets people sufer, yet churches and priests still sing glory to HIM and assign all the shame to those same suffering people."
There's a lover in the story
But the story's still the same
There's a lullaby for suffering
And a paradox to blame
But it's written in the scriptures
And it's not some idle claim
You want it darker
can be interpreted as:
if God is so loving ("There's a lover in the story"), then how come what The Book ("The story") says is nothing but a "lullaby for suffering" - suffering that the whole human history actually is. This doesn't make sense - it's a paradox. Though the priests/churches don't see it that way (they just apportion the blame to people instead). And it isn't just how they interpret those books (Torah, Bible, etc.) - it's what's actually written: God wants us only to suffer, and a loving creature would never do that.
Then there's:
They're lining up the prisoners
And the guards are taking aim
I struggled with some demons
They were middle class and tame
I didn't know I had permission to murder and to maim
You want it darker
First two verses I understand either as: "My time has come and I know I'm about to die" or "There's always some killing done in the world, justified by whatever reasons" (I'm leaning a bit towards second interpretation, but knowing Cohen, it might very well be that he meant both at the same time.)
Next three verses I understand as: "I know I've done some bad things in my life, however nothing as bad as some much more influential people do, namely they murder and maim - justifying it as that they have the authority and permission for it".
And then again it is: "You want it darker..."
When you see it like that, then:
Hineni, hineni
I'm ready, my lord
doesn't mean simply: "Here I am, kneeeling down, bowing my head and begging for mercy",
but proud: "Behold! Here I stand. I'm ready to go. But not because I blindly accept what I was told, but because I don't want to take any of this crap any more. I want out of the game. It never was my game anyway."
That is how I understand it.
And believe how it was meant to be understood.
Kudos Leonard!
One of your most powerful songs ever.
And you've certainly created more than your fair share of those.
@Hlloyge I had the same thoughts while I was trying to understand this song the best as I possibly could. Now I know I'm not the only one who sees it this way. Thank you.
@Hlloyge I had the same thoughts while I was trying to understand this song the best as I possibly could. Now I know I'm not the only one who sees it this way. Thank you.
@Hlloyge, i agree with you. I just wanted to add that a loving god can easily be responsible for everything terrible in this world and still have it all been part of an optimal loving plan with a part where 'they all lived happily forever after'. Religions are basically idol-worshipping, but they did get one thing almost right: "resurrection of the dead". Everyone's coming back. That's what I believe. And then it also makes sense that a world-of-suffering (for a short while) would be necessary.
@Hlloyge, i agree with you. I just wanted to add that a loving god can easily be responsible for everything terrible in this world and still have it all been part of an optimal loving plan with a part where 'they all lived happily forever after'. Religions are basically idol-worshipping, but they did get one thing almost right: "resurrection of the dead". Everyone's coming back. That's what I believe. And then it also makes sense that a world-of-suffering (for a short while) would be necessary.
@Hlloyge This is not the first time Cohen has had ambiguity or a beef with God. As early as Suzanne Cohen expressed issues with easy answers.
Jesus 'crucifixion is seen as futile.
@Hlloyge This is not the first time Cohen has had ambiguity or a beef with God. As early as Suzanne Cohen expressed issues with easy answers.
Jesus 'crucifixion is seen as futile.
"But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone"
"But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open
Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone"
But he contrasts this lens with a song like "Sisters of Mercy".
But he contrasts this lens with a song like "Sisters of Mercy".
As he gets older he gets bolder. "Everybody knows" is quite nihilistic.
As he gets older he gets bolder. "Everybody knows" is quite nihilistic.
In Closing Time he writes
In Closing Time he writes
"So we struggle and we stagger
Down the snakes and up the...
"So we struggle and we stagger
Down the snakes and up the ladder
To the tower where the blessed hours chime
And I swear it happened just like this
A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss
The gates of love they budged an inch
I can't say much has happened since
But closing time"
and ends the song with
"And I lift my glass to the awful truth
Which you can't reveal to the ears of youth
Except to say it isn't worth a dime
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
And it's once for the devil and once for Christ
But the boss don't like these dizzy heights
We're busted in the blinding lights
Of closing time"
Who's the Boss? God is the boss. He is closing the place down. "The gates of love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since but closing time." This parallels, "A million candles burning for the help that never came
A million candles burning for the love that never came."
Yet the same artist could write Anthem. Cohen to me appears deeply ambivalent and in the end believes there is a cruelty to God (directly) and to life he cannot comprehend. So in this song I feel both rage and resignation. Cohen used Jewish and Biblical motifs all his life, but was a Buddhist, which is a non theistic religion.
I always appreciated Cohen's profound depth, even when I do not agree with him philosophically. He had a great heart and his only equal (or greater) as a lyricist was Dylan.
@Hlloyge Cohen has stated in his final interviews, on NPR and for the general press, that he believes it is the role of the Jew to protect the face of God. He was still His ardent follower and his continued with prayer and scriptural research up until the very moment of his passing. The song isn't merely criticizing the Abrahamic God; he is stating, though his body is broken, he still worships him. That's why Hineni (I'm here God, I'm here) is the song's refrain. In contrast to Cohen's ailing health, and the ailing health of the world, Cohen still...
@Hlloyge Cohen has stated in his final interviews, on NPR and for the general press, that he believes it is the role of the Jew to protect the face of God. He was still His ardent follower and his continued with prayer and scriptural research up until the very moment of his passing. The song isn't merely criticizing the Abrahamic God; he is stating, though his body is broken, he still worships him. That's why Hineni (I'm here God, I'm here) is the song's refrain. In contrast to Cohen's ailing health, and the ailing health of the world, Cohen still means to serve God.
@Hlloyge I think interpreting this as a straight up anti-God song like XTC's "Dear God" doesn't mesh too well with Cohen's own stated beliefs. To me it's more about trying to hash out his complicated feelings toward both God and humanity.
@Hlloyge I think interpreting this as a straight up anti-God song like XTC's "Dear God" doesn't mesh too well with Cohen's own stated beliefs. To me it's more about trying to hash out his complicated feelings toward both God and humanity.
@Hlloyge I think it's about Leonard being enlightened. He finally realizes that there is no god. He sees religion for what it is, a fiction and a myth.
@Hlloyge I think it's about Leonard being enlightened. He finally realizes that there is no god. He sees religion for what it is, a fiction and a myth.
@Hlloyge Very well articulated. I knew the can be interpreted along these lines. Please publish your interpretation on medium or some other forum. People have popularized stupid interpretations of the song which does not make any sense.
@Hlloyge Very well articulated. I knew the can be interpreted along these lines. Please publish your interpretation on medium or some other forum. People have popularized stupid interpretations of the song which does not make any sense.
No question whether Leonard knew this will be his swan song - 'twas why the song was published on the Net before the album came out. He had wanted it out there before he died, and waiting for the entire album might have turned out too late. He also wrote a farewell letter to his old love Marianne Ihlen when she was dying, saying: "Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine." So, now doubt there - he knew.
Nor is there any question whom he's talking to in the song.
Question is, however, what exactly does "You want it darker" mean. Who wants it darker? The person he's talking to? God? Or if not, who else then?
Also what does this subject want darker - and most important, WHY?
You might ask: What difference does that make? Why would a single "You" be so important to the meaning of the whole song? Well, because it changes everything! It turns the whole thing upside down.
Namely, I don't see that Cohen is making peace with God here. Quite the contrary in fact. I think, he's proclaiming a mighty grudge against God!
Why?
Well, most obviously because of these verses: A million candles burning for the help that never came A million candles burning for the love that never came
I can't think of any other interpretaion to these than: millions of people are asking (praying) for help, but God never listens or answers. God is supposed to guide, help and love humans, however none of that help, nor love are ever there. Worse yet - when Cohen says:
You want it darker We kill the flame
it's of utmost importance to know whom this "You" refers to. I think it still refers to God, and if so, these two verses can be interpreted as:
It's God that wants us to do bad things ("You want it darker") and we tend to always obey that ("We kill the flame"). Not a very merciful and loving God then, is it?
When you view it like this, then verses:
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
suddenly make much more sense as well. In this case they mean: "I have enough of being a game peon - a mere toy to a god, whom lets people sufer, yet churches and priests still sing glory to HIM and assign all the shame to those same suffering people."
There's a lover in the story But the story's still the same There's a lullaby for suffering And a paradox to blame But it's written in the scriptures And it's not some idle claim You want it darker
can be interpreted as: if God is so loving ("There's a lover in the story"), then how come what The Book ("The story") says is nothing but a "lullaby for suffering" - suffering that the whole human history actually is. This doesn't make sense - it's a paradox. Though the priests/churches don't see it that way (they just apportion the blame to people instead). And it isn't just how they interpret those books (Torah, Bible, etc.) - it's what's actually written: God wants us only to suffer, and a loving creature would never do that.
Then there's: They're lining up the prisoners And the guards are taking aim I struggled with some demons They were middle class and tame I didn't know I had permission to murder and to maim You want it darker
First two verses I understand either as: "My time has come and I know I'm about to die" or "There's always some killing done in the world, justified by whatever reasons" (I'm leaning a bit towards second interpretation, but knowing Cohen, it might very well be that he meant both at the same time.)
Next three verses I understand as: "I know I've done some bad things in my life, however nothing as bad as some much more influential people do, namely they murder and maim - justifying it as that they have the authority and permission for it".
And then again it is: "You want it darker..."
When you see it like that, then: Hineni, hineni I'm ready, my lord
doesn't mean simply: "Here I am, kneeeling down, bowing my head and begging for mercy", but proud: "Behold! Here I stand. I'm ready to go. But not because I blindly accept what I was told, but because I don't want to take any of this crap any more. I want out of the game. It never was my game anyway."
That is how I understand it. And believe how it was meant to be understood.
Kudos Leonard! One of your most powerful songs ever. And you've certainly created more than your fair share of those.
@Hlloyge totally agree, Cohen is a wise man and therefore a non believer of "holy" (man made) books and ancient stories.
@Hlloyge totally agree, Cohen is a wise man and therefore a non believer of "holy" (man made) books and ancient stories.
@Hlloyge I had the same thoughts while I was trying to understand this song the best as I possibly could. Now I know I'm not the only one who sees it this way. Thank you.
@Hlloyge I had the same thoughts while I was trying to understand this song the best as I possibly could. Now I know I'm not the only one who sees it this way. Thank you.
@Hlloyge, i agree with you. I just wanted to add that a loving god can easily be responsible for everything terrible in this world and still have it all been part of an optimal loving plan with a part where 'they all lived happily forever after'. Religions are basically idol-worshipping, but they did get one thing almost right: "resurrection of the dead". Everyone's coming back. That's what I believe. And then it also makes sense that a world-of-suffering (for a short while) would be necessary.
@Hlloyge, i agree with you. I just wanted to add that a loving god can easily be responsible for everything terrible in this world and still have it all been part of an optimal loving plan with a part where 'they all lived happily forever after'. Religions are basically idol-worshipping, but they did get one thing almost right: "resurrection of the dead". Everyone's coming back. That's what I believe. And then it also makes sense that a world-of-suffering (for a short while) would be necessary.
@Hlloyge This is not the first time Cohen has had ambiguity or a beef with God. As early as Suzanne Cohen expressed issues with easy answers. Jesus 'crucifixion is seen as futile.
@Hlloyge This is not the first time Cohen has had ambiguity or a beef with God. As early as Suzanne Cohen expressed issues with easy answers. Jesus 'crucifixion is seen as futile.
"But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone"
"But he himself was broken, long before the sky would open Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone"
But he contrasts this lens with a song like "Sisters of Mercy".
But he contrasts this lens with a song like "Sisters of Mercy".
As he gets older he gets bolder. "Everybody knows" is quite nihilistic.
As he gets older he gets bolder. "Everybody knows" is quite nihilistic.
In Closing Time he writes
In Closing Time he writes
"So we struggle and we stagger Down the snakes and up the...
"So we struggle and we stagger Down the snakes and up the ladder To the tower where the blessed hours chime And I swear it happened just like this A sigh, a cry, a hungry kiss The gates of love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since But closing time"
and ends the song with
"And I lift my glass to the awful truth Which you can't reveal to the ears of youth Except to say it isn't worth a dime And the whole damn place goes crazy twice And it's once for the devil and once for Christ But the boss don't like these dizzy heights We're busted in the blinding lights Of closing time"
Who's the Boss? God is the boss. He is closing the place down. "The gates of love they budged an inch I can't say much has happened since but closing time." This parallels, "A million candles burning for the help that never came A million candles burning for the love that never came."
Yet the same artist could write Anthem. Cohen to me appears deeply ambivalent and in the end believes there is a cruelty to God (directly) and to life he cannot comprehend. So in this song I feel both rage and resignation. Cohen used Jewish and Biblical motifs all his life, but was a Buddhist, which is a non theistic religion.
I always appreciated Cohen's profound depth, even when I do not agree with him philosophically. He had a great heart and his only equal (or greater) as a lyricist was Dylan.
@Hlloyge Cohen has stated in his final interviews, on NPR and for the general press, that he believes it is the role of the Jew to protect the face of God. He was still His ardent follower and his continued with prayer and scriptural research up until the very moment of his passing. The song isn't merely criticizing the Abrahamic God; he is stating, though his body is broken, he still worships him. That's why Hineni (I'm here God, I'm here) is the song's refrain. In contrast to Cohen's ailing health, and the ailing health of the world, Cohen still...
@Hlloyge Cohen has stated in his final interviews, on NPR and for the general press, that he believes it is the role of the Jew to protect the face of God. He was still His ardent follower and his continued with prayer and scriptural research up until the very moment of his passing. The song isn't merely criticizing the Abrahamic God; he is stating, though his body is broken, he still worships him. That's why Hineni (I'm here God, I'm here) is the song's refrain. In contrast to Cohen's ailing health, and the ailing health of the world, Cohen still means to serve God.
@Hlloyge I think interpreting this as a straight up anti-God song like XTC's "Dear God" doesn't mesh too well with Cohen's own stated beliefs. To me it's more about trying to hash out his complicated feelings toward both God and humanity.
@Hlloyge I think interpreting this as a straight up anti-God song like XTC's "Dear God" doesn't mesh too well with Cohen's own stated beliefs. To me it's more about trying to hash out his complicated feelings toward both God and humanity.
@Hlloyge
@Hlloyge
Well done. Clear sighted and free from dogma.
Well done. Clear sighted and free from dogma.
@Hlloyge I think it's about Leonard being enlightened. He finally realizes that there is no god. He sees religion for what it is, a fiction and a myth.
@Hlloyge I think it's about Leonard being enlightened. He finally realizes that there is no god. He sees religion for what it is, a fiction and a myth.
@Hlloyge Very well articulated. I knew the can be interpreted along these lines. Please publish your interpretation on medium or some other forum. People have popularized stupid interpretations of the song which does not make any sense.
@Hlloyge Very well articulated. I knew the can be interpreted along these lines. Please publish your interpretation on medium or some other forum. People have popularized stupid interpretations of the song which does not make any sense.