My 1001 Albums Journey

You Want It Darker

I haven’t looked at the reviews yet, but I already know there’s going to be more than a few who trash this album. Cohen has always been polarizing like that. I can’t remember where I heard it, but I remember a conversation about Leonard Cohen where someone was basically saying that Leonard Cohen was one of those artists that they never “got” when they were young. Then, at some point, they were finally at a point in their life where they were ready to receive and appreciate what he was doing, and it just “clicked”. That was the case for me. And it was this album, probably surprisingly for some, that made it click for me. I had always been aware of Leonard Cohen as “that guy with the deep voice that makes weird music. You know…the Hallelujah guy.” But I never really thought much of him until I heard this album. I was going through kind of a dark time in my life (as was the country) when this album came out, and these songs just rocked me. I was so touched by the delicate display of emotion throughout, while still maintaining a strong masculinity. The tongue-in-cheek (but maybe not completely tongue-in-cheek) biblical and religious references also really resonated with me as someone who was raised staunchly religious but has since turned away from that (with all the deep-seeded trauma and guilt that comes with a decision like that). I still count (the song) You Want it Darker as one of my all time favorites. Hearing Leonard come to terms with his life, and the fact that it was quickly coming to an end, is such an intimate and haunting thing for him to have shared with us. And I’m so grateful for it. It might be one of the most brutal and powerful expressions of surrender I’ve ever heard recorded in a song. It still gives me chills. “Hineni, Hineni. I’m ready, my lord.” What an artistic powerhouse we lost just weeks after this album was released. Wherever Leonard is now, I hope he’s found his peace. ❤️ — 5/5 Highlights: You Want It Darker Treaty On the Level Leaving the Table String Reprise / Treaty