The Top Ten Leonard Cohen Songs

Born and raised in Montreal, Leonard Cohen has been deemed one of the world’s best poets and lyricists. His music, which is both beautiful musically and dripping in deeper meaning, has been played and praised around the world. His iconic songs have been redone by dozens of bands and continue to top charts even today, despite him being 80 years old. Having produced so much music, and so many hits, we at Shalom Life took the time to track down some of his best works.

So grab your headphones, pump up the volume, and get ready to contemplate your life (Cohen tends to inspire introspection) and get ready for the ten best Leonard Cohen songs of all time.

10.

Who By Fire

With a beautiful melody and meaningful lyrics, Who By Fire is a song that’s easily memorable. The song is also rich with hints of Unetaneh Tokef, traditionally said on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. With strong Jewish influences, lyrically, this song is sure to haunt listeners.

9.

I’m Your Man

Also the title of one of Cohen’s more successful albums, I’m Your Man is a song about love and unkept promises. The lyrics talk about Cohen’s deep love for a woman, but that the promises he makes he knows can never be kept. It questions both the honesty in, and the truth of, love.

8.

There Ain’t No Cure For Love

Like most of Cohen’s work, There Ain’t No Cure For Love has more to it than meets the ear. Standard to his usual motifs, the song is about romance, and love, singing in his sultriest baritone. Also, it was the soundtrack to the short-lived City TV program, Sex TV.

7.

Democracy

As in Tower Of Song, Democracy also has a political and social agenda. Cohen addresses the fact that America believes itself to be the land of the free and democratic, while in reality it’s rampant with social issues and injustices. He points out that democracy is coming to the U.S., but people won’t notice it for what it is when it (finally) arrives.

6.

Closing Time

One of Cohen’s most well known songs, Closing Times strikes a perfect balance between the mundane and the divine in his lyrics. The song is about the closing of a bar, while also about the end of the world. It speaks about God, about excess, about sin, and about life in its simplest form. The lyrics are accompanied by a fun tune with just the right amount of country and blues.

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