View source for Leonard Cohen

{{Short description|Canadian singer-songwriter and poet (1934–2016)}}
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{{Infobox person
| name               = Leonard Cohen
| honorific_suffix   = {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CC|GOQ}}
| image              = Leonard Cohen, 1988 01.jpg
| caption            = Cohen in 1988
| birth_name         = Leonard Norman Cohen
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1934|9|21}}
| birth_place        = [[Westmount]], [[Quebec, Canada]]
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2016|11|7|1934|9|21}}
| death_place        = Los Angeles, California,<!--Links not needed per [[MOS:OVERLINK]]--> U.S.
| resting_place      = Shaar Hashomayim Congregation Cemetery, [[Montreal]], Canada
| occupation         = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|musician|poet|novelist}}
| years_active       = 1954–2016
| relatives          = [[Lyon Cohen]] (grandfather)
| children           = 2, including [[Adam Cohen (musician)|Adam]]
| signature          = Leonard Cohen signature.svg
| website            = {{URL|leonardcohen.com}}
| module             = {{infobox musical artist|embed=yes
|background       = solo_singer
|genre            = {{hlist|[[Contemporary folk music|Folk]]|[[Rock music|rock]]|[[Pop music|pop]]|[[soft rock]]|[[pop rock]]|[[country music|country]]|[[synthpop]]|[[sophisti-pop]]}}
|instrument       = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}
|discography = [[Leonard Cohen discography|Full list]]
|label            = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
}}
}}

'''Leonard Norman Cohen''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|CC|GOQ}} (September 21, 1934{{spnd}}November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, social and political conflict, sexual and romantic love, desire, regret, and loss.<ref>{{cite web|last=de Melo|first=Jessica|title=Leonard Cohen to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2010 Grammys|url=http://www.spinner.ca/2009/12/11/leonard-cohen-neil-young-to-be-honoured-at-2010-grammys/|publisher=Spinner Canada|date=December 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706203928/http://www.spinner.ca/2009/12/11/leonard-cohen-neil-young-to-be-honoured-at-2010-grammys/|archive-date=July 6, 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=February 24, 2010}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[Canadian Music Hall of Fame]], the [[Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame]], and the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]. He was invested as a [[Companion of the Order of Canada]], the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, he received one of the [[Princess of Asturias Awards|Prince of Asturias Awards]] for literature and the ninth [[Glenn Gould Prize]]. In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' named Cohen the 103rd-greatest singer.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 1, 2023 |title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101151200/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/ |archive-date=January 1, 2023 |access-date=January 3, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s, and did not begin a music career until 1966. His first album, ''[[Songs of Leonard Cohen]]'' (1967), was followed by three more albums of [[Contemporary folk music|folk music]]: ''[[Songs from a Room]]'' (1969), ''[[Songs of Love and Hate]]'' (1971) and ''[[New Skin for the Old Ceremony]]'' (1974). His 1977 record ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'', co-written and produced by [[Phil Spector]], was a move away from Cohen's previous minimalist sound.

In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional ''[[Recent Songs]]'', which blended his acoustic style with [[jazz]], East Asian, and Mediterranean influences. Cohen's most famous song, "[[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)|Hallelujah]]", was released on his seventh album, ''[[Various Positions]]'' (1984). ''[[I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen album)|I'm Your Man]]'' in 1988 marked Cohen's turn to synthesized productions. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, ''[[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)|The Future]]'', which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest.

Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of ''[[Ten New Songs]]'', a major hit in Canada and Europe. His eleventh album, ''[[Dear Heather]]'', followed in 2004. In 2005, Cohen discovered that his manager had stolen most of his money and sold his publishing rights, prompting a return to touring to recoup his losses. Following a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2013, he released three albums in the final years of his life: ''[[Old Ideas]]'' (2012), ''[[Popular Problems]]'' (2014), and ''[[You Want It Darker]]'' (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death. His fifteenth studio album, ''[[Thanks for the Dance]]'', was released in November 2019.

== Early life ==
Leonard Norman Cohen was born into an [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]] family in the [[Montreal]] [[English-speaking Quebecers|anglophone]] enclave of [[Westmount, Quebec]], on September 21, 1934. His [[Lithuanian Jew]]ish mother, Marsha ("Masha") Klonitsky (1905–1978),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Masha-Cohen/6000000002403896507|title=Masha Cohen|publisher=Geni.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203064142/https://www.geni.com/people/Masha-Cohen/6000000002403896507|archive-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sR4Ch1dMe8IC&q=Nathan+Cohen+and+Marsha+Klinitsky+Cohen&pg=PA339|title=The International Who's Who|date=2004|access-date=April 22, 2012|isbn=978-1-85743-217-6|last1=Publications|first1=Europa|publisher=Psychology Press }}</ref> emigrated to Canada in 1927 and was the daughter of [[Talmud]]ic writer and rabbi Solomon Klonitsky-Kline.<ref name="Martin">{{cite interview|last=Cohen|first=Leonard|interviewer=[[Ray Martin (television presenter)|Ray Martin]]|title=The Midday Show With Ray Martin|url=http://www.leonardcohencroatia.com/raymartin1985.php|work=ABC|location=Sydney|date=May 24, 1985|access-date=October 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060224145524/http://leonardcohencroatia.com/raymartin1985.php|archive-date=February 24, 2006|quote=My – my mother was from Lithuania which was a part of Poland and my great-grandfather came over from Poland to Canada.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment/leonard-cohen/index.html|title=Leonard Cohen Biography|work=AskMen|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911111738/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment/leonard-cohen/index.html|archive-date=September 11, 2014}}</ref> His paternal grandfather, who had emigrated from [[Suwałki]], in [[Congress Poland]], to Canada, was [[Canadian Jewish Congress]] founding president [[Lyon Cohen]]. His parents gave him the Hebrew name [[Eliezer]], which means "God helps".<ref>Sylvie Simmons, 2012, ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen'', p. 7.</ref> His father, clothing store owner Nathan Bernard Cohen (1891–1944),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Nathan-Cohen/6000000002403893919|title=Nathan Bernard Cohen|date=December 1891 |publisher=Geni.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203064246/https://www.geni.com/people/Nathan-Cohen/6000000002403893919|archive-date=February 3, 2018}}</ref> died when Cohen was nine years old. The family attended [[Congregation Shaar Hashomayim]], to which Cohen retained connections for the rest of his life.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-buried-quietly-on-thursday-in-montreal.html|title=Leonard Cohen buried quietly on Thursday in Montreal|work=Toronto Star|date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112203006/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-buried-quietly-on-thursday-in-montreal.html|archive-date=November 12, 2016|last1=Woods|first1=Allan|last2=Brait|first2=Ellen}}</ref> On the topic of being a [[kohen]], he said in 1967, "I had a very [[Jewish Messiah|Messianic]] childhood. I was told I was a descendant of [[Aaron]], the [[High Priest of Israel|high priest]]."<ref>Williams, P. (n.d.) [http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/craw375.htm Leonard Cohen: The Romantic in a Ragpicker's Trade] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120919013704/http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/craw375.htm|date=September 19, 2012}}</ref>

Cohen attended [[Roslyn Elementary School]] and completed grades seven through nine at [[Herzliah High School]], where his literary mentor (and later inspiration) [[Irving Layton]] taught.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hour.ca/2010/12/09/into-the-consciousness/|title=Inductee: Leonard Cohen – Into the consciousness – Hour Community|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111122918/http://hour.ca/2010/12/09/into-the-consciousness/|archive-date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> He then transferred in 1948 to [[Westmount High School]], where he studied music and poetry. He became especially interested in the [[Spanish poetry]] of [[Federico García Lorca]].<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> During high school, he was involved in various extracurricular activities, including photography, yearbook, cheerleading, arts club, current events club, and theater. He also served as president of the Students' Council. During that time, he taught himself to play the acoustic guitar and formed a [[country music|country]]–[[contemporary folk music|folk]] group that he called the Buckskin Boys. After a young Spanish guitar player taught him "a few chords and some [[flamenco]]", he switched to a classical guitar.<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> He has attributed his love of music to his mother, who sang songs around the house: "I know that those changes, those melodies, touched me very much. She would sing with us when I took my guitar to a restaurant with some friends; my mother would come, and we'd often sing all night."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxOOns1j1M|title=Leonard Cohen, 'Joan of Arc', Norway 1988|last=AmericaSings|date=November 12, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721061146/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUxOOns1j1M|archive-date=July 21, 2017}}</ref>

Cohen frequented Montreal's [[Saint Laurent Boulevard]] for fun and ate at places such as the [[Main Deli Steak House]].<ref>{{citation|title=Celine Dion: Montreal's Schwartz's will go on|first=Nelson|last=Wyatt|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/72405-celine-dion-montreals-schwartzs-will-go|journal=The Chronicle Herald|date=March 11, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514092527/http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/72405-celine-dion-montreals-schwartzs-will-go|archive-date=May 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name=CL>{{citation|title=First We Take The Main|first=Christine|last=Langlois|date=October 2009|publisher=Reader's Digest|url=http://www.christinelanglois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cohenmontreal.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730201813/http://www.christinelanglois.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cohenmontreal.pdf|archive-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> According to journalist [[David Sax]], he and one of his cousins would go to the Main Deli to "watch the gangsters, pimps, and wrestlers dance around the night".<ref>{{citation|title=Late Night Noshing|first=David|last=Sax|year=2009|journal=Save the Deli|url=http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/03/17/late-night-noshing/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907020520/http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/03/17/late-night-noshing|archive-date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> When he left Westmount, he purchased a place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in the previously working-class neighbourhood of [[Little Portugal, Montreal|Little Portugal]]. He would read his poetry at assorted nearby clubs. In that period and place, he wrote the lyrics to some of his most famous songs.<ref name=CL />

== Poetry and novels ==
{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|bgcolor = #fafafa |quote=For six decades, Leonard Cohen revealed his soul to the world through poetry and song{{mdash}}his deep and timeless humanity touching our very core. Simply brilliant. His music and words will resonate forever.|source= —Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 2008<ref>[https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/leonard-cohen Biography of Leonard Cohen] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008205441/https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/leonard-cohen|date=October 8, 2016}}, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame</ref>}}

In 1951, Cohen enrolled at [[McGill University]], where he became president of the [[Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate|McGill Debating Union]] and won the Chester MacNaghten Literary Competition for the poems "Sparrows" and "Thoughts of a Landsman".<ref name="Simmons, Sylvie 2012">Simmons, Sylvie. ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen''. NY: HarperCollins, 2012.</ref> Cohen published his first poem in March 1954 in the magazine ''CIV/n''. The issue also included poems by Cohen's poet–professors (who were also on the editorial board) [[Irving Layton]] and [[Louis Dudek]].<ref name="Simmons, Sylvie 2012" /> Cohen graduated from McGill the following year with a B.A. degree.<ref name="Nadel 1996">Nadel, Ira B. ''Various Position: A Life of Leonard Cohen''. Pantheon Books: New York, 1996.</ref> His literary influences during this time included [[W.&nbsp;B. Yeats|William Butler Yeats]], [[Irving Layton]] (who taught political science at McGill and became both Cohen's mentor and his friend),<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> [[Walt Whitman]], [[Federico García Lorca]], and [[Henry Miller]].<ref>Adria, Marco, "Chapter and Verse: Leonard Cohen", ''Music of Our Times: Eight Canadian Singer-Songwriters'' (Toronto: Lorimer, 1990), p. 28.</ref> His first published book of poetry, ''[[Let Us Compare Mythologies]]'' (1956), was published by Dudek as the first book in the McGill Poetry Series the year after Cohen's graduation. The book contained poems written largely when Cohen was between the ages of 15 and 20, and Cohen dedicated the book to his late father.<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> The well-known Canadian literary critic [[Northrop Frye]] wrote a review of the book in which he gave Cohen "restrained praise".<ref name="Nadel 1996" />

After completing his undergraduate degree, Cohen spent a term in the [[McGill Faculty of Law]] and then a year (1956–1957) at the [[Columbia University School of General Studies]]. Cohen described his graduate school experience as "passion without flesh, love without climax".<ref>{{cite book|last=Nadel|first=Ira Bruce|title=Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen|year=2007|publisher=Random House|location=Toronto|page=51|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gePAHlZHJJIC&q=passion+without+flesh+leonard+cohen&pg=PA51|isbn=978-0-292-71732-9}}</ref> Consequently, Cohen left New York and returned to Montreal in 1957, working various odd jobs and focusing on the writing of fiction and poetry, including the poems for his next book, ''[[The Spice-Box of Earth]]'' (1961), which was the first book that Cohen published through the Canadian publishing company [[McClelland & Stewart]]. Cohen's first novella and early short stories were not published until 2022 (''[[A Ballet of Lepers]]'').<ref>{{Cite news |title=A Ballet of Lepers by Leonard Cohen review – violent literary beginnings |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/01/leonard-cohen-ballet-of-lepers-book-review?CMP=GTUK_email |journal=The Guardian |date=October 1, 2022 |access-date=October 2, 2022 }}</ref> His father's will provided him with a modest [[trust law|trust]] income sufficient to allow him to pursue his literary ambitions for the time, and ''The Spice-Box of Earth'' was successful in helping to expand the audience for Cohen's poetry, helping him reach out to the poetry scene in Canada, outside the confines of McGill University. The book also helped Cohen gain critical recognition as an important new voice in Canadian poetry. One of Cohen's biographers, [[Ira Nadel]], stated that "reaction to the finished book was enthusiastic and admiring...." The critic [[Robert Weaver (editor)|Robert Weaver]] found it powerful and declared that Cohen was "probably the best young poet in English Canada right now."<ref name="Nadel 1996" />

Cohen continued to write poetry and fiction throughout the 1960s and preferred to live in quasi-reclusive circumstances after he bought a house on [[Hydra (island)|Hydra]], a Greek island in the [[Saronic Islands|Saronic Gulf]]. While living and writing on Hydra, Cohen published the poetry collection ''[[Flowers for Hitler]]'' (1964), and the novel ''[[The Favourite Game]]'' (1963), an autobiographical ''[[Bildungsroman]]'' about a young man who discovers his identity through writing.

Cohen was the subject of a 44-minute documentary in 1965 from the [[National Film Board of Canada|National Film Board]] called ''[[Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen]]''.

The 1966 novel ''[[Beautiful Losers]]'' received a good deal of attention from the Canadian press and stirred up controversy because of a number of sexually graphic passages.<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> Regarding ''Beautiful Losers'', ''the [[Boston Globe]]'' stated: "[[James Joyce]] is not dead. He is living in Montreal under the name of Cohen." In 1966 Cohen also published ''Parasites of Heaven'', a book of poems. Both ''Beautiful Losers'' and ''Parasites of Heaven'' received mixed reviews and sold few copies.<ref name="Nadel 1996" />

In 1966, CBC-TV producer Andrew Simon produced a local Montreal current-affairs program, ''Seven on Six'', and offered Cohen a position as host. "I decided I'm going to be a songwriter. I want to write songs," Simon recalled Cohen telling him.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-november-11-2016-1.3845820/i-want-to-write-songs-leonard-cohen-gave-up-hosting-cbc-tv-show-to-be-songwriter-1.3847401|title='I want to write songs': Leonard Cohen gave up hosting CBC TV show to be songwriter|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113033555/http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-november-11-2016-1.3845820/i-want-to-write-songs-leonard-cohen-gave-up-hosting-cbc-tv-show-to-be-songwriter-1.3847401|archive-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref>

Subsequently, Cohen published less, with major gaps, concentrating more on recording songs. In 1966 he wrote "Suzanne", which was performed the same year by The Stormy Clovers, and recorded by Judy Collins on her album ''[[In My Life (Judy Collins album)|In My Life]]''.

In 1978, he published his first book of poetry in many years, ''Death of a Lady's Man'' (not to be confused with the album he released the previous year, the similarly titled ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]''). It was not until 1984 that Cohen published his next book of poems, ''[[Book of Mercy]]'', which won him the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for Poetry. The book contains 50 prose-poems, influenced by the Hebrew Bible and Zen writings. Cohen himself referred to the pieces as "prayers".<ref>Simmons, Sylvie. ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen''. New York: HarperCollins, 2012.</ref> In 1993 Cohen published ''Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs'', and in 2006, after 10 years of delays, additions, and rewritings, ''[[Book of Longing]]''. ''The Book of Longing'' is dedicated to the poet [[Irving Layton]]. Also, during the late 1990s and 2000s, many of Cohen's new poems and lyrics were first published on the fan website The Leonard Cohen Files, including the original version of the poem "A Thousand Kisses Deep" (which Cohen later adapted for a song).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com|title=The Leonard Cohen Files|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920035927/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/|archive-date=September 20, 2014}}</ref><ref name="The Blackening Pages">{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/mirror.html|title=The Blackening Pages|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019205842/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/mirror.html|archive-date=October 19, 2014}}</ref>

Cohen's writing process, as he told an interviewer in 1998, was "like a bear stumbling into a beehive or a honey cache: I'm stumbling right into it and getting stuck, and it's delicious and it's horrible and I'm in it and it's not very graceful and it's very awkward and it's very painful and yet there's something inevitable about it."<ref name="utne.com">{{cite web|last=Iyer|first=Pico|url=http://www.utne.com/Spirituality/Leonard-Cohen-Interview-at-Buddhist-Monk-Mountain-Retreat.aspx|title=Listening to Leonard Cohen &#124; Utne Reader|publisher=Utne.com|date=October 22, 2001|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115095547/http://www.utne.com/Spirituality/Leonard-Cohen-Interview-at-Buddhist-Monk-Mountain-Retreat.aspx|archive-date=November 15, 2009}}</ref>

In 2011, Cohen was awarded the [[Princess of Asturias Awards|Prince of Asturias Award]] for literature.<ref>{{cite web|title=Laureates – Princess of Asturias Awards – The Princess of Asturias Foundation|url=http://www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards/literature/|website=The Princess of Asturias Foundation|access-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924015254/http://www.fpa.es/en/princess-of-asturias-awards/literature/|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> His poetry collection ''[[The Flame (poetry collection)|The Flame]]'', which he had been working on at the time of his death, appeared posthumously in 2018.

Cohen's books have been translated into several languages.

== Recording career ==

=== 1960s and 1970s ===
In 1967, disappointed with his lack of success as a writer, Cohen moved to the United States to pursue a career as a folk music singer–songwriter. During the 1960s, he was a fringe figure in [[Andy Warhol]]'s "Factory" crowd. Warhol speculated that Cohen had spent time listening to [[Nico]] in clubs and that this had influenced his musical style.<ref>Warhol, Andy: Popism. Orlando: Harcourt Press, 1980.</ref>

His song "[[Suzanne (Leonard Cohen song)|Suzanne]]" became a hit for [[Judy Collins]] (who subsequently recorded a number of Cohen's other songs), and was for many years his most recorded song. Collins recalls that when she first met him, he said he could not sing or play the guitar, nor did he think "Suzanne" was even a song:

{{blockquote|And then he played me "Suzanne" &nbsp;... I said, "Leonard, you must come with me to this big fundraiser I'm doing"&nbsp;... Jimi Hendrix was on it. He'd never sung [in front of a large audience] before then. He got out on stage and started singing. Everybody was going crazy{{mdash}}they loved it. And he stopped about halfway through and walked off the stage. Everybody went nuts.&nbsp;... They demanded that he come back. And I demanded; I said, "I'll go out with you." So we went out, and we sang it. And of course, that was the beginning.<ref name=Globe>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/closing-time-the-canadian-arts-community-remembers-leonard-cohen/article32815894/ "Closing Time: The Canadian arts community remembers Leonard Cohen"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204105150/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/closing-time-the-canadian-arts-community-remembers-leonard-cohen/article32815894/|date=December 4, 2017}}, ''The Globe and Mail'', Canada, November 11, 2016</ref>}}

{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|bgcolor = #fafafa |quote=People think Leonard is dark, but actually his sense of humour and his edge on the world is extremely light.|source= —Judy Collins<ref name=Moyers />}}

She first introduced him to television audiences during one of her shows in 1966,<ref>The Autobiography of Judy Collins (pp. 145–147 of the hardbound edition or 144–146 of the paperback edition).</ref> where they performed duets of his songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVJImYNGqwk|title=Judy Collins & Leonard Cohen – "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye" 1976|last=Beta Hi-Fi Archive|date=July 6, 2013|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114234353/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVJImYNGqwk|archive-date=November 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEk9DaLrgs|title=Judy Collins & Leonard Cohen – "Suzanne" 1976|last=Beta Hi-Fi Archive|date=July 6, 2013|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323094609/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEk9DaLrgs|archive-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> Still new to bringing his poetry to music, he once forgot the words to "Suzanne" while singing to a different audience.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7shz6VLcmdw|title=Leonard Cohen forgets the lyrics!|last=AmericaSings|date=November 11, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807041323/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7shz6VLcmdw|archive-date=August 7, 2017}}</ref> Singers such as [[Joan Baez]] have sung it during their tours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39eFrEzZmYE|title=Joan Baez – Suzanne|last=Céline Allais|date=May 1, 2009|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201205415/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39eFrEzZmYE|archive-date=February 1, 2017}}</ref> Cohen stated that he was duped into giving up the rights for the song, but was glad it happened, as it would be wrong to write a song that was so well loved and to get rich for it also. Collins told [[Bill Moyers]], during a television interview, that she felt Cohen's Jewish background was an important influence on his words and music.<ref name="Moyers">{{cite web|last=Beta Hi-Fi Archive|date=July 23, 2009|title=Judy Collins – Interview about Leonard Cohen, "Suzanne"|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijqp4s9JDOc|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411182432/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijqp4s9JDOc|archive-date=April 11, 2015|via=YouTube}}</ref>

After performing at a few folk festivals, he came to the attention of [[Columbia Records]] producer [[John Hammond (producer)|John Hammond]], who signed Cohen to a record deal.<ref name="remnick" /> Cohen's first album was ''[[Songs of Leonard Cohen]]''.<ref>[http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/17548/cohen-gould-buffy-25-best-canadian-debut-albums "25 best Canadian debut albums ever"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906183203/http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/17548/cohen-gould-buffy-25-best-canadian-debut-albums|date=September 6, 2017}}. ''CBC Music'', June 16, 2017.</ref>{{efn|Although Hammond was originally supposed to produce the record, he was ill and was replaced by the producer [[John Simon (record producer)|John Simon]].<ref name="Nadel 1996" /> Simon and Cohen clashed over instrumentation and mixing; Cohen wanted the album to have a sparse sound, while Simon felt the songs could benefit from arrangements that included strings and horns. According to biographer Ira Nadel, although Cohen was able to make changes to the mix, some of Simon's additions "couldn't be removed from the four-track master tape."<ref name="Nadel 1996" />}} The album was released in the US in late 1967 to generally dismissive reviews,<ref>"A Fabulous Creation", David Hepworth, Bantam Press (2019), {{ISBN|0593077636}}</ref> but became a favourite in the UK on its release in early 1968, where it spent over a year on the album charts.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sixties crooner Leonard Cohen makes comeback concert tour|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23453328-sixties-crooner-leonard-cohen-makes-comeback-concert-tour.do|newspaper=[[Evening Standard]]|date=March 13, 2008|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913133318/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23453328-sixties-crooner-leonard-cohen-makes-comeback-concert-tour.do|archive-date=September 13, 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=February 23, 2010}}</ref> He appeared on BBC TV in 1968 where he sang a duet from the album with [[Julie Felix]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjNcA-Av4qg Leonard Cohen and Julie Felix] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715150707/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjNcA-Av4qg|date=July 15, 2018}}, BBC TV, 1968</ref> Several of the songs on that first album were recorded by other popular folk artists, including [[James Taylor]]<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/james-taylor/albumguide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105161220/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/james-taylor/albumguide|title=James Taylor: Album Guide|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=January 5, 2013|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> and Judy Collins.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-my-life-mw0000195828|title=Judy Collins in My Life|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|website=AllMusic|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030232701/http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-my-life-mw0000195828|archive-date=October 30, 2016}}</ref> Cohen followed up that first album with ''[[Songs from a Room]]'' (1969, featuring the often-recorded "[[Bird on the Wire]]") and ''[[Songs of Love and Hate]]'' (1971).

In 1971, film director [[Robert Altman]] featured the songs "The Stranger Song", "Winter Lady", and "Sisters of Mercy", originally recorded for ''[[Songs of Leonard Cohen]]'', in ''[[McCabe & Mrs. Miller]]''. Scott Tobias wrote in 2014 that "The film is unimaginable to me without the Cohen songs, which function as these mournful interstitials that unify the entire movie."<ref>{{cite web|title=McCabe & Mrs. Miller: profound pessimism and Leonard Cohen kindness|first1=Keith|last1=Phipps|first2=Scott|last2=Tobias|work=The Dissolve|url=http://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/772-mccabe-mrs-miller-profound-pessimism-and-leonard-c/|date=September 30, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201213336/https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/772-mccabe-mrs-miller-profound-pessimism-and-leonard-c/|archive-date=December 1, 2016}}</ref> Tim Grierson wrote in 2016, shortly after Cohen's death, that "Altman's and Cohen's legacies would forever be linked by ''McCabe''. The movie is inextricably connected to Cohen's songs. It's impossible to imagine Altman's masterpiece without them."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=How Leonard Cohen's Music Turned 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller' Into a Masterpiece|last=Grierson|first=Tim|date=November 16, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/how-leonard-cohens-music-transformed-mccabe-mrs-miller-w450052|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906162805/http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/how-leonard-cohens-music-transformed-mccabe-mrs-miller-w450052|archive-date=September 6, 2017}}</ref>

In 1970, Cohen toured for the first time, in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and appeared at the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1970|Isle of Wight Festival]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_56ep729TE|title=Leonard Cohen – Suzanne (from "Live at the Isle of Wight 1970")|last=LeonardCohenVEVO|date=November 24, 2009|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112004825/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_56ep729TE|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref> In 1972 he toured again in Europe and Israel, captured on film by Tony Palmer and eventually released in 2010 under the title 'Bird on a Wire'.{{efn|The tour was filmed under the title ''Bird on a Wire'', released in 2010.<ref name=wire>{{cite web|url=http://leonardcohenbirdonawiredvd.blogspot.com/|title=Leonard Cohen Bird on a Wire DVD|publisher=Leonardcohenbirdonawiredvd.blogspot.com|date=May 13, 2010|access-date=July 26, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708050451/http://leonardcohenbirdonawiredvd.blogspot.com/|archive-date=July 8, 2011}}</ref> Both tours were represented on the ''Live Songs'' LP. ''Leonard Cohen [[Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (Leonard Cohen album)|Live at the Isle of Wight 1970]]'', released in 2009.}} When his performance in Israel did not seem to be going well he walked off the stage, went to his dressing room, and took some LSD. He then heard the audience clamouring for his reappearance by singing to him in Hebrew, and under the influence of the psychedelic, he returned to finish the show.<ref>Remnick, David. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PqY-VgSsI;t=6m8s Leonard Cohen, "The Last Interview"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715150706/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PqY-VgSsI;t=6m8s|date=July 15, 2018}}, ''The New Yorker''</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7QZ6L8d5h8|title=Leonard Cohen – Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye (live 1972)|last=messalina79|date=March 1, 2009|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804215910/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7QZ6L8d5h8|archive-date=August 4, 2016}}</ref>

{{quote box
|align=right
|width=25em
|bgcolor=fafafa
|quote= A Jew remains a Jew. Now it's war and there's no need for explanations. My name is Cohen, no?
|source= —Leonard Cohen<ref name="nli"/>}}

In 1973, when [[Yom Kippur War|Egypt and Syria attacked Israel on the Yom Kippur day]], Cohen arrived in Israel. He had no guitar, and intended to volunteer in some [[kibbutz]] for the harvest, though he had no solid plan. He was spotted in a Tel Aviv Pinati Café by Israeli musicians [[Oshik Levi]], [[Matti Caspi]] and [[Ilana Rovina]], who offered him to go together to Sinai to sing for Israeli soldiers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Cohen {{!}} ANU |url=https://www.anumuseum.org.il/leonard-cohen-in-israel/ |website=Museum of the Jewish People |access-date=3 September 2023 |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903070923/https://www.anumuseum.org.il/leonard-cohen-in-israel/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nli"/><ref name="forward">{{cite web |title=Leonard Cohen changed Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Did it change him? |url=https://forward.com/culture/484973/matti-friedman-leonard-cohen-yom-kippur-war-who-by-fire-sinai-israel/ |website=The Forward |access-date=3 September 2023 |language=en |date=5 April 2022 |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903070921/https://forward.com/culture/484973/matti-friedman-leonard-cohen-yom-kippur-war-who-by-fire-sinai-israel/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Even though he reportedly voiced "pro-Arab political views" before the war, he said after the war "I am joining my brothers fighting in the desert. I don't care if their war is just or not. I know only that war is cruel, that it leaves bones, blood and ugly stains on the holy soil."<ref name="nli"/> Cohen played his most-known songs to the troops: "Suzanne", "So Long Marianne", "Bird on the Wire", and his new song he called "Lover Lover Lover".<ref name="tabletmag">{{cite web |last1=Friedman |first1=Matti |title=Leonard Cohen's Songs of the Yom Kippur War |date=May 4, 2022 |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/leonard-cohen-songs-yom-kippur-war |publisher=Tablet |access-date=3 September 2023 |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510122014/https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/leonard-cohen-songs-yom-kippur-war |url-status=live }}</ref> In Sinai, Cohen was introduced to the Major General [[Ariel Sharon]], future Prime Minister of Israel.<ref name="nli">{{cite web |title=When Leonard Cohen Met Ariel Sharon in the Sinai Desert |url=https://blog.nli.org.il/en/leonard-cohen-sinai/ |website=The Librarians |date=4 October 2018 |access-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903070921/https://blog.nli.org.il/en/leonard-cohen-sinai/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Cohen later described the improvised concerts:<ref name="nli"/>
<blockquote>
"We would just drop into little places, like a rocket site and they would shine their flashlights at us and we would sing a few songs. Or they would give us a jeep and we would go down the road towards the front and wherever we saw a few soldiers waiting for a helicopter or something like that we would sing a few songs. And maybe back at the airbase we would do a little concert, maybe with amplifiers. It was very informal, and you know, very intense."
</blockquote>

In 1974, Cohen released a new album, ''[[New Skin for the Old Ceremony]]'', with songs inspired by the war. "Lover Lover Lover", was written and performed in Sinai. "Who By Fire", written reflecting on the war, takes its name from the Yom Kippur prayer the [[Unetaneh Tokef]].<ref name="forward"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Review {{!}} In 1973, Leonard Cohen hated his life. Then he went to a war zone. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/04/15/1973-leonard-cohen-hated-his-life-then-he-went-war-zone/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=2 September 2023 |date=15 April 2022 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327121459/https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/04/15/1973-leonard-cohen-hated-his-life-then-he-went-war-zone/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nli"/> Other songs inspired by the war are "Field Commander Cohen" and "There is a War".<ref name="nli"/> In 1976, Cohen said during the concert that his now famous song was written for "the Egyptians and the Israelis", though he wrote and performed the song for the Israeli soldiers during the war, and the song originally contained the lines "I went down to the desert to help my brothers fight".<ref name="tabletmag"/>

In 1973, Columbia Records released Cohen's first concert album, ''[[Live Songs]]''. Then beginning around 1974, Cohen's collaboration with pianist and arranger [[John Lissauer]] created a live sound praised by the critics. They toured together in 1974 in Europe, the US and Canada in late 1974 and early 1975, in support of Cohen's record ''[[New Skin for the Old Ceremony]]''. In late 1975 Cohen and Lissauer performed a short series of shows in the US and Canada with a new band, in support of Cohen's ''[[The Best of Leonard Cohen|Best Of]]'' release. The tour included new songs from an album in progress, co-written by Cohen and Lissauer and titled ''Songs for Rebecca''. None of the recordings from these live tours with Lissauer were ever officially released, and the album was abandoned in 1976.

In 1976, Cohen embarked on a new major European tour with a new band and changes in his sound and arrangements, again, in support of his ''[[The Best of Leonard Cohen]]'' release (in Europe retitled as ''Greatest Hits''). [[Laura Branigan]] was one of his backup singers during the tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://1heckofaguy.com/2006/07/06/the-best-leonard-cohen-song-youve-probably-never-heard/|title=Pictures of various European records with recording|publisher=1heckofaguy.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707061807/http://1heckofaguy.com/2006/07/06/the-best-leonard-cohen-song-youve-probably-never-heard/|archive-date=July 7, 2012}}</ref> From April to July, Cohen gave 55 shows, including his first appearance at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]].

After the European tour of 1976, Cohen again attempted a new change in his style and arrangements: his new 1977 record, ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'', was co-written and produced by [[Phil Spector]].<ref name=Leibovitz>{{cite web|last1=Leibovitz|first1=Liel|title=Wall of Crazy: Phil Spector and Leonard Cohen's incredible album, released 35 years ago, is a time capsule of American pop music|url=http://tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/118825/wall-of-crazy|website=Tablet: A New Read on Jewish Life|publisher=Nextbook Inc.|access-date=March 12, 2015|date=December 11, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215073849/http://tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/118825/wall-of-crazy|archive-date=December 15, 2014}}</ref>{{efn|The recording of the album was fraught with difficulty; Spector reportedly mixed the album in secret studio sessions, and Cohen said Spector once threatened him with a crossbow. Cohen thought the end result "grotesque",<ref>de Lisle, T. (2004)[http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/timdelisle.html Hallelujah: 70 things about Leonard Cohen at 70] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712211546/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/timdelisle.html|date=July 12, 2006}}</ref> but also "semi-virtuous".<ref>Fitzgerald, J. (2001) [http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/fitzgerald4.html Beautiful loser, beautiful comeback.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060711202138/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/fitzgerald4.html|date=July 11, 2006}} ''National Post'', March 24, 2001.</ref>}} One year later, in 1978, Cohen published a volume of poetry with the subtly revised title ''Death of a Lady's Man''.

{{quote box|align=left|width=25em|bgcolor = fafafa |quote=Leonard acknowledges that the whole act of living contains immense amounts of sorrow and hopelessness and despair; and also passion, high hopes, deep love, and eternal love.|source= —Jennifer Warnes, describing Cohen's lyrics<ref name=Warnes>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOvz0Ozf4G8|title=Jennifer Warnes discusses Leonard Cohen|last=AmericaSings|date=November 11, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317093529/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOvz0Ozf4G8|archive-date=March 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}

In 1979, Cohen returned with the more traditional ''[[Recent Songs]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/recent-songs-19800221|title=Recent Songs|first=Debra Rae|last=Cohen|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=February 21, 1980|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112030928/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/recent-songs-19800221|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref> which blended his acoustic style with jazz and East Asian and Mediterranean influences. Beginning with this record, Cohen began to co-produce his albums. Produced by Cohen and Henry Lewy ([[Joni Mitchell]]'s sound engineer), ''Recent Songs'' included performances by Passenger,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/recent-songs-mw0000651745|title=Recent Songs|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|website=[[AllMusic]]|year=1979|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118202115/http://www.allmusic.com/album/recent-songs-mw0000651745|archive-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref> an Austin-based jazz–fusion band that met Cohen through Mitchell. The band helped Cohen create a new sound by featuring instruments like the [[oud]], the Gypsy violin, and the [[mandolin]]. The album was supported by Cohen's major tour with the new band, and [[Jennifer Warnes]] and [[Sharon Robinson (songwriter)|Sharon Robinson]] on the backing vocals, in Europe in late 1979, and again in Australia, Israel, and Europe in 1980. In 2000, Columbia released an album of live recordings of songs from the 1979 tour, titled ''[[Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZPdXjq5V0k|title=Leonard Cohen, "Field Commander Cohen"|last=AmericaSings|date=November 12, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818150942/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZPdXjq5V0k|archive-date=August 18, 2017}}</ref>

During the 1970s, Cohen toured twice with [[Jennifer Warnes]] as a backup singer (1972 and 1979). Warnes would become a fixture on Cohen's future albums, receiving full co-vocals credit on Cohen's 1984 album ''[[Various Positions]]'' (although the record was released under Cohen's name, the inside credits say "Vocals by Leonard Cohen and Jennifer Warnes"). In 1987 she recorded an album of Cohen songs, ''[[Famous Blue Raincoat (album)|Famous Blue Raincoat]]''.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/arts/music/25cohe.html|title=On the Road, for Reasons Practical and Spiritual|work=The New York Times|date=February 24, 2009|first=Larry|last=Rohter|access-date=May 7, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702235837/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/arts/music/25cohe.html|archive-date=July 2, 2011}}</ref> Cohen said that she sang backup for his 1980 tour, even though her career at the time was in much better shape than his. "So this is a real friend", he said. "Someone who in the face of great derision, has always supported me."<ref name=Warnes />

=== 1980s ===
[[File:Leonard Cohen17b.jpg|thumb|upright|Cohen in 1988]]

In the early 1980s, Cohen co-wrote (with [[Lewis Furey]]) the rock musical film ''Night Magic'' starring [[Carole Laure]] and [[Nick Mancuso]]. Columbia declined to release his 1984 LP ''[[Various Positions]]'' in the United States.{{efn|Lissauer produced Cohen's next record, ''[[Various Positions]]'', which was released in December 1984 (and in January and February 1985 in various European countries). The LP included "[[Dance Me to the End of Love]]", which was promoted by Cohen's first video clip, directed by French photographer Dominique Issermann, and the frequently covered "[[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)|Hallelujah]]".}} Cohen supported the release of the album with his biggest tour to date, in Europe and Australia, and with his first tour in Canada and the United States since 1975.{{efn|Columbia declined to release the album in the United States, where it was pressed in small number of copies by the independent Passport Records. Anjani Thomas, who would become Cohen's partner, and a regular member of Cohen's recording team, joined his touring band.}} The band performed at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]], and the [[Roskilde Festival]].

They also gave a series of highly emotional and politically controversial concerts in Poland, which had been under [[Martial law in Poland|martial law]] just two years before, and performed the song "[[The Partisan]]", regarded as the hymn of the [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Polish Solidarity]] movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw85.html|title=Leonard Cohen in Warsaw (1985) by Daniel Wyszogrodzki|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903110411/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw85.html|archive-date=September 3, 2014}}</ref>{{efn|During the 1980s, almost all of Cohen's songs were performed in the Polish language by [[Maciej Zembaty]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/cover4.html|title=Covers by Maciej Zembaty|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531035422/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/cover4.html|archive-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref>}}

In 1987, [[Jennifer Warnes]]'s tribute album ''[[Famous Blue Raincoat (album)|Famous Blue Raincoat]]'' helped restore Cohen's career in the US. The following year he released ''[[I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen album)|I'm Your Man]]''.{{efn|The album, self-produced by Cohen, was promoted by black-and-white video shot by Dominique Issermann at the beach of Normandy.}} Cohen supported the record with a series of television interviews and an extensive tour of Europe, Canada, and the US. Many shows were broadcast on European and American television and radio stations, while Cohen performed for the first time in his career on PBS's ''[[Austin City Limits]]'' show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpjaHqvrz0g|title=Austin City Limits 1411: Leonard Cohen|last=AustinCityLimitsTV|date=November 11, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201172539/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpjaHqvrz0g|archive-date=February 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/88.html|title=Tour of 1988 in Europe|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=February 21, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219051137/http://leonardcohenfiles.com/88.html|archive-date=December 19, 2010}}</ref>{{efn|The tour gave the basic structure to typical Cohen's three-hour, two-act concert, which he used in his tours in 1993, 2008–2010, and 2012. The selection of performances from the late 1980s was released in 1994 on ''[[Cohen Live]]''.}}

==== "Hallelujah" ====
{{Main|Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)}}
"Hallelujah" was first released on Cohen's studio album ''[[Various Positions]]'' in 1984, and he sang it during his Europe tour in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/85copenhagen.html|title=85Copenhagen|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112145249/https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/85copenhagen.html|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZuv-0QwTw|title=Leonard Cohen sings "Hallelujah" in Denmark, 1985|last=AmericaSings|date=November 11, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812223820/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZuv-0QwTw|archive-date=August 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRHxJPWXeEs|title=Leonard Cohen in Iceland, "Hallelujah" 1985|last=AmericaSings|date=November 11, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812161342/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRHxJPWXeEs|archive-date=August 12, 2017}}</ref> The song had limited initial success but found greater popularity through a 1991 cover by [[John Cale]], which formed the basis for a later cover by [[Jeff Buckley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/17727/john-cale-hallelujah-leonard-cohen|title=How John Cale recorded the definitive version of 'Hallelujah'|last=Dekel|first=Jon|date=December 8, 2016|work=People|access-date=October 2, 2019|archive-date=December 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181228223327/https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/17727/john-cale-hallelujah-leonard-cohen|url-status=live}}</ref> "Hallelujah" has been performed by almost 200 artists in various languages.<ref name="covers">Arjatsalo, J., Riise, A., & Kurzweil, K. (July 11, 2009). [http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/coverlist.html A Thousand Covers Deep: Leonard Cohen Covered by Other Artists] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113131541/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/coverlist.html|date=November 13, 2016}}. The Leonard Cohen Files. Retrieved July 12, 2009.</ref>{{efn|Statistics from the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA); the [[Canadian Recording Industry Association]]; the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]]; and the [[International Federation of the Phonographic Industry]] show more than five million copies of the song sold prior to late 2008 on compact disc. It has been the subject of a [[BBC Radio]] [[Radio documentary|documentary]] and been featured in the soundtracks of numerous films and television programs.<ref name=times>[[Bryan Appleyard|Appleyard, Bryan]] (January 9, 2005).[http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article409551.ece "Hallelujah!&nbsp;– One Haunting Ballad Has Been the Soundtrack to Many Lives Recently. But Why? Bryan Appleyard on Leonard Cohen's Uber-Song"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616213400/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article409551.ece|date=June 16, 2011}}. ''[[The Times]]''.</ref>}} ''New York Times'' movie reviewer [[A. O. Scott]] wrote that "Hallelujah is one of those rare songs that survives its banalization with at least some of its sublimity intact".<ref name=NYTimes_20220630>{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=A. O. |title='Hallelujah' Review: From Leonard Cohen to Cale to Buckley to Shrek |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/movies/hallelujah-leonard-cohen-a-journey-a-song-review.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704011155/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/movies/hallelujah-leonard-cohen-a-journey-a-song-review.html |archive-date=July 4, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The song is the subject of the 2012 book ''[[The Holy or the Broken]]'' by [[Alan Light]] and the 2022 documentary film ''[[Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song]]'' by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine.<ref name=Forbes_20220709>{{cite magazine |last1=Chiu |first1=David |title=Leonard Cohen's Enduring "Hallelujah" Celebrated In New Film |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2022/07/09/leonard-cohens-enduring-hallelujah-celebrated-in-new-film/ |magazine=Forbes |date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709172703/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2022/07/09/leonard-cohens-enduring-hallelujah-celebrated-in-new-film/?sh=70048e130aa7 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]]'s ''New York Times'' book review said that Cohen spent years struggling with the song, which eventually became "one of the most haunting, mutable and oft-performed songs in American musical history".<ref name="NYTimes_20121209">{{cite news |last1=Maslin |first1=Janet |title=Time Passes, but a Song's Time Doesn't |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/books/the-holy-or-the-broken-by-alan-light.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709003659/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/books/the-holy-or-the-broken-by-alan-light.html |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 1990s ===
[[File:I'm Your Man - Interview with Leonard Cohen, 1988.webm|thumb|Cohen interviewed in 1988]]
The album track "[[Everybody Knows (Leonard Cohen song)|Everybody Knows]]" from ''I'm Your Man'' and "If It Be Your Will" in the 1990 film ''[[Pump Up the Volume (film)|Pump Up the Volume]]'' helped expose Cohen's music to a wider audience. He first introduced the song during his world tour in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s_9b-EpsmM|title=Leonard Cohen – Live in Spain 1988 – Everybody Knows|last=AmericaSings|date=September 23, 2013|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609182351/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s_9b-EpsmM|archive-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> The song "Everybody Knows" also featured prominently in fellow Canadian [[Atom Egoyan]]'s 1994 film, ''[[Exotica (film)|Exotica]]''. In 1992, Cohen released ''[[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)|The Future]]'', which urges (often in terms of [[Bible|biblical]] prophecy) perseverance, reformation, and hope in the face of grim prospects. Three tracks from the album – "[[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)#Waiting for the Miracle|Waiting for the Miracle]]", "The Future" and "Anthem" – were featured in the movie ''[[Natural Born Killers]]'', which also promoted Cohen's work to a new generation of US listeners.

As with ''I'm Your Man'', the lyrics on ''The Future'' were dark, and made references to political and social unrest. The title track is reportedly a response to the [[1992 Los Angeles riots]]. Cohen promoted the album with two music videos, for "Closing Time" and "The Future", and supported the release with the major tour through Europe, United States and Canada, with the same band as in his 1988 tour, including a second appearance on [[PBS]]'s ''[[Austin City Limits]]''. Some of the Scandinavian shows were broadcast live on the radio. The selection of performances, mostly recorded on the Canadian leg of the tour, was released on the 1994 ''[[Cohen Live]]'' album.

In 1993, Cohen also published his book of selected poems and songs, ''Stranger Music: Selected Poems and Songs'', on which he had worked since 1989. It includes a number of new poems from the late 1980s and early 1990s and major revision of his 1978 book ''Death of a Lady's Man''.<ref>Cohen, Leonard. ''Death of a Lady's Man: A Collection of Poetry and Prose'', Andre Deutsch, reprint edition (1978, 2011)</ref>

In 1994, Cohen retreated to the [[Mt. Baldy Zen Center]] near Los Angeles, beginning what became five years of seclusion at the center.<ref name="nytimes.com" /> In 1996, Cohen was ordained as a [[Rinzai school|Rinzai]] Zen [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] monk and took the [[Dharma]] name ''Jikan'', meaning "silence". He served as personal assistant to [[Kyozan Joshu Sasaki]] Roshi.

In 1997, Cohen oversaw the selection and release of the ''[[More Best of Leonard Cohen]]'' album, which included a previously unreleased track, "Never Any Good", and an experimental piece "The Great Event". The first was left over from Cohen's unfinished mid-1990s album, which was tentatively called ''On The Path'', and slated to include songs like "In My Secret Life" (already recited as a song-in-progress in 1988) and "A Thousand Kisses Deep",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/news0.html|title=News and future plans|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223062115/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/news0.html|archive-date=February 23, 2015}}</ref> both later re-worked with [[Sharon Robinson (songwriter)|Sharon Robinson]] for the 2001 album ''[[Ten New Songs]]''.<ref name="Nadelafterword">{{cite book|last=Nadel|first=Ira Bruce|title=Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen|year=2007|publisher=Random House|location=Toronto|chapter=Afterword|isbn=978-0-292-71732-9}}</ref>

Although there was a public impression that Cohen would not resume recording or publishing, he returned to Los Angeles in May 1999. He began to contribute regularly to The Leonard Cohen Files fan website, emailing new poems and drawings from ''Book of Longing'' and early versions of new songs, like "A Thousand Kisses Deep" in September 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/kisses.html|title=A Thousand Kisses Deep|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027162511/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/kisses.html|archive-date=October 27, 2014}}</ref> and [[Anjani]] Thomas's story sent on May 6, 1999, the day they were recording "Villanelle for our Time"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/anjani.html|title=Anjani Thomas|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|date=May 18, 1999|access-date=February 21, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125031122/http://leonardcohenfiles.com/anjani.html|archive-date=November 25, 2010}}</ref> (released on 2004's ''[[Dear Heather]]'' album). The section of The Leonard Cohen Files with Cohen's online writings has been titled "The Blackening Pages".<ref name="The Blackening Pages" />

=== 2000s ===

==== Post-monastery records ====
After two years of production, Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of ''[[Ten New Songs]]'', featuring a major influence from producer and co-composer [[Sharon Robinson (songwriter)|Sharon Robinson]]. The album – recorded at Cohen's and Robinson's home studios, Still Life Studios<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/label/340810-Still-Life-Studios|title=Still Life Studios|work=[[Discogs]]|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030033834/http://www.discogs.com/label/340810-Still-Life-Studios|archive-date=October 30, 2014}}</ref> – includes the song "Alexandra Leaving", a transformation of the poem "[[The God Abandons Antony]]", by the Greek poet [[Constantine P. Cavafy]]. The album was a major hit for Cohen in Canada and Europe, and he supported it with the hit single "In My Secret Life" and accompanying video shot by [[Floria Sigismondi]]. The album won him four Canadian Juno Awards in 2002: Best Artist, Best Songwriter, Best Pop Album, and Best Video ("In My Secret Life").<ref name=Nadelafterword /> In October 2003 he was named a [[Companion of the Order of Canada]], the country's highest civilian honour.<ref name=Nadelafterword />

In October 2004, Cohen released ''[[Dear Heather]]'', largely a musical collaboration with jazz chanteuse (and romantic partner) [[Anjani]] Thomas, although Sharon Robinson returned to collaborate on three tracks (including a duet). As light as the previous album was dark, ''Dear Heather'' reflects Cohen's own change of mood – he said in a number of interviews that his depression had lifted in recent years, which he attributed to Zen Buddhism. In an interview following his induction into the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame, Cohen explained that the album was intended to be a kind of notebook or scrapbook of themes, and that a more formal record had been planned for release shortly afterwards, but that this was put on ice by his legal battles with his ex-manager.

''[[Blue Alert (album)|Blue Alert]]'', an album of songs co-written by Anjani and Cohen, was released in 2006 to positive reviews. Sung by Anjani, who according to one reviewer "... sounds like Cohen reincarnated as woman ... though Cohen doesn't sing a note on the album, his voice permeates it like smoke."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Brian D.|date=August 22, 2005|title=Up Close and Personal|url=http://www.maartenmassa.be/LCdocs/magazines/2005-08-22_Macleans.pdf|magazine=Maclean's|pages=48–49|location=Ontario|access-date=January 19, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125202541/http://www.maartenmassa.be/LCdocs/magazines/2005-08-22_Macleans.pdf|archive-date=January 25, 2016}}</ref>{{efn|The album includes a recent musical setting of Cohen's "As the mist leaves no scar", a poem originally published in ''[[The Spice-Box of Earth]]'' in 1961 and adapted by [[Phil Spector]] as "True Love Leaves No Traces" on ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'' album. ''Blue Alert'' also included Anjani's own version of "Nightingale", performed by her and Cohen on his ''Dear Heather'', as well the country song "Never Got to Love You", apparently made after an early demo version of Cohen's own 1992 song "Closing Time". During the 2010 tour, Cohen was closing his live shows with the performance of "Closing Time" that included the recitation of verses from "Never Got to Love You". The title song, "Blue Alert", and "Half the Perfect World" were covered by [[Madeleine Peyroux]] on her 2006 album ''[[Half the Perfect World]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/oct/27/jazz.shopping1|title=Madeleine Peyroux, Half the Perfect World|last=Fordham|first=John|work=The Guardian|date=October 28, 2006|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111195910/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/oct/27/jazz.shopping1|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref>}}

Before embarking on his 2008–2010 world tour, and without finishing the new album that had been in work since 2006, Cohen contributed a few tracks to other artists' albums – a new version of his own "Tower of Song" was performed by him, Anjani Thomas and [[U2]] in the 2006 tribute film ''Leonard Cohen I'm Your Man''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/movies/21leon.html|title='Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man': A Documentary Song of Praise|work=The New York Times|first=Stephen|last=Holden|date=June 21, 2006|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111203520/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/21/movies/21leon.html|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> (the video and track were included on the film's soundtrack and released as the B-side of U2's single "[[Window in the Skies]]", reaching No 1 in the [[Canadian Singles Chart]]). In 2007 he recited "[[The Sound of Silence]]" on the album ''Tribute to [[Paul Simon]]: Take Me to the Mardi Gras'' and "The Jungle Line" by [[Joni Mitchell]], accompanied by [[Herbie Hancock]] on piano, on Hancock's Grammy-winning album ''[[River: The Joni Letters]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/oct/05/jazz.shopping3|title=Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters|last=Walters|first=John|work=The Guardian|date=October 5, 2007|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111202633/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/oct/05/jazz.shopping3|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> while in 2008, he recited the poem "Since You've Asked" on the album ''Born to the Breed: A Tribute to [[Judy Collins]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9jcz/|title=Various Artists Born to the Breed: A Tribute To Judy Collins Review|first=Jon|last=Lusk|publisher=BBC|year=2008|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704144850/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9jcz/|archive-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Born To the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins – Various Artists {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/born-to-the-breed-a-tribute-to-judy-collins-mw0000796428|language=en-us|access-date=May 17, 2020|archive-date=January 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129052031/https://www.allmusic.com/album/born-to-the-breed-a-tribute-to-judy-collins-mw0000796428|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Lawsuits and financial troubles ====
In late 2005, Cohen's daughter Lorca began to suspect his longtime manager, Kelley Lynch, of financial impropriety. According to the Cohen biographer [[Sylvie Simmons]], Lynch handled Cohen's business affairs and was a close family friend.<ref name="ReferenceA">Simmons, Sylvie. I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen. NY: HarperCollins, 2012.</ref> Cohen discovered that he had unknowingly paid a credit card bill of Lynch's for $75,000, and that most of the money in his accounts was gone, including money from his retirement accounts and charitable trust funds. This had begun as early as 1996, when Lynch started selling Cohen's music publishing rights, despite the fact that Cohen had had no financial incentive to do so.<ref name="ReferenceA" />

In October 2005, Cohen sued Lynch, alleging that she had misappropriated more than US$5&nbsp;million from his retirement fund, leaving only $150,000.<ref name=sued>{{cite news|last=Glaister|first=Dan|title=Cohen stays calm as $5m disappears|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/oct/08/usa.topstories3|date=October 8, 2005|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=September 29, 2009|location=London|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829184338/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/oct/08/usa.topstories3|archive-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref><ref name="macleansbroke" /> Cohen was sued in turn by other former business associates.<ref name=sued /> The events drew media attention, including a cover feature with the headline "Devastated!" in the Canadian magazine ''[[Maclean's]]''.<ref name="macleansbroke">{{cite journal|title=Leonard Cohen Goes Broke|first1=Katherine|last1=Macklem|first2=Charlie|last2=Gillis|first3=Brian D.|last3=Johnson|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/leonard-cohen-goes-broke/|date=August 22, 2005|journal=[[Maclean's]]|postscript=,|access-date=September 19, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415105140/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/leonard-cohen-goes-broke/|archive-date=April 15, 2015}}</ref> In March 2006, Cohen won a [[civil suit]] and was awarded US$9&nbsp;million by a Los Angeles County superior court. Lynch ignored the suit and did not respond to a [[subpoena]] issued for her financial records.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060302/leonard_cohen_060302/20060302?hub=Canada|title=Leonard Cohen awarded $9&nbsp;million in civil suit|work=CTV.ca|date=March 2, 2006|access-date=February 6, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420224417/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060302/leonard_cohen_060302/20060302?hub=Canada|archive-date=April 20, 2009}}</ref> ''[[NME]]'' reported that Cohen might never be able to collect the awarded amount.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/22406|title=Leonard Cohen 'unlikely' to recover stolen millions: Funds taken by ex-manager going to be hard to recover|work=[[NME]]|date=March 3, 2006|access-date=February 6, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223111630/http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/22406|archive-date=February 23, 2009}}</ref>{{efn|In 2007, US. District Judge Lewis T. Babcock dismissed a claim by Cohen for more than US$4.5&nbsp;million against Colorado investment firm Agile Group, and in 2008 he dismissed a defamation suit that Agile Group filed against Cohen.<ref>{{cite web|title=Defamation Suit Against Songwriter Cohen Is Dropped (Update2)|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aYT7tI_tphK4&refer=canada|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=June 17, 2008|access-date=August 4, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525071247/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082|archive-date=May 25, 2010}}</ref> Cohen was under new management from April 2005.

In March 2012, Sylvie Simmons notes that Lynch was arrested in Los Angeles for "violating a permanent protective order that forbade her from contacting Leonard, which she had ignored repeatedly. On April 13, the jury found her guilty on all charges. On April 18 she was sentenced to eighteen months in prison and five years probation."<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Cohen told that court, "It gives me no pleasure to see my onetime friend shackled to a chair in a court of law, her considerable gifts bent to the services of darkness, deceit, and revenge. It is my prayer that Ms. Lynch will take refuge in the wisdom of her religion, that a spirit of understanding will convert her heart from hatred to remorse, from anger to kindness, from the deadly intoxication of revenge to the lowly practices of self-reform."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Leibovitz|first1=Liel|title=A Broken Hallelujah : Rock and Roll, Redemption, and the Life of Leonard Cohen|date=2014|publisher=[[W. W. Norton & Company]]|location=New York|isbn=978-0-393-08205-0|page=235}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/transcript/Sentencing%20Hearing%2004%2017%2012.pdf#page=7|title=Transcript from April 17, 2012 Sentencing Hearing|publisher=kelleylynchfactcheck.com|access-date=August 15, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816064307/https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/transcript/Sentencing%20Hearing%2004%2017%2012.pdf#page=7|archive-date=August 16, 2017}}</ref>

In May 2016, United States District Judge [[Stephen Victor Wilson]] ordered the dismissal of Lynch's "[[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act|RICO]]" suit against Leonard Cohen and his lawyers Robert Kory and Michelle Rice of Kory & Rice, LLP as "legally and/or factually patently frivolous."<ref name=rico>{{cite web|title=5.18.16 Order Dismissing Kelley Lynch's RICO Suit|last=Rice|first=Michelle|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/313204892/5-18-16-Order-Dismissing-Kelley-Lynch-s-RICO-Suit|date=May 18, 2016|via=[[Scribd]]|access-date=September 19, 2016|location=California|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920071202/https://www.scribd.com/doc/313204892/5-18-16-Order-Dismissing-Kelley-Lynch-s-RICO-Suit|archive-date=September 20, 2016}}</ref>

On December 6, 2016, a 16-count misdemeanor complaint against Lynch, alleging violations of the protective orders entered on behalf of Leonard Cohen and his attorneys Kory and Rice, was filed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/pleadings/SFamily%20Vio17011316540.pdf|title=Misdemeanor Complaint, People vs. Lynch|publisher=kelleylynchfactcheck.com|access-date=August 24, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824133609/https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/pleadings/SFamily%20Vio17011316540.pdf|archive-date=August 24, 2017}}</ref> At a preliminary hearing, further counts of alleged violations were added. Lynch entered a plea of not guilty to 31 counts of violating the protective orders. Lynch's pretrial hearing is scheduled for September 8, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/orders/minuteorder08012017.PDF|title=Minute Order dated August 1, 2017|publisher=kelleylynchfactcheck.com|access-date=August 24, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824093322/https://www.kelleylynchfactcheck.com/orders/minuteorder08012017.PDF|archive-date=August 24, 2017}}</ref>}} In 2012, Lynch was jailed for 18 months and given five years' probation for harassing Cohen after he dismissed her.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=April 19, 2012|title=Leonard Cohen's poetic thanks as former manager and lover is jailed for harassment|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/19/leonard-cohen-former-manager-jailed|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424142204/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/19/leonard-cohen-former-manager-jailed|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== ''Book of Longing'' ====
Cohen published a book of poetry and drawings, ''[[Book of Longing]]'', in May 2006. In March, a Toronto-based retailer offered signed copies to the first 1,500 orders placed online: all 1,500 sold within hours. The book quickly topped bestseller lists in Canada. On May 13, Cohen made his first public appearance in 13 years, at an in-store event at a bookstore in Toronto. Approximately 3,000 people arrived, causing the streets surrounding the bookstore to be closed. He sang two of his earliest and best-known songs: "So Long, Marianne" and "[[Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye]]", accompanied by the [[Barenaked Ladies]] and [[Ron Sexsmith]]. Appearing with him was Anjani, promoting her new CD along with his book.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cohen returns to limelight with bestselling book|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/cohen-returns-to-limelight-with-bestselling-book-1.588935|publisher=CBC Arts|access-date=May 19, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209003659/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/05/14/cohen-toronto.html|archive-date=December 9, 2006|url-status=live|date=May 14, 2006}}</ref>

That same year, [[Philip Glass]] composed music for ''Book of Longing''. Following a series of live performances that included Glass on keyboards, Cohen's recorded spoken text, four additional voices (soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, and bass-baritone), and other instruments, and as well as screenings of Cohen's artworks and drawings, Glass' label Orange Mountain Music released a double CD of the work, titled ''Book of Longing. A Song Cycle based on the Poetry and Artwork of Leonard Cohen''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/glassCD.html|title=Book of Longing – Philip Glass and Leonard Cohen collaboration|publisher=Leonardcohenfiles.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010225705/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/glassCD.html|archive-date=October 10, 2014}}</ref>

=== 2008–2010 World Tour ===

==== 2008 tour ====
{{Main|Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010}}
To recoup the money his ex-manager had stolen, Cohen embarked on his first world tour in 15 years. He said that being "forced to go back on the road to repair the fortunes of my family and myself ... [was] a most fortunate happenstance because I was able to connect... with living musicians. And I think it warmed some part of my heart that had taken on a chill."<ref name=":0" /> [[File:Leonard Cohen at Edinburgh Castle.jpg|thumb|Cohen at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008]]
[[File:Leonard Cohen.jpg|thumb|Cohen at Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, July 2008]]
[[File:Leonard Cohen 2008.jpg|thumb|upright|2008 concert tour]]
The tour began on May 11 in [[Fredericton]], New Brunswick, and was extended until late 2010. The schedule of the first leg in mid-2008 encompassed Canada and Europe, including performances at [[The Big Chill (music festival)|The Big Chill]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/35054|title=Leonard Cohen reveals details of world tour|work=NME|date=March 11, 2008|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728053800/http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/35054|archive-date=July 28, 2009}}</ref> the Montreal Jazz Festival, and on the Pyramid Stage at the 2008 [[Glastonbury Festival]] on June 29, 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_7234000/7234884.stm|title=Glastonbury headliners revealed|work=BBC News|date=February 8, 2008|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728133447/http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_7234000/7234884.stm|archive-date=July 28, 2011}}</ref> His performance at Glastonbury was hailed by many as the highlight of the festival,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2008/artists/leonardcohen/?comment=response|title=Glastonbury 2008 – Leonard Cohen|publisher=BBC|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216075745/http://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2008/artists/leonardcohen/?comment=response|archive-date=December 16, 2008}}</ref> and his performance of "Hallelujah" as the sun set received a rapturous reception and a lengthy ovation from a packed Pyramid Stage field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/37738|title=Glastonbury says 'Hallelujah' to Leonard Cohen|work=NME|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418134421/http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/37738|archive-date=April 18, 2010|date=June 29, 2008}}</ref> He also played two shows in London's [[The O2 Arena|O2 Arena]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jrjoqd2YDM|title=YouTube|via=YouTube|access-date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=May 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502084430/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jrjoqd2YDM&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Dublin, Cohen was the first performer to play an open-air concert at [[IMMA]] ([[Royal Hospital Kilmainham]]) ground, performing there on June 13, 14 and 15, 2008. In 2009, the performances were awarded Ireland's [[Meteor Music Awards|Meteor Music Award]] as the best international performance of the year.

In September, October and November 2008, Cohen toured Europe, including stops in Austria, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Italy, Germany, France and Scandinavia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uncut |date=2008-08-15 |title=Leonard Cohen Adds New UK Show Date |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/news/leonard-cohen-adds-new-uk-show-date-46099/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=UNCUT |language=en-GB}}</ref> In March 2009, Cohen released [[Live in London (Leonard Cohen album)|''Live in London'']], recorded in July 2008 at London's O2 Arena and released on DVD and as a two-CD set. The album contains 25 songs and is more than two and one-half hours long. It was the first official DVD in Cohen's recording career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-london-mw0000811976|title=Live in London|first=Mark|last=Deming|website=AllMusic|year=2009|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118201825/http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-london-mw0000811976|archive-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

==== 2009 tour ====
[[File:Leonard Cohen - McLarenvale, South Australia - January 2009 - 12.jpg|thumb|Cohen in McLaren Vale, South Australia, January 2009]]
The third leg of Cohen's World Tour 2008–2009 encompassed New Zealand and Australia from January 20 to February 10, 2009. In January 2009, The Pacific Tour first came to New Zealand, where the audience of 12,000 responded with five standing ovations.{{efn|Simon Sweetman in The [[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|Dominion Post]] (Wellington) of January 21 wrote "It is hard work having to put this concert in to words so I'll just say something I have never said in a review before and will never say again: this was the best show I have ever seen."The [[Sydney Entertainment Centre]] show on January 28 sold out rapidly, which motivated promoters to announce a second show at the venue. The first performance was well-received, and the audience of 12,000 responded with five standing ovations. In response to hearing about the devastation to the Yarra Valley region of Victoria in Australia, Cohen donated $200,000 to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal in support of those affected by the extensive [[Black Saturday bushfires]] that razed the area just weeks after his performance at the Rochford Winery in the ''A Day on the Green'' concert.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/10/leonard-cohen-australian-bushfire-donation|title=Leonard Cohen donates £90,000 to Australian bushfire victims|work=The Guardian|location=London|first=Rosie|last=Swash|date=February 10, 2009|access-date=May 7, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906041107/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/10/leonard-cohen-australian-bushfire-donation|archive-date=September 6, 2013}}</ref> Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper reported: "Tour promoter Frontier Touring said $200,000 would be donated on behalf of Cohen, fellow performer [[Paul Kelly (Australian musician)|Paul Kelly]] and Frontier to aid victims of the bushfires."<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen donates concert profits to bushfire relief fund|work=[[Herald Sun]]|date=February 11, 2009|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25037004-5012974,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214170438/http://news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0%2C21985%2C25037004-5012974%2C00.html|archive-date=February 14, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}

On February 19, 2009, Cohen played his first American concert in 15 years at the [[Beacon Theatre (New York City)|Beacon Theatre]] in New York City.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Leonard Cohen Dazzles at New York Tour Warm-Up|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269375/leonard-cohen-dazzles-at-new-york-tour-warm-up|access-date=February 20, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915155202/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269375/leonard-cohen-dazzles-at-new-york-tour-warm-up|archive-date=September 15, 2014}}</ref> The show, showcased as the special performance for fans, Leonard Cohen Forum members and press, was the only show in the whole three-year tour that was broadcast on the radio (NPR) and available as a free podcast.

The North American Tour of 2009 opened on April 1, and included the performance at the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] on Friday, April 17, 2009, in front of one of the largest outdoor theatre crowds in the history of the festival. His performance of ''Hallelujah'' was widely regarded as one of the highlights of the festival, thus repeating the major success of the 2008 Glastonbury appearance.

In July 2009, Cohen started his marathon European tour, his third in two years. The itinerary mostly included sport arenas and open air Summer festivals in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Ireland (the show at [[The O2 (Dublin)|O2]] in Dublin won him the second [[Meteor Music Awards|Meteor Music Award]] in a row), but also performances in Serbia in the [[Belgrade Arena]], in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Turkey, and again in Romania.

On September 18, 2009, on the stage at a concert in [[Valencia, Spain|Valencia]], Spain, Cohen suddenly fainted halfway through performing his song "Bird on the Wire", the fourth in the two-act set list; Cohen was brought down backstage by his band members and then admitted to local hospital, while the concert was suspended.<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen OK after fainting on stage|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/leonard-cohen-ok-after-fainting-on-stage-1.801127|date=September 19, 2009|publisher=CBC News|access-date=September 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922214346/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/09/19/cohen-collapse.html|archive-date=September 22, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> It was reported that Cohen had stomach problems, and possibly food poisoning.<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen collapses on stage|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8264447.stm|date=September 19, 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=September 19, 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923112651/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8264447.stm|archive-date=September 23, 2009}}</ref> Three days later, on September 21, his 75th birthday, he performed in Barcelona. The show, last in Europe in 2009 and rumoured to be the last European concert ever, attracted many international fans, who lit the green candles honouring Cohen's birthday, leading Cohen to give a special speech of thanks for the fans and the Leonard Cohen Forum.

The last concert of this leg was held in [[Tel Aviv]], Israel, on September 24 at [[Ramat Gan Stadium]]. The event was surrounded by public discussion due to a cultural boycott of Israel proposed by a number of musicians.<ref name="jpost.com">{{Cite web |last=Kliger |first=Rachelle  |date=2009-07-13 |title=Leonard Cohen's Ramallah gig called off |url=https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/leonard-cohens-ramallah-gig-called-off |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}</ref> Nevertheless, tickets for the Tel Aviv concert, Cohen's first performance in Israel since 1980, sold out in less than 24 hours.<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen's blessed summer finale|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=September 26, 2009|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1253820682564&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull|access-date=September 26, 2009}}{{dead link|date=November 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> It was announced that the proceeds from the sale of the 47,000 tickets would go into a charitable fund in partnership with [[Amnesty International]] and would be used by Israeli and Palestinian peace groups;<ref>{{cite news|title=Haaretz on proceeds from Tel Aviv concert|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/leonard-cohen-s-tel-aviv-concert-sells-out-in-a-day-1.281246|date=August 2, 2009|access-date=July 15, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025115030/http://www.haaretz.com/news/leonard-cohen-s-tel-aviv-concert-sells-out-in-a-day-1.281246|archive-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref> however, Amnesty later withdrew.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bronner |first=Ethan |date=2009-09-23 |title=Leonard Cohen's Legacy for His Concert in Israel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/arts/music/24cohen.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231111150631/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/arts/music/24cohen.html |archive-date=2023-11-11 |access-date=2024-08-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>{{efn|Amnesty International withdrew from any involvement with the concert and its proceeds.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amnesty International and the Leonard Cohen Fund for Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace|work=Public document|format=PDF|publisher=[[Amnesty International]]|date=August 17, 2009|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/025/2009/en/|access-date=February 20, 2012|archive-date=November 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122052421/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/025/2009/en/|url-status=live}}</ref> Amnesty International later stated that its withdrawal was not due to the boycott but "the lack of support from Israeli and Palestinian NGOs."<ref name=JerusalemPost>{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Elan|title=Amnesty yanks support for Cohen's peace concert|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Amnesty-yanks-support-for-Cohens-peace-concert|access-date=January 19, 2016|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=August 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125202541/http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Amnesty-yanks-support-for-Cohens-peace-concert|archive-date=January 25, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel]] (PACBI) led the call for the boycott, claiming that Cohen was "intent on whitewashing Israel's colonial apartheid regime by performing in Israel."<ref name="Kliger">{{cite news|last=Kliger|first=Rachelle|title=Leonard Cohen's Ramallah gig called off|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=July 13, 2009|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443798463&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull|access-date=February 20, 2012}}{{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>}} Cohen was scheduled to perform in [[Ramallah]] two days later, but the organizers cancelled the show due to criticism of Palestinian activists. The [[Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel|PACBI]] stated that: "Ramallah will not receive Cohen as long as he is intent on whitewashing Israel's colonial apartheid regime by performing in Israel".<ref name="jpost.com"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Shabi |first=Rachel |date=2009-07-14 |title=West Bank cancels Leonard Cohen concert in protest against Israel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jul/14/leonard-cohen-ramallah-gig-cancelled |access-date=2024-08-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

The sixth leg of the 2008–2009 world tour went again to the US, with 15 shows. The 2009 world tour earned a reported $9.5&nbsp;million, putting Cohen at number 39 on ''Billboard'' magazine's list of the year's top musical "money makers".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Music's Top 40 Money Makers|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/959249/money-makers-page-1|date=February 26, 2010|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 1, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224192933/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/959249/money-makers-page-1|archive-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref>

On September 14, 2010, Sony Music released a live CD/DVD album, ''Songs from the Road'', showcasing Cohen's 2008 and 2009 live performances. The previous year, Cohen's performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Music Festival [[Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 (Leonard Cohen album)|was released as a CD/DVD combo]].

==== 2010 tour ====
Officially billed as the "World Tour 2010", the tour started on July 25, 2010, in [[Arena Zagreb]], Croatia, and continued with stops in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia, and Ireland, where on July 31, 2010, Cohen performed at [[Lissadell House]] in County Sligo. It was Cohen's eighth Irish concert in just two years after a hiatus of more than 20 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lissadellhouse.com/cohen.html|title=Leonard Cohen at Lissadell House|publisher=Lissadellhouse.com|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125041409/http://www.lissadellhouse.com/cohen.html|archive-date=November 25, 2010}}</ref> On August 12, Cohen played the 200th show of the tour in [[Scandinavium]], [[Gothenburg]], Sweden.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} The third leg of the 2010 tour started on October 28 in New Zealand and continued in Australia.

=== 2010s ===
[[File:Leonard Cohen 2 2013 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Cohen at King's Garden, Odense, Denmark, August 17, 2013]]
In 2011, Cohen's poetical output was represented in Everyman's Library Pocket Poets, in a selection ''Poems and Songs'' edited by Robert Faggen. The collection included a selection from all Cohen's books, based on his 1993 books of selected works, ''Stranger Music'', and as well from ''Book of Longing'', with addition of six new song lyrics. Nevertheless, three of those songs, "A Street", recited in 2006, "Feels So Good", performed live in 2009 and 2010, and "Born in Chains", performed live in 2010, were not released on Cohen's 2012 album ''[[Old Ideas]]'', with him being unhappy with the versions of the songs in the last moment; the song "Lullaby", as presented in the book and performed live in 2009, was completely re-recorded for the album, presenting new lyrics on the same melody.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

A biography, ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen'', written by Sylvie Simmons, was published in October 2012. The book is the second major biography of Cohen (Ira Nadel's 1997 biography ''Various Positions'' was the first).<ref>Simmons, Sylvie. ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen'', Ecco (2013)</ref>

==== ''Old Ideas'' ====
Leonard Cohen's 12th studio album, ''[[Old Ideas]]'', was released worldwide on January 31, 2012, and it soon became the highest-charting album of his entire career, reaching No. 1 positions in Canada, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Croatia, New Zealand, and top ten positions in United States, Australia, France, Portugal, UK, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland, competing for number one position with [[Lana Del Rey]]'s debut album ''[[Born to Die (Lana Del Rey album)|Born to Die]]'', released the same day.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/lana-del-rey-debuts-at-no-2-adele-holds-1006123152.story|title=Lana Del Rey Debuts at No. 2, Adele Holds No. 1 on Billboard 200|date=February 8, 2012|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115084251/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/lana-del-rey-debuts-at-no-2-adele-holds-1006123152.story|archive-date=January 15, 2013}}</ref>

The lyrics for the song "Going Home" were published as a poem in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' magazine in January 2012, prior to the record's release.<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen's "Going Home"|work=Culture Desk|date=January 16, 2012|url=https://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/01/leonard-cohens-going-home-new-song.html|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302035027/http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/01/leonard-cohens-going-home-new-song.html|archive-date=March 2, 2012}}</ref> The entire album was streamed online by [[NPR]] on January 22<ref>{{cite news|author=Powers, Ann|title=First Listen: Leonard Cohen, 'Old Ideas'|url=https://www.npr.org/2012/01/22/145340430/first-listen-leonard-cohen-old-ideas|publisher=[[NPR]]|date=January 22, 2012|access-date=January 24, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124043334/http://www.npr.org/2012/01/22/145340430/first-listen-leonard-cohen-old-ideas|archive-date=January 24, 2012}}</ref> and on January 23 by ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas: exclusive album stream|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/jan/23/leonard-cohen-old-ideas-stream|work=The Guardian|date=January 23, 2012|access-date=January 24, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223193354/http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/jan/23/leonard-cohen-old-ideas-stream|archive-date=December 23, 2013}}</ref>

The album received uniformly positive reviews from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Joe|last=Levy|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/old-ideas-20120126|title=Old Ideas &#124; Album Reviews|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=January 26, 2012|access-date=May 7, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429022728/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/old-ideas-20120126|archive-date=April 29, 2012}}</ref> the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|title=Album review: Leonard Cohen, 'Old Ideas'|work=Chicago Tribune|date=January 24, 2012|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/01/24/album-review-leonard-cohen-old-ideas/|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218181640/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-24/entertainment/chi-leonard-cohen-album-review-old-ideas-reviewed-20120124_1_leonard-cohen-album-review-12th-studio-album|archive-date=February 18, 2012}}</ref> and ''[[The Guardian]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Costa|first=Maddy|title=Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas – review|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=January 26, 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/26/leonard-cohen-old-ideas-review?newsfeed=true|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809035302/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/26/leonard-cohen-old-ideas-review?newsfeed=true|archive-date=August 9, 2014}}</ref> At a record release party for the album in January 2012, Cohen spoke with ''[[The New York Times]]'' reporter [[Jon Pareles]] who states that "mortality was very much on his mind and in his songs [on this album]." Pareles goes to characterize the album as "an autumnal album, musing on memories and final reckonings, but it also has a gleam in its eye. It grapples once again with topics Mr. Cohen has pondered throughout his career: love, desire, faith, betrayal, redemption. Some of the diction is biblical; some is drily sardonic."<ref>{{cite news|last=Pareles|first=Jon|title=Final Reckonings, a Tuneful Fedora and Forgiveness|work=The New York Times|date=January 29, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/arts/music/leonard-cohen-reckons-with-god-in-old-ideas.html|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202194420/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/arts/music/leonard-cohen-reckons-with-god-in-old-ideas.html|archive-date=February 2, 2012}}</ref>

==== 2012–2013 World Tour ====
[[File:Leonard Cohen 1 2013.jpg|thumb|Cohen in 2013]]
On August 12, 2012, Cohen embarked on a new European tour in support of ''Old Ideas'', adding a violinist to his 2008–2010 tour band, now nicknamed Unified Heart Touring Band, and following the same three-hour set list structure as in 2008–2012 tour, with the addition of a number of songs from ''Old Ideas''. The European leg ended on October 7, 2012, after concerts in Belgium, Ireland (Royal Hospital), France (Olympia in Paris), England (Wembley Arena in London), Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy (Arena in Verona), Croatia ([[Pula Arena|Arena in Pula]]), Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Romania and Turkey.<ref>[https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/tour2012-index.html "World Tour 2013"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117154837/http://leonardcohenfiles.com/tour2012-index.html|date=November 17, 2016}}, Leonard Cohen Files</ref>

The second leg of the Old Ideas World Tour took place in the US and Canada in November and December, with 56 shows altogether on both legs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/46386-leonard-cohen-announces-north-american-tour/|title=Leonard Cohen Announces North American Tour|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|date=May 3, 2012|access-date=April 1, 2013|author=Pelly, Jenn|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414034957/http://pitchfork.com/news/46386-leonard-cohen-announces-north-american-tour/|archive-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>

Cohen returned to North America in the spring of 2013 with concerts in the United States and Canada. A summer tour of Europe happened shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/49088-leonard-cohen-plans-north-american-tour/|title=Leonard Cohen Plans North American Tour|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|date=January 9, 2013|access-date=April 1, 2013|author=Battan, Carrie|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326060904/http://pitchfork.com/news/49088-leonard-cohen-plans-north-american-tour/|archive-date=March 26, 2013}}</ref>

Cohen then toured Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2013. His final concert was performed at the [[Vector Arena]] in Auckland.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-leonard-cohen-covers-drifters-at-possible-final-show-20151006|title=Flashback: Leonard Cohen Plays Final Encore at Last Concert|first=Andy|last=Greene|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 6, 2015|access-date=November 10, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111191640/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-leonard-cohen-covers-drifters-at-possible-final-show-20151006|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2016/11/11/legendary-singer-leonard-cohen-dies.html|title=Legendary singer Leonard Cohen dies|publisher=Sky News|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111191222/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2016/11/11/legendary-singer-leonard-cohen-dies.html|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref>

==== ''Popular Problems'' and ''You Want It Darker'' ====
Cohen released his 13th album, ''[[Popular Problems]]'', on September 24, 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/6221823/leonard-cohen-new-album-popular-problems|title=Leonard Cohen Releasing New Album 'Popular Problems' Two Days After 80th Birthday|magazine=Billboard|date=August 19, 2014|access-date=August 21, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822045015/http://www.billboard.com/articles/6221823/leonard-cohen-new-album-popular-problems|archive-date=August 22, 2014}}</ref> The album includes "A Street", which he had previously recited in 2006, during promotion of his book of poetry [[Book of Longing]], and later printed twice, as "A Street" in the March 2, 2009, issue of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' magazine,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/02/a-street|title=A Street by Leonard Cohen|magazine=The New Yorker|date=March 2, 2009|access-date=September 24, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009092505/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/02/a-street|archive-date=October 9, 2014}}</ref> and appeared as "Party's Over" in Everyman's Library edition of ''Poems and Songs'' in 2011.

Cohen's 14th and final album, ''[[You Want It Darker]]'', was released on October 21, 2016.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Greene|first1=Andy|title=Hear Leonard Cohen's Mesmerizing New Song 'You Want It Darker'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-leonard-cohens-hypnotic-new-song-you-want-it-darker-w441274|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 23, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923012157/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-leonard-cohens-hypnotic-new-song-you-want-it-darker-w441274|archive-date=September 23, 2016|date=September 21, 2016}}</ref> Cohen's son [[Adam Cohen (musician)|Adam Cohen]] has a production credit on the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/dd15903e-0ee7-45ec-aba1-2fc7b3a44e19|title=You Want It Darker|access-date=May 22, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114233813/https://musicbrainz.org/release/dd15903e-0ee7-45ec-aba1-2fc7b3a44e19|archive-date=November 14, 2016}}</ref> On February 23, 2017, Cohen's son and his final album collaborator Sammy Slabbinck released a special, posthumous tribute video set to the album track "Traveling Light", featuring never before seen archival footage of Cohen from his career.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-leonard-cohens-chilling-traveling-light-video-w468500|title=Leonard Cohen's Son, Collaborator Unveil 'Traveling Light' Video|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=March 7, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308144815/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-leonard-cohens-chilling-traveling-light-video-w468500|archive-date=March 8, 2017}}</ref> The title track was awarded a [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance]] in January 2018.

==== ''Thanks for the Dance'' and other posthumous releases ====
Before his death, Cohen had begun working on a new album with his son [[Adam Cohen (musician)|Adam]], a musician and singer-songwriter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/28/leonard-cohens-son-announces-plans-posthumous-album-fathers/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/28/leonard-cohens-son-announces-plans-posthumous-album-fathers/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Leonard Cohen's son announces plans for posthumous album of his father's unfinished work|last=Alexander|first=Harriet|date=September 28, 2018|work=The Telegraph|access-date=November 19, 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The album, titled ''[[Thanks for the Dance]]'', was released on November 22, 2019.<ref name="dancep4k">{{cite web|last1=Monroe|first1=Jazz|title=New Leonard Cohen Album Thanks for the Dance Announced: Listen to "The Goal"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/new-leonard-cohen-album-thanks-for-the-dance-announced-listen-to-the-goal/|website=Pitchfork|date=September 20, 2019|access-date=September 20, 2019|language=en|archive-date=September 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920140521/https://pitchfork.com/news/new-leonard-cohen-album-thanks-for-the-dance-announced-listen-to-the-goal/|url-status=live}}</ref> One posthumous track, "Necropsy of Love", appeared on the 2018 compilation album ''[[The Al Purdy Songbook]]'' and another track named "The Goal" was also published on September 20, 2019, on Leonard Cohen's official YouTube channel.<ref>[https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/al-purdy-songbook/ "Canadian poet Al Purdy inspires songs by Jason Collett, Sarah Harmer and more"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203084800/https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/al-purdy-songbook/ |date=February 3, 2019 }}. ''[[Now (newspaper)|Now]]'', January 22, 2019.</ref>

== Cultural impact and themes ==
{{quote box
| title="Epic and Enigmatic Songwriter"
| quote = {{nbsp|5}}Over a musical career that spanned nearly five decades, Mr. Cohen wrote songs that addressed—in spare language that could be both oblique and telling—themes of love and faith, despair and exaltation, solitude and connection, war and politics.<ref name=NYTimes_20161110>{{cite news |last1=Rohter |first1=Larry |title=Leonard Cohen, Epic and Enigmatic Songwriter, Is Dead at 82 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/obituaries/leonard-cohen-dies.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703132441/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/obituaries/leonard-cohen-dies.html |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
{{nbsp|5}}It's inevitable that Mr. Cohen will be remembered above all for his lyrics. They are terse and acrobatic, scriptural and bawdy, vividly descriptive and enduringly ambiguous, never far from either a riddle or a punch line.<ref name=NYTimes_20161111>{{cite news |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |title=An Appraisal: Leonard Cohen, Master of Meanings and Incantatory Verse |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/arts/music/leonard-cohen-songwriting-appraisal.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620030105/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/arts/music/leonard-cohen-songwriting-appraisal.html |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| source = ''The New York Times'':{{nbsp|8}}<br>Obituary, Nov. 10, 2016, and<br />
"An Appraisal", Nov. 11, 2016
| align = right | width = 35% | border = 1px | fontsize = 100% | bgcolor = #fafafa | title_bg = #fafafa | title_fnt = #202060 | qalign = left | salign = right
}}
Writing for [[AllMusic]], critic Bruce Eder assessed Cohen's overall career in popular music by asserting that "[he is] one of the most fascinating and enigmatic&nbsp;... singer-songwriters of the late '60s&nbsp;... Second only to [[Bob Dylan]] (and perhaps [[Paul Simon]]), he commands the attention of critics and younger musicians more firmly than any other musical figure from the 1960s who continued to work in the 21st century."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/leonard-cohen-mn0000071209/biography|title=Eder, Bruce. "Leonard Cohen: Biography." AllMusic by Rovi|website=AllMusic|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013220758/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/leonard-cohen-mn0000071209/biography|archive-date=October 13, 2014}}</ref> The [[Academy of American Poets]] commented more broadly, stating that "Cohen's successful blending of poetry, fiction, and music is made most clear in ''[[Stranger Music]]: Selected Poems and Songs'', published in 1993 ... while it may seem to some that Leonard Cohen departed from the literary in pursuit of the musical, his fans continue to embrace him as a [[Polymath|Renaissance man]] who straddles the elusive artistic borderlines."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5811|title=Leonard Cohen: Poet, Novelist, Musician|publisher=Poets.org|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407233749/http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5811|archive-date=April 7, 2014}}</ref> Bob Dylan was an admirer, describing Cohen as the 'number one' songwriter of their time (Dylan described himself as 'number zero'):<blockquote>When people talk about Leonard, they fail to mention his melodies, which to me, along with his lyrics, are his greatest genius. ... Even the counterpoint lines – they give a celestial character & melodic lift to his songs. ... no one else comes close to this in modern music. ... I like all of Leonard's songs, early or late. ... they make you think & feel. I like some of his later songs even better than his early ones. Yet there's a simplicity to his early ones that I like, too. ... He's very much a descendant of [[Irving Berlin]]. ... Both of them just hear melodies that most of us can only strive for. ... Both Leonard & Berlin are incredibly crafty. Leonard particularly uses chord progressions that are classical in shape. He is a much more savvy musician than you'd think.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date= October 17, 2016|title= Leonard Cohen makes it darker|author=[[David Remnick]]}}</ref></blockquote>Themes of political and social justice also recur in Cohen's work, especially in later albums. In "[[Democracy (Leonard Cohen song)|Democracy]]", he both acknowledges political problems and celebrates {{Citation needed|reason= He seems to be merely enumerating "causes" and differing points of view throughout the song|date=May 2018}} the hopes of reformers: "from the wars against disorder/ from the sirens night and day/ from the fires of the homeless/ from the ashes of the gay/ Democracy is coming to the USA."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/music/futureten-new-songs/democracy|title=Democracy lyrics on the Official Leonard Cohen Site|access-date=April 13, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414194110/http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/music/futureten-new-songs/democracy|archive-date=April 14, 2014}}</ref> He made the observation in "Tower of Song" that "the rich have got their channels in the bedrooms of the poor/ And there's a mighty judgment coming." In the title track of ''The Future'' he recasts this prophecy on a pacifist note: "I've seen the nations rise and fall/ ... / But love's the only engine of survival." In that same song he comments on current topics (abortion, anal sex and the use of drugs): "Give me crack and anal sex. Take the only tree that's left and stuff it up the hole in your culture", "Destroy another fetus now, we don't like children anyhow".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Leonard-cohen-the-future-lyrics|title=Leonard Cohen – the Future|access-date=May 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526041410/https://genius.com/Leonard-cohen-the-future-lyrics|archive-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/future.html|title=Analysis|access-date=May 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203063930/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/future.html|archive-date=December 3, 2017}}</ref> In "Anthem", he promises that "the killers in high places [who] say their prayers out loud/ [are] gonna hear from me."

War is an enduring theme of Cohen's work that—in his earlier songs and early life—he approached ambivalently. Challenged in 1974 over his serious demeanor in concerts and the military salutes he ended them with, Cohen remarked, "I sing serious songs, and I'm serious onstage because I couldn't do it any other way ... I don't consider myself a civilian. I consider myself a soldier, and that's the way soldiers salute."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/spain1.htm|title=1974 Interview from 'Leonard Cohen' by Manzano|publisher=Webheights.net|date=October 12, 1974|access-date=July 26, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222225302/http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/spain1.htm|archive-date=February 22, 2013}}</ref>

{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|bgcolor = fafafa|quote=It ''is'' a beautiful thing for us to be so deeply interested in each other. You have to write about something. Women stand for the objective world for a man, and they stand for the thing that you're not. And that's what you always reach for in a song.|source= —Leonard Cohen, 1979<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9IBYsBPuA|title=Leonard Cohen 'Lover Lover Lover', 1979 tour|last=AmericaSings|date=November 12, 2016|via=YouTube|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720031218/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9IBYsBPuA|archive-date=July 20, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}

Deeply moved by encounters with Israeli and Arab soldiers, he left the country to write "[[Lover Lover Lover]]". This song has been interpreted as a personal renunciation of armed conflict, and ends with the hope his song will serve a listener as "a shield against the enemy". He would later remark, {{"'}}Lover, Lover, Lover' was born over there; the whole world has its eyes riveted on this tragic and complex conflict. Then again, I am faithful to certain ideas, inevitably. I hope that those of which I am in favour will gain."<ref>(2001) [http://www.leonardcohensite.com/10newsongs/express.htm "Cohen: ''Lover Lover Lover est né là-bas... Le monde entier a les yeux rivés sur ce conflit tragique et complexe. Alors, je suis fidèle à certaines idées, forcément. J'espère que ceux don't je suis partisan vont gagner..''"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630055256/http://www.leonardcohensite.com/10newsongs/express.htm|date=June 30, 2007}} ''L'Express, France, October 4, 2001''</ref> Asked which side he supported in the Arab-Israeli conflict, Cohen responded, "I don't want to speak of wars or sides ... Personal process is one thing, it's blood, it's the identification one feels with their roots and their origins. The militarism I practice as a person and a writer is another thing. ... I don't wish to speak about war."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/spain1.htm|title=1974 Interview from 'Leonard Cohen' by Manzano|publisher=Webheights.net|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222225302/http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/spain1.htm|archive-date=February 22, 2013}}</ref>

In 1991, playwright [[Bryden MacDonald]] launched ''Sincerely, A Friend'', a musical revue based on Cohen's music.<ref name=columbia>Gabrielle H. Cody and Evert Sprinchorn, ''The Columbia encyclopedia of modern drama: M-Z, Volume 2'' (p. 843). [[Columbia University Press]], 2007. {{ISBN|978-0-231-14424-7}}.</ref>

Cohen is mentioned in the [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] song "[[Pennyroyal Tea]]" from the band's 1993 release, ''[[In Utero (album)|In Utero]]''. [[Kurt Cobain]] wrote, "Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld/So I can sigh eternally." Cohen, after Cobain's suicide, was quoted as saying "I'm sorry I couldn't have spoken to the young man. I see a lot of people at the Zen Centre, who have gone through drugs and found a way out that is not just Sunday school. There are always alternatives, and I might have been able to lay something on him."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/17/2 |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Tim |last=de Lisle |title=Who held a gun to Leonard Cohen's head? |date=September 17, 2004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202020518/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/17/2 |archive-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> He is also mentioned in the lyrics of songs by Lloyd Cole & The Commotions,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858664478/|title=Lloyd Cole & the Commotions – Speedboat Lyrics|date=February 4, 2017 |access-date=June 28, 2019|archive-date=June 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628172910/https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858664478/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mercury Rev]] and [[Marillion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/mercury-rev-all-is-dream|title=Mercury Rev – All Is Dream|work=musicOMH|date=August 27, 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112150309/http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/mercury-rev-all-is-dream|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marillion.com/music/lyric.htm?id=822|title=Montreal|publisher=[[Marillion]]|access-date=August 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006043618/http://www.marillion.com/music/lyric.htm?id=822|archive-date=October 6, 2015}}</ref>

Cohen was one of the inspirations for [[Matt Bissonnette (director)|Matt Bissonnette]] and Steven Clark's 2002 film ''[[Looking for Leonard]]''. Centred on a group of small-time criminals in Montreal, one of the film's characters idolizes Cohen as a symbol of her dreams for a better life, obsessively rereading his writings and rewatching ''Ladies and Gentlemen''.<ref>[[Geoff Pevere]], "Leonard Cohen inspires movie with pauses that refresh". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 29, 2002.</ref> Bissonnette followed up in 2020 with ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (film)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'', a film that uses seven Cohen songs in its soundtrack to illuminate key themes in the film's screenplay.<ref>Brad Wheeler, "What would Leonard Cohen say?" ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 12, 2021.</ref>

The Leonard Cohen song "[[So Long, Marianne]]" is the title of the season 4, episode 9 episode of ''[[This Is Us]]''. The song is played and its meaning is discussed as an important plot point of the episode.

In April 2022, author and journalist [[Matti Friedman]] published ''Who By Fire: War, Atonement, and the Resurrection of Leonard Cohen'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Friedman |first=Matti |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1286840619 |title=Who by fire : war, atonement, and the resurrection of Leonard Cohen |date=2022 |isbn=978-0-7710-9626-6 |location=Toronto, Ontario |oclc=1286840619}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Friedman |first1=Matti |title=How a war brought Leonard Cohen back to life |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-how-war-brought-leonard-cohen-back-to-life/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=January 4, 2023 |date=March 26, 2022 |quote=Matti Friedman's latest book is Who by Fire: War, Atonement, and the Resurrection of Leonard Cohen. |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104214909/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-how-war-brought-leonard-cohen-back-to-life/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the story of Leonard Cohen's 1973 tour to the front lines of the Yom Kippur War.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 4, 2022 |title=Leonard Cohen's Songs of the Yom Kippur War |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/leonard-cohen-songs-yom-kippur-war |access-date=May 9, 2022 |website=Tablet Magazine |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510122014/https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/leonard-cohen-songs-yom-kippur-war |url-status=live }}</ref> TV miniseries by [[Yehonatan Indursky]] based on the book was expected in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spiro |first1=Amy |title=Leonard Cohen's Yom Kippur War trip to Israel gets dramatic adaptation |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/leonard-cohens-yom-kippur-war-trip-to-israel-to-hit-screens-in-dramatic-adaptation/ |website=www.timesofisrael.com |access-date=3 September 2023 |archive-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818235331/https://www.timesofisrael.com/leonard-cohens-yom-kippur-war-trip-to-israel-to-hit-screens-in-dramatic-adaptation/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Susan Cain]], author of ''[[Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole]]'' (2022), said that humorous references to Cohen as the "Poet Laureate of Pessimism"<ref name=PrincetonAlum_202204>{{cite magazine |last1=Spike |first1=Carlett |title=Susan Cain '89 on the Undiscovered Value of Bittersweet Thinking |url=https://paw.princeton.edu/article/susan-cain-89-undiscovered-value-bittersweet-thinking |magazine=Princeton Alumni Weekly |date=April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426034042/https://paw.princeton.edu/article/susan-cain-89-undiscovered-value-bittersweet-thinking |archive-date=April 26, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> miss the point that Cohen's life suggests that "the quest to transform pain into beauty is one of the great catalysts of artistic expression".<ref name=Lithub_20220407>{{cite web |last1=Cain |first1=Susan |title=Is There an Inherent Connection Between Sadness and Art-Making? |url=https://lithub.com/is-there-an-inherent-connection-between-sadness-and-art-making/ |website=Literary Hub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409073514/https://lithub.com/is-there-an-inherent-connection-between-sadness-and-art-making/ |archive-date=April 9, 2022 |date=April 7, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> Cain dedicated the book "In memory of Leonard Cohen", quoting lyrics from Cohen's [[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)|song "Anthem"]] (1992): "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."<ref name=BittersweetDedication_p246>{{cite book |last1=Cain |first1=Susan |title=[[Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole]] |year= 2022 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-451-49978-3 |page=246 }}</ref>

''New York Times'' critic A. O. Scott wrote that "Cohen wasn't one to offer comfort. His gift as a songwriter and performer was rather to provide commentary and companionship amid the gloom, offering a wry, openhearted perspective on the puzzles of the human condition".<ref name="NYTimes_20220630" /> Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, creators of the 2022 documentary film ''[[Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song]]'', acknowledged that Cohen was initially perceived as a "monster of gloom"; but Goldfine described Cohen as "one of the funniest guys ever" with "a very droll, dry wit",<ref name=NYTimes_20220701>{{cite news |last1=Rapold |first1=Nicolas |title=Trying to Capture the Life and Lyrics of That Wry Sage Leonard Cohen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/movies/leonard-cohen-hallelujah-documentary.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701225007/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/movies/leonard-cohen-hallelujah-documentary.html |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Geller remarking, "Almost everything (Cohen) said came out with a twinkle in his eye".<ref name=Guardian_20220629>{{cite news |last1=LeDonne |first1=Rob |title='More than a song': the enduring power of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jun/29/hallelujah-leonard-cohen-documentary |newspaper=The Guardian |date=June 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703101529/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jun/29/hallelujah-leonard-cohen-documentary |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> Long before his death, Cohen said "I feel I have a huge posthumous career in front of me".<ref name=SydneyMorningHerald_20220711>{{cite news |last1=Zuel |first1=Bernard |title=Why Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah endures 56 years since it was written |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/why-leonard-cohen-s-hallelujah-endures-56-years-since-it-was-written-20220711-p5b0mx.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=July 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715200153/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/why-leonard-cohen-s-hallelujah-endures-56-years-since-it-was-written-20220711-p5b0mx.html |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Suzanne Vega]] spoke of Leonard Cohen's admirers in a New Yorker interview, saying that knowing his work was like being part of a "secret society" among people of her generation.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker | title=Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker | magazine=[[The New Yorker]] | date=October 10, 2016 | access-date=2023-07-23 | archive-date=November 7, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107221759/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker | url-status=live }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
=== Relationships and children ===
In September 1960, Cohen bought a house on the Greek island of [[Hydra (island)|Hydra]] with $1,500 that he had inherited from his grandmother.<ref>Sylvie Simmons, 2012, ''I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen'', p. 81.</ref> Cohen lived there with [[Marianne Ihlen]], with whom he was in a relationship for most of the 1960s.<ref name="remnick">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker|title=Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker|date=October 17, 2016|access-date=November 2, 2016|magazine=The New Yorker|first=David|last=Remnick|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107221759/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/leonard-cohen-makes-it-darker|archive-date=November 7, 2016}}</ref> The song "[[So Long, Marianne]]" was written to and about her. In 2016, Ihlen died of [[leukemia]] three months and nine days before Cohen.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stang Ihlen|first=Marianne Christine|title=Leonard Cohen Muse Marianne Ihlen, of "So Long, Marianne", Passes Away|url=http://www.everythingzoomer.com/leonard-cohen-muse-marianne-ihlen-long-marianne-passes-away/|access-date=August 2, 2016|newspaper=Everything Zoomer|date=July 29, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802172824/http://www.everythingzoomer.com/leonard-cohen-muse-marianne-ihlen-long-marianne-passes-away/|archive-date=August 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>[https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/08/04/leonard-cohens-muse-marianne-ihlen-dies-at-age-81.html "Leonard Cohen's muse Marianne Ihlen dies at age 81"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819160201/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/08/04/leonard-cohens-muse-marianne-ihlen-dies-at-age-81.html|date=August 19, 2016}}. ''Toronto Star'', August 4, 2016 (printed version, August 5, 2016, page A3).</ref> His farewell letter to her was read at her funeral, often misquoted by the media and others as "... our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/08/07/leonard-cohens-letter-to-dying-muse-marianne-ihlen-is-just-beautiful-6052737/|title=Leonard Cohen's letter to dying muse Marianne Ihlen is just beautiful &#124; Metro News|website=Metro|location=UK|date=August 7, 2016|access-date=October 21, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017054241/http://metro.co.uk/2016/08/07/leonard-cohens-letter-to-dying-muse-marianne-ihlen-is-just-beautiful-6052737/|archive-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref> This widely circulated version is based on a verbal recollection by Ihlen's friend. The letter (actually an email), obtained through the Leonard Cohen estate, reads: {{blockquote|Dearest Marianne,
I'm just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand. This old body has given up, just as yours has too.
I've never forgotten your love and your beauty. But you know that. I don't have to say any more. Safe travels old friend. See you down the road. Endless love and gratitude.|author=your Leonard|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/mythmaking-social-media-and-the-truth-about-leonard-cohens-last-letter-to-marianne-ihlen-108082|title=Mythmaking, social media and the truth about Leonard Cohen's last letter to Marianne Ihlen|first1=Paul|last1=Genoni|first2=Tanya|last2=Dalziell|website=The Conversation|date=December 5, 2018|access-date=September 25, 2022|archive-date=September 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929051451/https://theconversation.com/mythmaking-social-media-and-the-truth-about-leonard-cohens-last-letter-to-marianne-ihlen-108082|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

[[File:Targa di Chelsea Hotel.jpg|thumb| Commemorative plaque (2009) at New York's [[Hotel Chelsea|Chelsea Hotel]], where Cohen had stayed in 1968 and had a relationship with Janis Joplin.<ref name="irish" /><ref name="RollingStone_20161114" />]]
In the spring of 1968, Cohen had a brief relationship with musician [[Janis Joplin]] while staying at the Chelsea Hotel, and the song of the same name references this relationship.<ref name=irish>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/leonard-cohen-the-key-songs-and-what-they-mean-1.2864114|title=Leonard Cohen: the key songs and what they mean|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|first=Brian|last=Boyd|year=2016|quote=It is a mysterious process, it involves perseverance and perspiration and sometimes, by some grace, something stands out and invites you to elaborate or animate it. These are sacred mechanics and you have to be careful analysing them as you would never write a line again. If you looked too deeply into the process you'd end up in a state of paralysis|access-date=July 2, 2022|archive-date=July 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702022823/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/leonard-cohen-the-key-songs-and-what-they-mean-1.2864114|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=RollingStone_20161114>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/how-leonard-cohen-met-janis-joplin-inside-legendary-chelsea-hotel-encounter-121067/|title=How Leonard Cohen Met Janis Joplin: Inside Legendary Chelsea Hotel Encounter|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611023110/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/how-leonard-cohen-met-janis-joplin-inside-legendary-chelsea-hotel-encounter-121067/ |archive-date=2023-06-11 |url-status=live |access-date=2023-07-23}}</ref>  Cohen also had well-known relationships with Canadian singer-songwriter [[Joni Mitchell]] and actress [[Rebecca De Mornay]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schudel |first1=Matt |title=Leonard Cohen, singer-songwriter of love, death and philosophical longing, dies at 82 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/leonard-cohen-singer-songwriter-of-love-death-and-philosophical-longing-dies-at-82/2016/11/10/1e6bf036-a779-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=20 July 2023 |archive-date=November 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161111073645/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/leonard-cohen-singer-songwriter-of-love-death-and-philosophical-longing-dies-at-82/2016/11/10/1e6bf036-a779-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 1970s, Cohen was in a relationship with artist Suzanne Elrod. She took the cover photograph for ''Live Songs'' and is pictured on the cover of the ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]''. She also inspired the "Dark Lady" of Cohen's book ''Death of a Lady's Man'' (1978), but is not the subject of one of his best-known songs, "[[Suzanne (Leonard Cohen song)|Suzanne]]", which refers to Suzanne Verdal, the former wife of a friend, the Québécois sculptor [[Armand Vaillancourt]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/verdal.html|title=The Story of Suzanne|work=BBC Radio 4 interview with Suzanne Verdal McCallister|publisher=leonardcohenfiles.com|date=June 6, 1998|access-date=November 19, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105043640/http://leonardcohenfiles.com/verdal.html|archive-date=November 5, 2010}}</ref> Cohen and Elrod separated in 1979;<ref name=TheJc2012-03-29>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-features/65878/being-leonard-cohens-son-its-not-all-hallelujahs|title=Being Leonard Cohen's son – it's not all hallelujahs|last=Grant|first=Brigit|work=[[The Jewish Chronicle]]|date=March 29, 2012|access-date=November 14, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112212940/http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-features/65878/being-leonard-cohens-son-its-not-all-hallelujahs|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref> he later stated that "cowardice" and "fear" prevented him from marrying her.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transcript of Stina Lundberg's Interview in Paris, 2001|publisher=Webheights.net|year=2001|url=http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/sl2001.htm|access-date=July 26, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112020832/http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/sl2001.htm|archive-date=January 12, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1305765,00.html|title=Who held a gun to Leonard Cohen's head?|date=September 17, 2004|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=February 6, 2010|location=London|first=Tim|last=de Lisle|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531042108/http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1305765,00.html|archive-date=May 31, 2008}}</ref> Their relationship produced two children: a son, [[Adam Cohen (musician)|Adam]] (b. 1972), and a daughter, Lorca (b. 1974), named after poet [[Federico García Lorca]]. Adam is a singer–songwriter and the lead singer of pop-rock band [[Low Millions]], while Lorca is a photographer. She shot the music video for Cohen's song "Because Of" (2004), and worked as a photographer and videographer for his 2008–10 world tour. Cohen had three grandchildren: grandson Cassius through his son Adam, and granddaughter Viva (whose father is musician [[Rufus Wainwright]]) and grandson Lyon through Lorca.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/arts/the-gloomy-grim-and-triumphant-third-act-of-leonard-cohen/|title=Leonard Cohen's third act – Macleans.ca|date=September 21, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111040202/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/arts/the-gloomy-grim-and-triumphant-third-act-of-leonard-cohen/|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/leonard-cohen-died-in-his-sleep-after-fall-manager-says/|title=Leonard Cohen died in his sleep after fall, manager says – Fox News|publisher=[[Fox News]]|date=November 16, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127085614/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/11/16/leonard-cohen-died-in-his-sleep-after-fall-manager-says.html|archive-date=November 27, 2016}}</ref>

Cohen was in a relationship with French photographer [[Dominique Issermann]] in the 1980s. They worked together on several occasions: she shot his first two music videos for the songs "[[Dance Me to the End of Love]]" and "[[First We Take Manhattan]]" and her photographs were used for the covers of his 1993 book ''Stranger Music'' and his album ''[[More Best of Leonard Cohen]]'' and for the inside booklet of ''[[I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen album)|I'm Your Man]]'' (1988), which he also dedicated to her.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cohen|first=Leonard|title=I'm Your Man|publisher=Leonardcohencroatia.com|language=hr|year=2012|url=http://www.leonardcohencroatia.com/glazba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=4&album=album8.php|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620102058/http://www.leonardcohencroatia.com/glazba/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=4&album=album8.php|archive-date=June 20, 2010}}</ref> In 2010, she was also the official photographer of his world tour.

In the 1990s, Cohen was romantically linked to actress [[Rebecca De Mornay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/priv1.htm|title=Knowing Rebecca de Mornay Like Only Leonard Cohen Can|author=Cohen, Leonard|date=June 1, 1993|access-date=November 19, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919013317/http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/priv1.htm|archive-date=September 19, 2012}}</ref> De Mornay co-produced Cohen's 1992 album ''[[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)|The Future]]'', which is also dedicated to her with an inscription that quotes [[Rebecca]]'s coming to the well from the [[Book of Genesis]] chapter 24 and giving drink to [[Eliezer]]'s camels, after he prayed for guidance; Eliezer ("God is my help" in Hebrew) is part of Cohen's Hebrew name (Eliezer ben Nisan ha'Cohen), and Cohen sometimes referred to himself as "Eliezer Cohen" or even "Jikan Eliezer".<ref>{{cite web|author=The Online Jewish Book Community (JBooks.com)|title=Book of Longing (Review)|work=Reviews & Articles|publisher=leonardcohencroatia.com|date=June 2006|url=http://www.leonardcohencroatia.com/bookoflonging/reviews12.htm|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309141953/http://www.leonardcohencroatia.com/bookoflonging/reviews12.htm|archive-date=March 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/leonard-cohen-remembered-his-roots-and-remained-proud-of-his-jewishheritage/article32930044/|title=Leonard Cohen remembered, by his Cantor: 'Home was where Eliezer's heart was&nbsp;pulled'|access-date=March 3, 2018|work=The Globe and Mail|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119004030/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/leonard-cohen-remembered-his-roots-and-remained-proud-of-his-jewishheritage/article32930044/|archive-date=January 19, 2017}}</ref>

=== Religious beliefs and practices ===
Cohen was described as a [[Shomer Shabbat|Sabbath-observant]] Jew in an article in ''[[The New York Times]]'': "Mr. Cohen keeps the Sabbath even while on tour and performed for Israeli troops during the [[Yom Kippur War]] 1973. So how does he square that faith with his continued practice of Zen? '[[Allen Ginsberg]] asked me the same question many years ago,' he said. 'Well, for one thing, in the tradition of Zen that I've practiced, there is no prayerful worship and there is no affirmation of a deity. So theologically there is no challenge to any Jewish belief.{{'"}}<ref>See Larry Rohter, "On the Road, for Reasons Practical and Spiritual." The New York Times, February 25, 2009. For an extended discussion of the Jewish mystical and Buddhist motifs in Cohen's songs and poems, see Elliot R. Wolfson, "New Jerusalem Glowing: Songs and Poems of Leonard Cohen in a Kabbalistic Key", ''Kabbalah: A Journal for the Study of Jewish Mystical Texts'' 15 (2006): 103–152.</ref>

Cohen had a brief phase around 1970 of being interested in a variety of world views, which he later described as "from the Communist party to the Republican Party" and "from Scientology to delusions of me as the High Priest rebuilding the Temple".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GsD0AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA374|page=374|title=Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen|first=Jeff|last=Burger|publisher=Chicago Review Press|year=2014|isbn=978-1-61374-758-2}}</ref>

Cohen was involved with [[Buddhism]] beginning in the 1970s and was ordained a [[Rinzai school|Rinzai]] Buddhist monk in 1996. However, he continued to consider himself Jewish: "I'm not looking for a new religion. I'm quite happy with the old one, with Judaism."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/2/Literature/Jewish_American_Literature/Into_the_Literary_Mainstream/Leonard_Cohen.shtml|title=Leonard Cohen: Poet, Prophet, Eternal Optimist;|publisher=Myjewishlearning.com|access-date=September 22, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831061323/http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/2/Literature/Jewish_American_Literature/Into_the_Literary_Mainstream/Leonard_Cohen.shtml|archive-date=August 31, 2014}}</ref> Beginning in the late 1970s, Cohen was associated with Buddhist monk and [[rōshi]] (venerable teacher) [[Kyozan Joshu Sasaki]], regularly visiting him at [[Mount Baldy Zen Center]] and serving him as personal assistant during Cohen's period of reclusion at Mount Baldy monastery in the 1990s. Sasaki appears as a regular motif or addressee in Cohen's poetry, especially in his ''[[Book of Longing]]'', and took part in a 1997 documentary about Cohen's monastery years, ''Leonard Cohen: Spring 1996''. Cohen's 2001 album ''[[Ten New Songs]]'' and his 2014 album [[Popular Problems]] are dedicated to Joshu Sasaki.

Leonard also showed an interest in the teachings of [[Ramesh Balsekar]], who taught from the tradition of [[Advaita Vedanta]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Bombay Experience |url=https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/bombay.html |access-date=July 18, 2022 |website=leonardcohenfiles.com |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620162400/https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/bombay.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In a 1993 interview titled "I am the little Jew who wrote the Bible", he said: "At our best, we inhabit a biblical landscape, and this is where we should situate ourselves without apology. [...] That biblical landscape is our urgent invitation ... Otherwise, it's really not worth saving or manifesting or redeeming or anything, unless we really take up that invitation to walk into that biblical landscape."

Cohen showed an interest in Jesus as a universal figure, saying, "I'm very fond of Jesus Christ. He may be the most beautiful guy who walked the face of this earth. Any guy who says 'Blessed are the poor. Blessed are the meek' has got to be a figure of unparalleled generosity and insight and madness ... A man who declared himself to stand among the thieves, the prostitutes and the homeless. His position cannot be comprehended. It is an inhuman generosity. A generosity that would overthrow the world if it was embraced because nothing would weather that compassion. I'm not trying to alter the Jewish view of Jesus Christ. But to me, in spite of what I know about the history of legal Christianity, the figure of the man has touched me."<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Devlin|editor-first1=Jim |title=Leonard Cohen: In His Own Words|year=1999|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-7119-6878-3|page=96}}</ref>

Speaking about his religion in a 2007 interview for [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Front Row (radio programme)|Front Row]]'' (partially re-broadcast on November 11, 2016), Cohen said: "My friend [[Brian D. Johnson|Brian Johnson]] said of me that I'd never met a religion I didn't like. That's why I've tried to correct that impression [that I was looking for another religion besides Judaism] because I very much feel part of that tradition and I practice that and my children practice it, so that was never in question. The investigations that I've done into other spiritual systems have certainly illuminated and enriched my understanding of my own tradition."<ref name="BBC Front Row 11 November 2016">{{cite episode|title=Leonard Cohen, BalletBoyz, Contemporary war poetry|series=Front Row|series-link=Front Row (radio programme)|credits=Presenter: [[Kirsty Lang]] Producer: Ella-mai Robey|network=[[BBC]]|station=[[BBC Radio 4]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b081l8bn|airdate=November 11, 2016|minutes=26:28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111194514/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b081l8bn|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref>

At his concert in [[Ramat Gan]] on September 24, 2009, Cohen spoke Jewish prayers and blessings to the audience in Hebrew. He opened the show with the first sentence of [[Ma Tovu]]. At the middle, he used [[Baruch Hashem]], and he ended the concert reciting the blessing of [[Birkat Kohanim]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forward.com/articles/115181/|title=Cohen using Jewish prayers and blessings in Hebrew in his concert in Israel|date=September 25, 2009 |publisher=Forward.com|access-date=November 13, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122190447/http://forward.com/articles/115181/|archive-date=November 22, 2010}}</ref>

== Death and tributes ==
[[File:2016-11-12 Leonard Cohen memorial Montreal (30927893376).jpg|thumb|Memorial in front of Cohen's residence in Montreal on November 12, 2016<ref name=Globe />]]
Cohen died in his Los Angeles home on November 7, 2016, at the age of 82; [[leukemia]] was a contributing cause.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/2016/11/19/i-already-knew-leonard-cohen-was-dead-on-election-day-then-things-got-worse/|title=I already knew Leonard Cohen was dead on Election Day – then things got worse|date=November 19, 2016|access-date=March 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205071712/https://www.salon.com/2016/11/19/i-already-knew-leonard-cohen-was-dead-on-election-day-then-things-got-worse/|archive-date=February 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7573505/leonard-cohen-died-monday-confirmed|title=Leonard Cohen Died on Monday, Sony Confirms|magazine=Billboard|date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112003411/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7573505/leonard-cohen-died-monday-confirmed|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref><ref name="wapo7">{{cite news|date=November 10, 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/leonard-cohen-singer-songwriter-of-love-death-and-philosophical-longing-dies-at-82/2016/11/10/1e6bf036-a779-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html|title=Leonard Cohen, singer-songwriter of love, death and philosophical longing, dies at 82|newspaper=The Washington Post|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111040519/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/leonard-cohen-singer-songwriter-of-love-death-and-philosophical-longing-dies-at-82/2016/11/10/1e6bf036-a779-11e6-8042-f4d111c862d1_story.html|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> According to his manager, Cohen's death was the result of a fall at his home that evening, and he subsequently died in his sleep.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sisario|first1=Ben|title=For Leonard Cohen, the End Came With a Fall in the Night|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/arts/music/leonard-cohen-last-days.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=November 16, 2016|date=November 16, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117001434/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/arts/music/leonard-cohen-last-days.html|archive-date=November 17, 2016}}</ref> His death was announced on November 10, the same day as his funeral, which was held in Montreal.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Monroe|first1=Jazz|title=Leonard Cohen Died on Monday, Buried Yesterday {{!}} Pitchfork|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/69618-leonard-cohen-died-on-monday-buried-yesterday/|website=Pitchfork Media|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 12, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112144435/http://pitchfork.com/news/69618-leonard-cohen-died-on-monday-buried-yesterday/|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref>
As was his wish, Cohen was laid to rest with a Jewish rite, in a simple pine [[coffin|casket]], in a family plot in the [[Congregation Shaar Hashomayim]] cemetery on [[Mount Royal]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/leonard-cohen-died-monday-funeral-held-thursday-in-montreal|title=Leonard Cohen died Monday, funeral held Thursday in Montreal|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]|date=November 11, 2016|access-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112120955/http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/leonard-cohen-died-monday-funeral-held-thursday-in-montreal|archive-date=November 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/leonard-cohen-had-simple-funeral/ar-AAkgmEK?li=BBnb7Kz|title=Leonard Cohen had simple funeral|publisher=Bang Showbiz|access-date=November 14, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114234735/https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/leonard-cohen-had-simple-funeral/ar-AAkgmEK?li=BBnb7Kz|archive-date=November 14, 2016}}</ref>

=== Memorial services and tributes ===
Tributes were paid by numerous stars and political figures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-tributes_n_12911744.html|title=Canadian Musicians Pay Tribute To Leonard Cohen|website=HuffPost|access-date=November 17, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117211505/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/11/11/leonard-cohen-tributes_n_12911744.html|archive-date=November 17, 2016|date=November 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>[https://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/10/leonard-cohen-dead-celebrities-react "Leonard Cohen dies: Celebrities pay tribute to the singer-songwriter"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113005239/http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/10/leonard-cohen-dead-celebrities-react|date=November 13, 2016}}, ''Entertainment Weekly'', November 10, 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/leonard-cohen-dead-82-tributes-justin-trudeau-a7410777.html "Leonard Cohen dead at 82: Justin Trudeau leads tributes to 'remarkable' musician and poet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501053956/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/leonard-cohen-dead-82-tributes-justin-trudeau-a7410777.html|date=May 1, 2017}}, ''Independent'' UK, November 10, 2016.</ref>

Cohen died the day before [[Donald Trump]] defeated [[Hillary Clinton]] in the [[2016 United States presidential election|U.S. presidential election]]. The following Saturday, [[Kate McKinnon]] reprised [[Kate McKinnon#Saturday Night Live|her role playing Clinton]] on [[Saturday Night Live]] in the [[cold open]] of the show, with a solo performance of [[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)|Hallelujah]] at the piano.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/13/entertainment/snl-kate-mckinnon/ "SNL's Kate McKinnon opens show singing 'Hallelujah{{'"}}] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118225434/http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/13/entertainment/snl-kate-mckinnon/ |date=November 18, 2016 }}. [[CNN]], November 13, 2016.</ref>

The city of Montreal held a tribute concert to Cohen in December 2016, titled "God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot" after a [[Prose poetry|prose poem]] in his novel ''[[Beautiful Losers]]''. It featured a number of musical performances and readings of Cohen's poetry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-condolence-book-1.3848353|title=Fans hold sing-along vigil for Leonard Cohen outside his Montreal home|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=November 12, 2016|access-date=November 12, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113042316/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-condolence-book-1.3848353|archive-date=November 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-tribute-rialto-1.3897189|title=A Montreal celebration of Leonard Cohen's life and work|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=December 14, 2016|access-date=May 31, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413041709/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-tribute-rialto-1.3897189|archive-date=April 13, 2017}}</ref>

According to Cohen's son Adam, he had requested a small memorial service in Los Angeles and had suggested a public memorial service in Montreal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Michelle Hyun |date=2017-09-18 |title=Lana Del Rey, Feist, More Set for Leonard Cohen Memorial Tribute Concert |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/lana-del-rey-feist-more-set-for-leonard-cohen-memorial-tribute-concert/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> A memorial for friends and family took place at the Ohr HaTorah Synagogue in Los Angeles in December 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wieseltier |first=Leon |date=2016-12-13 |title=The Lace and the Grace |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/leonard-cohen-wieseltier |work=Tablet Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-31 |title=A memorial for Leonard Cohen was held by his family |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154947608419644&id=38026784643&set=a.57139464643 |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Leonard Cohen Official Facebook Page}}</ref> On November 6, 2017, the eve of the first anniversary of Cohen's death, the Cohen family organized a memorial concert titled "Tower of Song" at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The event included performances by [[k.d. lang]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Feist (singer)|Feist]], [[Adam Cohen (musician)|Adam Cohen]], [[Patrick Watson (musician)|Patrick Watson]], [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], [[Damien Rice]], [[Courtney Love]], [[The Lumineers]], [[Lana Del Rey]] and others.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3847316/tower-of-song-leonard-cohen-tribute/|title=Leonard Cohen honoured in Montreal one year after his death|work=Global News|access-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122131518/https://globalnews.ca/news/3847316/tower-of-song-leonard-cohen-tribute/|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbcmusic.ca/programs/towerofsongatributetoleonardcohen|title=Tower of Song: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen|website=CBC Music|access-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122125251/http://www.cbcmusic.ca/programs/towerofsongatributetoleonardcohen|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> Additionally, Canadian prime minister [[Justin Trudeau]] and his wife [[Sophie Grégoire Trudeau]] spoke about their personal connection with Cohen's music.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/leonard-cohen-honoured-with-memorial-concert-in-montreal/article36858741/|title=Leonard Cohen honoured with memorial concert in Montreal|access-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221054057/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/leonard-cohen-honoured-with-memorial-concert-in-montreal/article36858741/|archive-date=December 21, 2017}}</ref>

=== Art and science commemorations ===
After Cohen's death, two murals were created in Montreal the following summer. Artist Kevin Ledo painted a nine-story portrait of him near Cohen's home on [[Plateau Mont-Royal]]. Montreal artist Gene Pendon and L.A. artist El Mec painted a 20-story [[fedora]]-clad likeness on Crescent Street.<ref>{{Cite news |last=EVERETT-GREEN |first=ROBERT |date=2017-09-29 |title=Leonard Cohen and a tale of two Montreal murals |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/leonard-cohen-and-a-tale-of-two-montreal-murals/article36434154/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}</ref>

An interactive exhibit dedicated to the life and career of Leonard Cohen opened on November 9, 2017, at [[Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal|Montreal's contemporary art museum (MAC)]] titled "Leonard Cohen: Une Brèche en Toute Chose / A Crack in Everything" and ran until April 9, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/arts/music/leonard-cohen-exhibition-is-planned-for-museum-in-montreal.html|title=Leonard Cohen Exhibition Is Planned for Museum in Montreal|last=Barone|first=Joshua|date=June 15, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 22, 2018|issn=0362-4331|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122181725/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/arts/music/leonard-cohen-exhibition-is-planned-for-museum-in-montreal.html|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-a-crack-in-everything-explained-visiting-1.4395071|title=The insider's guide to MAC's Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180109225636/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/leonard-cohen-a-crack-in-everything-explained-visiting-1.4395071|archive-date=January 9, 2018}}</ref> The exhibit had been in the works for several years prior to Cohen's death,<ref name="colonist">{{cite news |author=Morgan Lowrie |title=Montrealers get ready to party for 'Cohen Week's |publisher=Victoria Times-Colonist |page=D5 |agency=The Canadian Press}}</ref> as part of the official program of Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations. After breaking the museum's attendance record in its five-month run,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://macm.org/en/exhibitions/leonard-cohen/|title=Leonard Cohen|work=MAC Montréal|access-date=January 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122131101/https://macm.org/en/exhibitions/leonard-cohen/|archive-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timescolonist.com/leonard-cohen-exhibit-to-embark-on-tour-with-dates-in-new-york-and-san-francisco-1.23496619|title=Times Colonist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116085442/https://www.timescolonist.com/leonard-cohen-exhibit-to-embark-on-tour-with-dates-in-new-york-and-san-francisco-1.23496619|archive-date=November 16, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> the exhibit embarked on an international tour, opening in New York City at the [[Jewish Museum (Manhattan)|Jewish Museum]] in April 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/i-wanted-to-love-this-leonard-cohen-exhibit-but-was-overwhelmed-by-gimmicks-and-kitsch/2019/04/17/86b402b8-6069-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html|title=Review &#124; I wanted to love this Leonard Cohen exhibit, but was overwhelmed by gimmicks and kitsch|first=Sebastian|last=Smee|date=April 17, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=February 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207070206/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/i-wanted-to-love-this-leonard-cohen-exhibit-but-was-overwhelmed-by-gimmicks-and-kitsch/2019/04/17/86b402b8-6069-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

A bronze statue of Cohen was unveiled in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, on August 31, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bns.lt/topic/1911/news/59371229/|title=BNS: Naujiena|website=Bns.lt|access-date=August 31, 2019|archive-date=August 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831191304/http://www.bns.lt/topic/1911/news/59371229/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cohen is commemorated in the name of two species, both described in 2021. ''[[Loxosceles coheni]]'', a species of [[recluse spiders]] from Iran, was described by [[arachnologists]] [[Alireza Zamani]], Omid Mirshamsi and [[Yuri M. Marusik]]. ''[[Cervellaea coheni]]'', a species of [[weevils]] from South Africa, was described by [[entomologists]] Massimo Meregalli and Roman Borovec.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.iflscience.com/newtoscience-spider-named-after-leonard-cohen-58115 | title=New-To-Science Spider Named After Leonard Cohen | date=December 21, 2020 | access-date=October 8, 2022 | archive-date=October 4, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004203702/https://www.iflscience.com/newtoscience-spider-named-after-leonard-cohen-58115 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/58/2/666/6029186?redirectedFrom=fulltext |title='Burning Violin': The Medically Important Spider Genus Loxosceles (Araneae: Sicariidae) in Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan, With Two New Species &#124; Journal of Medical Entomology &#124; Oxford Academic |journal=Journal of Medical Entomology |publisher=Academic.oup.com |date= December 10, 2020|volume=58 |issue=2 |pages=666–675 |doi=10.1093/jme/tjaa257 |accessdate=October 8, 2022 |archive-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008200449/https://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/58/2/666/6029186?redirectedFrom=fulltext |url-status=live |last1=Zamani |first1=Alireza |last2=Mirshamsi |first2=Omid |last3=Marusik |first3=Yuri M. |pmid=33300575 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/193/1/95/6066659 |title=Namaini, a new weevil tribe with six new genera from South Africa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae) &#124; Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society &#124; Oxford Academic |publisher=Academic.oup.com |date= |accessdate=October 8, 2022 |archive-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008142732/https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/193/1/95/6066659 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The television series ''[[So Long, Marianne (TV series)|So Long, Marianne]]'', coproduced by Norway's [[NRK]] and Canada's [[Crave (TV network)|Crave]], is based on Cohen's relationship with Marianne Ihlen. It stars [[Thea Sofie Loch Næss]] as Ihlen and [[Alex Wolff]] as Cohen.<ref>Jesse Whittock, [https://deadline.com/2023/04/leonard-cohen-alex-wolff-so-long-marianne-nrk-crave-drama-1235323081/ {{"'}}So Long, Marianne': Alex Wolff To Play Leonard Cohen As Crave Boards NRK Drama Series"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413165030/https://deadline.com/2023/04/leonard-cohen-alex-wolff-so-long-marianne-nrk-crave-drama-1235323081/ |date=April 13, 2023 }}. ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'', April 13, 2023.</ref>

== Discography ==
{{Main|Leonard Cohen discography}}

=== Studio albums ===
All albums released on [[Columbia Records]].
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ''[[Songs of Leonard Cohen]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Songs from a Room]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Songs of Love and Hate]]'' (1971)
* ''[[New Skin for the Old Ceremony]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Recent Songs]]'' (1979)
* ''[[Various Positions]]'' (1984)
* ''[[I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen album)|I'm Your Man]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Future (Leonard Cohen album)|The Future]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Ten New Songs]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Dear Heather]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Old Ideas]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Popular Problems]]'' (2014)
* ''[[You Want It Darker]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Thanks for the Dance]]'' (2019)
{{div col end}}

== Bibliography ==
=== Collections ===
* {{cite book|author=Cohen, Leonard|others=Drawings by [[Freda Guttman]]|title=Let Us Compare Mythologies|series=[McGill Poetry Series]|location=Montreal|publisher=Contact Press|year=1956|title-link= Let Us Compare Mythologies}}
* ''[[The Spice-Box of Earth]]''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1961.<ref name=openlc />
* ''[[Flowers for Hitler]]''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1964.<ref name=openlc />
* ''Parasites of Heaven''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1966.<ref name=openlc />
* ''[[Selected Poems 1956–1968]]''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1968.<ref name=openlc />
* ''The Energy of Slaves''. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1972. {{ISBN|0-7710-2204-2}} {{ISBN|0-7710-2203-4}} New York: Viking, 1973.<ref name=openlc />
* ''Death of a Lady's Man''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1978. {{ISBN|0-7710-2177-1}} London, New York: Viking, Penguin, 1979.<ref name=openlc /> – reissued 2010
* ''[[Book of Mercy]]''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1984.<ref name=openlc /> – reissued 2010
* ''[[Stranger Music]]: Selected Poems and Songs''. London, New York, Toronto: Cape, Pantheon, McClelland & Stewart, 1993.<ref name=openlc /> {{ISBN|0-7710-2230-1}}
* ''[[Book of Longing]]''. London, New York, Toronto: Penguin, Ecco, McClelland & Stewart, 2006.<ref name=openlc /> (poetry, prose, drawings) {{ISBN|978-0-7710-2234-0}}
* ''The Lyrics of Leonard Cohen''. London: Omnibus Press, 2009.<ref name=openlc /> {{ISBN|0-7119-7141-2}}
* ''Poems and Songs''. New York: Random House (Everyman's Library Pocket Poets), 2011.
* ''Fifteen Poems''. New York: Everyman's Library/Random House, 2012. (eBook)
* ''[[The Flame (poetry collection)|The Flame]]''. London, New York, Toronto: Penguin, McClelland & Stewart, 2018. (poetry, prose, drawings, journal entries)

=== Novels ===
* ''[[The Favourite Game]]''. London, New York, Toronto: Secker & Warburg, Viking P, McClelland & Stewart, 1963.<ref name=openlc /> Reissued as ''The Favourite Game''. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart [New Canadian Library], 1994. {{ISBN|978-0-7710-9954-0}}
* ''[[Beautiful Losers]]''. New York, Toronto: Viking Press, McClelland & Stewart, 1966. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart [New Canadian Library], 1991. {{ISBN|978-0-7710-9875-8}} McClelland & Stewart [Emblem], 2003.<ref name=openlc>{{cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/search?q=leonard+cohen|title=Search results: Leonard Cohen|publisher=Openlibrary.org|access-date=September 22, 2014|archive-date=March 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312000150/https://openlibrary.org/search?q=leonard+cohen|url-status=live}}</ref> {{ISBN|978-0-7710-2200-5}}
* ''[[A Ballet of Lepers]]: A Novel and Stories''. McClelland & Stewart, 2022. {{ISBN|9780771018145}}.

== Filmography ==
* ''[[Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen]]'' (1965) – documentary co-directed by [[Don Owen (filmmaker)|Don Owen]] and [[Donald Brittain]]
* ''[[Angel (1966 film)|Angel]]'' (1966), actor – experimental [[animated short]] directed by [[Derek May]]
* ''Poen'' (1967), narrator – short film featuring four readings from his novel ''[[Beautiful Losers]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nfb.ca/film/poen/|title=Poen|work=National Film Board of Canada|access-date=December 19, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111142619/http://www.nfb.ca/film/poen/|archive-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref>
* ''[[The Ernie Game]]'' (1967), singer – feature film directed by Don Owen<ref name="GravestockGroup2005">{{cite book|author1=[[Steve Gravestock]]|author2=Toronto International Film Festival Group|title=Don Owen: Notes on a Filmmaker and His Culture|url=https://archive.org/details/donowennotesonfi00grav_0|url-access=registration|year= 2005|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=0-9689132-4-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/donowennotesonfi00grav_0/page/69 69]–|quote=Ernie sits down in the living room to listen to Leonard Cohen playing the film's theme song, "The Stranger," to an entranced and silent group. The song ... Like the song's dreamer protagonist, he "wants to trade the game he knows for shelter.}}</ref>
* ''[[Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire]]'' (1974) – documentary directed by [[Tony Palmer (director)|Tony Palmer]] during Cohen's 1972 European tour. The film premiered in 1974 at the [[Rainbow Theatre]] in Cohen's cut;<ref name="Billboard1974-28">{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44|series=28|volume=85|date=July 13, 1974|pages=44–}}</ref><ref name="DormanRawlins1990">{{cite book|author1=Loranne S. Dorman|author2=Clive L. Rawlins|title=Leonard Cohen: Prophet of the Heart|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fsgfAQAAIAAJ|year=1990|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-7119-2774-2|pages=279–}}</ref> a restored director's cut from footage discovered in 2009 was released on DVD in 2010<ref name="lcfbwire">{{cite web|title=Bird On a Wire UK 1972|website=The Leonard Cohen Files|url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/b-wire.html|access-date=December 19, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220184430/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/b-wire.html|archive-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref> and re-released theatrically in 2017.<ref name="Times review – Bird on Wire -1-17-17">{{cite news|last1=Kenny|first1=Glenn|title=Review: 'Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire,' Portrait of an Artist in Chaos|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/movies/leonard-cohen-bird-on-a-wire-review.html|access-date=January 22, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=January 17, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120005759/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/movies/leonard-cohen-bird-on-a-wire-review.html|archive-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref>
* ''Song of Leonard Cohen'' (1980) – documentary directed by [[Harry Rasky]] for CBC filmed during Cohen's 1979 European tour. Rasky also wrote a book about the film: ''The Song of Leonard Cohen''.
* ''[[I Am a Hotel]]'' (1983), actor, writer, produced – [[made for TV]] [[short film|short]] [[musical film]], directed by [[Allan F. Nicholls]].<ref name="Holt2014">{{cite book|author=Jason Holt|title=Leonard Cohen and Philosophy: Various Positions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=InToBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT124|year=2014|publisher=Open Court|isbn=978-0-8126-9882-4|pages=124–|quote=who watches Leonard Cohen's I Am a Hotel cannot help but be struck by the range of emotional expression it presents, from the physical exuberance of the dancers in "Memories" to the melancholy questioning and selfdoubt in "The Gypsy's ...}}</ref> Golden Rose Award in Montreux, Switzerland.
* ''[[Night Magic]]'' (1985), lyricist, screenplay – film musical
* ''[[Miami Vice]]'' (1986), actor – S2E17, episode "French Twist"<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/qmag.html|title=Leonard Cohen: Porridge? Lozenge? Syringe?|location=UK|access-date=December 19, 2016|last=Deevoy|first=Adrian|year=1991|quote=In truth, I had a much bigger part. I went down there and did my first scene and the assistant director rang me up and said, You were really great, truly wonderful. And I said, OK, thanks a lot. Then the casting director from New York called me up and said, You were fantastic, truly wonderful! And I said, You mean I'm fired. And he said, "Yeah, we're cutting all your other scenes and giving them to another guy."|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212181201/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/qmag.html|archive-date=December 12, 2016}}</ref>
* ''Songs from the Life of Leonard Cohen'' (1988) – full-length concert of Royal Albert Hall 1988 performance intercut with interview footage. Produced by the BBC and CMV Enterprises. Released in VHS PAL and NTSC tapes and on laser-disc.
* ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead Part I: A Way of Life''; ''The Tibetan Book of the Dead Part II: The Great Liberation'' (1994), narrator – documentary on ''[[Bardo Thodol]]'' directed by {{interlanguage link|Yukari Hayashi|nl}}. Released on DVD in 2004.
* ''[[Message to Love]]'' (1995) – concert documentary on the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1970]] including a live performance of his song ''[[Suzanne (Leonard Cohen song)|Suzanne]]''.
* ''Spring 96. Leonard Cohen Portrait'' (1996) – documentary directed by Armelle Brusq shot at the [[Mount Baldy Zen Center]]. Released as home video by SMV Enterprises in VHS and DVD.
* ''The Favourite Game'' (2003) – Canadian film adaptation of the novel directed by Bernar Hebert
* ''[[Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man]]'' (2005) – documentary and concert film directed by [[Lian Lunson]]
* ''Leonard Cohen. Under Review 1934-1977'' (2007) and ''Leonard Cohen. Under Review 1978-2006'' (2008) – documentary interviews with "an independent critical analysis". DVDs released by MVD Entertainment Group in the US and by Chrome Dreams Companies in the UK. First re-released as ''The Early Years''; the second as ''After the Gold Rush''; both re-released as ''Leonard Cohen. Complete Review'' (2012, 151 mins) and re-cut as ''Lonesome Heroes'' (110 mins). Unauthorised.
* ''[[Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love]]'' (2019) – documentary directed by [[Nick Broomfield]]. Unauthorised.
* ''[[Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song]]'' (2021) – documentary directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine

== Awards and nominations ==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Leonard Cohen}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Poetry|Music|Canada|Biography}}
* [[Baal teshuva]]
* [[Canadian literature]]
* [[Canadian poetry]]
* [[Culture of Quebec]]
* [[Leap Manifesto]]
* [[List of Canadian musicians]]
* [[List of Canadian poets]]
* [[List of Quebec musicians]]
* [[Music of Canada]]
* [[Music of Quebec]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|30em}}

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|last=Burger|first=Jeff|year=2014|title=Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters|url=https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/leonard-cohen-on-leonard-cohen-products-9781613731789.php?page_id=30|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=978-1-61374-758-2}}
* Glazer, Aubrey L. (2014). [https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/view/34696 "Leonard Cohen and the Tosher Rebbe: On Exile as Redemptions in Canadian Jewish Mysticism"]. ''[[Canadian Jewish Studies|Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes]].'' 20 (1): 149–190. {{Doi|10.25071/1916-0925.34696}}.
* Glazer, Aubrey L. (2021). [https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/view/40213 "Third Solitudes Without Separation, Oneness Torn from the Other: On Tearing Through the Shroud of the Solitude of Montreal Jewish Mystics"]. ''[[Canadian Jewish Studies|Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes]]'' 3: 115–34. {{Doi|10.25071/1916-0925.40213}}.
* {{cite book|last=Hofmann|first=Philipp|year=2010|title=Corporeal Cartographies: The Body in the Novels of Leonard Cohen|url=http://www.lit-verlag.de/isbn/3-643-11035-0|publisher=Lit Publishing House|isbn=978-3-643-11035-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Nadel|first=Ira|edition=1st|year=1997|title=Various Positions: A Life of Leonard Cohen'|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gePAHlZHJJIC&q=Various%20Positions%3A%20A%20Life%20of%20Leonard%20Cohen&pg=PP1|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=0-292-71732-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Passannanti |first=Erminia |year=2023|title=Leonard Cohen: A Jewish Mind's Fascination with Jesus of Nazareth|publisher=Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp |url=https://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Cohen-Jewish-Fascination-Nazareth/dp/B0CHL1FY6L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B0CP6EGOVZ77&keywords=Leonard+Cohen%2C+A+jewish+Mind+fascination&qid=1701624899&sprefix=leonard+cohen%2C+a+jewish+mind+fascination%2Caps%2C609&sr=8-1|isbn=9798860962545 }}
* {{cite book|last=Posner|first=Michael|edition=1st|year=2020|title=Leonard Cohen, the Untold Stories: The Early Years|url=https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Leonard-Cohen-Untold-Stories-The-Early-Years/Michael-Posner/Leonard-Cohen-Untold-Stories-series/9781982152628|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-1-982152-62-8}}
* {{Cite book |last=Quayle|first=Teresa|year=2016 |title=Smudging the Air: The Lyrics of Leonard Cohen |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |isbn=978-1-5411-6700-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Ratcliff|first=Maurice|year=1999|title=The Complete Guide to the Music of Leonard Cohen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJseVKmKtqwC&q=Leonard%20Cohen&pg=PP1|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=0-7119-7508-6}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Rosemann|first1=Philipp W.|year=2018|title=Leonard Cohen, Philosopher|url=https://www.pdcnet.org/mpp/content/mpp_2018_0999_10_9_1|journal=Maynooth Philosophical Papers|volume=9|pages=1–20|doi=10.5840/mpp20181091|access-date=November 4, 2018|url-access=subscription}}
* {{cite book|last=Scobie|first=Stephen|year=2000|title=Intricate Preparations: Writing Leonard Cohen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MASx22brbYMC&q=Leonard%20Cohen&pg=PP1|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=1-55022-433-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Simmons|first=Sylvie|year=2012|title=I'm Your Man: The Life of Leonard Cohen|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780062096913|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125201527/http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780062096913|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2013|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-224-09063-6}}
* Sol, Adam, David S. Koffman, Gary Barwin, Michael Greenstein, Ruth Panofsky, Lisa Richter, Emily Robins Sharpe, and Rhea Tregebov. 2022. [https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/view/40296 "Canadian Jewish Poetry: A Roundtable"]. ''[[Canadian Jewish Studies|Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes]]''. 34: 142–71.
* Toufexis, Jesse (2021). [https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/view/40216 {{"'}}Westmount's Sinai': Projecting a Jewish Landscape onto Montreal through Fiction"]. ''Canadian Jewish Studies / Études Juives Canadiennes'' 31: 148–58. {{Doi|10.25071/1916-0925.40216}}.

== External links ==
{{sister project links|d=Q1276|c=Category:Leonard Cohen|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|species=no}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/ The Leonard Cohen Files] – comprehensive, all-Cohen matters web site hosted by the fan community since 1995 and endorsed by Leonard Cohen
* {{IMDb name|0169552}}
* {{Rockhall}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.nfb.ca/film/ladies_and_gentlemen_mr_leonard_cohen|title=Ladies and Gentlemen ... Mr. Leonard Cohen|work=Documentary|first1=Donald|last1=Brittain|first2=Don|last2=Owen|year=1965|format=video|publisher=National Film Board of Canada (NFB)}}
* {{cite journal|title=Canadian Poetry: Studies/Documents/Reviews|volume=33|date=Fall 1993|url=http://www.canadianpoetry.ca/cpjrn/vol33/vol33index.htm|journal=The Proceedings of the Leonard Cohen Conference (October 22–24, 1993)|publisher=Red Deer College|access-date=March 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192753/http://www.canadianpoetry.ca/cpjrn/vol33/vol33index.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}
* [https://thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/leonard-cohen-a-crack-in-everything Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything] at [[Jewish Museum (Manhattan)|the Jewish Museum, New York]].
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIR5ps8usuo Leonard Cohen's Prince of Asturias acceptance speech 2011]

{{Leonard Cohen}}
{{navboxes
|title= [[List of awards and nominations received by Leonard Cohen|Awards for Leonard Cohen]]
|list=
{{Canadian Music Hall of Fame}}
{{Glenn Gould Prize laureates}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance}}
{{Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Juno Award for Artist of the Year}}
{{Juno Award for Album of the Year (2000–present)}}
{{Prince of Asturias Award for Literature}}
{{Prix Denise-Pelletier laureates}}
{{2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Leonard}}
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