Essential Leonard Cohen: 5 of the “Hallelujah” Hitmaker’s Finest Tracks

Leonard Cohen may be best known for his heartwrenching and beautiful song “Hallelujah”, but his fans know all too well that his discography of work is much more than just that one song. Let’s take a walk through an incredible music career and explore five essential Leonard Cohen hits!

1. “So Long, Marianne”

This essential Leonard Cohen track is a testament to his strength as a musician, as well as his prowess as a songwriter and lyricist. In this song, Cohen explores the complex nature of love and the fleeting nature of lust. “So Long, Marianne” is one of his career bests, if not one of the greatest songs inspired by a muse of all time. It’s been since covered by everyone from Beck to Cohen’s own son, Adam.

2. “Tonight You Will Be Fine”

Part of what made Leonard Cohen such an essential, loveable artist was his use of simplicity. “Tonight Will Be Fine” is one example of his simpler tracks, complete with a joyful but minimalist rhythm and melody. Anyone who has felt peace for the first time after a long period of depression will understand the unique feeling Cohen is trying to express in this track.

3. “You Want It Darker”

Cohen knew how to approach, discuss, and ultimately celebrate the natural but difficult process of death. He was fearless in the face of it, and that much is clear in the song “You Want It Darker”. This is a later-career song of his that proves he still had amazing vocal ability, even in his senior years.

4. “Avalanche”

Cohen could make simple songs that said a lot with very little, but he also knew how to take pure poetry and turn it into an epic song. “Avalanche” is probably the best example of that talent. Nick Cave even referred to this track as “sacred”. We’d have to agree; Cohen was really moody and dark with this one, and the song feels spiritual in nature.

5. “Chelsea Hotel No. 2”

Some would say “Chelsea Hotel No. 2” is Leonard Cohen’s most essential and greatest song. The pecking order is hard to put together; he simply wrote and performed so many incredible pieces of work. This song is an anthem of sorts for those who love counterculture and lived on the outskirts of “acceptable”. It’s an ode to the ugly, the weird, and the not-so-normal, a group that Cohen was very much okay with being a part of.

Photo by Matt Kent/Redferns

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