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I didn't expect to like this one ... it sounded too ... too dark. But it is haunting, both the lyrics and the music ... and, of course, his voice ... even at 82.
By the fifth time listening to it, I was weeping without knowing why.
Wikipedia: ... the fourteenth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on October 21, 2016, by Columbia Records, nineteen days before Cohen's death.[1][2] The album was created towards the end of his life and focuses on death, God, and humor.
A YouTube commenter says:
No one ever mentions what he says before, “I’m ready my lord” - “Hineni” This is what Abraham said to G-d when he was ready to sacrifice Isaac. Like the last verse of hallelujah, “even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand right here before the lord of song with nothing on my tongue but hallelujah” this is a submission. It’s throwing your hands up and saying you win I want out. Only this time his death was right around the corner and he knew that.
Another says:
"Hineni" ("Here I am") There is a powerful word in Hebrew that sums up three words in English. The word is "Hineni" (הנני). "Hineni" means “Here I am!” But you’ve got to watch out how you say it because it is a way of expressing total readiness to give oneself – it’s an offer of total availability. When God Yahwhuah approached Abraham to ask him to offer his only true son as a sacrifice, Abraham responded, “Hineni!” not knowing what God Yahwhuah was about to ask!
When God Yahwhuah called out to Moses from the burning bush, Moses replied, “Hineni!”. And you know what assignment he was given, and what happened next? God Yahwhuah called out to the young boy Samuel three times before Samuel finally responded, “Hineni! I’m listening!” Many hundreds of years later, when God Yahwhuah asked who would go for him in, Isaiah 6, and the prophet willingly offered himself with a cry of “Hineni!” Send me! - Then what? Many hundred years later, Yahwhuah took the responsibility himself and said: "Hineni" here I am" and was born as Yahshuah, to the benefit (Goodness) of us all!
Lyrics:
If you are the dealer, I'm out of the game
If you are the healer, it means I'm broken and lame
If thine is the glory then mine must be the shame
You want it darker
We kill the flame
Magnified, sanctified, be thy holy name
Vilified, crucified, in the human frame
A million candles burning for the help that never came
You want it darker
Hineni, hineni
I'm ready, my lord
There's a lover in the story
But the story's still the same
There's a lullaby for suffering
And a paradox to blame
But it's written in the scriptures
And it's not some idle claim
You want it darker
We kill the flame
They're lining up the prisoners
And the guards are taking aim
I struggled with some demons
They were middle class and tame
I didn't know I had permission to murder and to maim
You want it darker
Hineni, hineni
I'm ready, my lord
Magnified, sanctified, be thy holy name
Vilified, crucified, in the human frame
A million candles burning for the love that never came
You want it darker
We kill the flame
If you are the dealer, let me out of the game
If you are the healer, I'm broken and lame
If thine is the glory, mine must be the shame
You want it darker
Hineni, hineni
Hineni, hineni
I'm ready, my lord
Hineni
Hineni, hineni
Hineni
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Leonard Cohen / Patrick Leonard
You Want It Darker lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
I listen to this one a lot -- it is definitely haunting and exquisitely beautiful in that ethereal, word-defying way of Cohen.
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