The Late, Great Leonard Cohen Trivia Quiz

Answer: You Want It Darker

'You Want It Darker' was Cohen's final album during his lifetime; he died nineteen days after its release in 2016. (A posthumous album, 'Thanks for the Dance' wasreleased in 2019.) Cohen recorded the album at his house, as he had mobility issues, and sent it over to the production team by email.

He said that recording the album served as a helpful distraction from his illness. The title track was one of two singles to be released off the album, and features a cantor and a Jewish choir. 'Hineni' is Hebrew for 'here I am'; Cohen's Jewish heritage was a major influence on his work throughout his life.

Answer: First We Take Manhattan

'First We Take Manhattan' was originally recorded by Jennifer Warnes in 1986, as part of an album of songs written by or co-written with Cohen. Stevie Ray Vaughan guested on guitar. Cohen recorded his own version of the song, which had a synthpop feel to it, for his 1988 album 'I'm Your Man'; he also added extra verses. Several musicians have covered it, including Joe Cocker, REM and Widespread Panic.

The song was played over the credits in 'Watchmen' (possibly as a reference to Dr Manhattan).

Answer: Closing Time

'Closing Time' is a track on 'The Future', released in 1992. It is one of Cohen's longest albums; all songs but one ('Be For Real') are at least five minutes long, if not more. Cohen originally intended to record 'The Future' in Montreal with the same crew as 'I'm Your Man', but ended up recording in Los Angeles and bringing in extra musicians.

It took Cohen a long time to write; he rewrote the title track so many times that it took nearly 60 pages in his notebook, and 'Closing Time' took two years to write. 'The Future' netted Cohen a Juno award for Best Male Vocalist in 1993.

Answer: The Night Comes On

'Various Positions', released in 1984, is the album on which 'Hallelujah' appears. The late Jeff Buckley's 1997 version of the song is almost as famous as Cohen's original, if not more so. Rufus Wainwright, 'X-Factor' winner Alexandra Burke and kd lang have also covered it. 'Various Positions' features Jennifer Warnes as a co-vocalist, and she is given equal credits with Cohen for the vocals on all tracks.

It also marks his detour into using synths, which also heavily feature on 'I'm Your Man', as well as a change in his voice; producer John Lissauer noted that Cohen's voice had gotten deeper, even though he had quit smoking.

Answer: Our Lady of Solitude

'Our Lady of Solitude' is a track on Cogen's 1979 album 'Recent Songs'. Jennifer Warnes and Sharon Robinson contributed backing vocals; the album also featured a mariachi band, an oud (a stringed instrument similar to a lute, played by Armenian musician John Bilezikjian) and The Band's keyboard player Garth Hudson. Cohen had decided to go back to a more acoustic/folk approach after the criticism 'Death of a Ladies' Man' had received.

Some of the musicians who played on the album also played on Cohen's tour as his backing band in 1979, as featured on the live album 'Field Commander'.

Answer: Suzanne

'Songs of Leonard Cohen' is Cohen's debut album, released in 1967, and 'Suzanne' was originally released in 1966 as a single by Judy Collins. Cohen released his own version a year later. It was originally published as a poem called 'Suzanne Takes You Down' in 1966, and was inspired by a friend of Cohen's, Suzanne Verdal, who lived in Montreal and was in a relationship with sculptor Armand Vaillancourt.

It is one of Cohen's most covered songs; Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez (who changed the lyrics), Meshell Ndegeocello and Aretha Franklin are among the artists who have covered it.

Answer: Bird on the Wire

'Bird on the Wire' is another of Cohen's most well-known songs, and is on his second album, 'Songs from a Room', released in 1969. As with 'Suzanne', Judy Collins had previously released her own version of the song before Cohen. Cohen wrote it on the Greek island of Hydra, where he was living with his then girlfriend, Marianne Ihlen (who appears on the back cover of the album). Both Collins' and Cohen's versions are in a country style.

A documentary about Cohen named after the song was released in 1974.

A 1990 comedy film starring Goldie Hawn and Mel Gibson was also named after the song. Musicians who have covered it include Kris Kristofferson, Madeleine Peyroux, Stina Nordenstam and Elvis Costello (at a memorial concert for Cohen in 2017). It is sometimes mistakenly covered as 'Bird on A Wire'.

Answer: Famous Blue Raincoat

'Famous Blue Raincoat' is a track on Cohen's 1979 album 'Songs of Love and Hate', and is another of his signature songs. Cohen recorded the album in Nashville and London, and had played most of the songs live before releasing the album. The name of the song was inspired by a Burberry coat Cohen had, and he expressed his dissatisfaction with the song, saying that Jennifer Warnes' version was more 'coherent'. Guitarist Ron Cornelius, however, loved the song, stating he 'knew it was going to be big' and that it was his favourite song on the album.

As well as Warnes, other artists who have covered the song include Tori Amos, Damien Rice (at the 2017 memorial concert) and Joan Baez. Warnes also named her 1986 Cohen tribute album after the song.

Answer: Death of a Ladies' Man

'Death of a Ladies' Man' was released in 1979 and produced by Phil Spector. Unlike other Cohen songs of the '60s and '70s, few songs from the album have been covered. It was panned by critics; 'Rolling Stone' called it 'Leonard Cohen's doo-wop nightmare', while the 'Toronto Star' claimed that 'Leonard Cohen is for musical sadists'.

The recording of the album was a difficult one; at one point, Spector pointed a gun at Cohen's throat and said, "I love you, Leonard." In typical OTT Spector style, session musicians had to work quadruple time, Bob Dylan and beat poet Allen Ginsberg were brought in to do backing vocals for 'Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On', and Spector ran off with the tapes and mixed them alone at an unknown location, to Cohen's dismay. Cohen himself had mixed feelings about the album, with 'Memories' being the only track that he would regularly perform at gigs.

Answer: Chelsea Hotel #2

'Chelsea Hotel #2' is a song from Cohen's fourth album, 'New Skin for the Old Ceremony', released in 1974. Although there was another song titled 'Chelsea Hotel' (the '2' implying the song is a sequel), it was a live-only track which Cohen had performed with Ron Cornelius.

The Chelsea Hotel was a popular hangout for musicians, artists and other bohemian types; Patti Smith had also stayed there at one point, and Nancy Spungen died there in 1978. 'Chelsea Hotel #2' was inspired by a one-night stand between Cohen and Janis Joplin, who was staying in Room 411; she bumped into him while looking for Kris Kristofferson. Cohen began writing the song in a bar in Miami in 1971, and finished it in a hotel in Ethiopia.

He later regretted making it clear who the song was about, and apologised. Musicians who have covered the song, either live or on record, include Regina Spektor, Lana del Rey, Rufus Wainwright and Lambchop.