You Want It Darker (song)
2016 single by Leonard Cohen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"You Want It Darker" is a song by Canadian poet and musician Leonard Cohen, released on September 21, 2016, Cohen's 82nd birthday.[1] It is the title track from Cohen's album You Want It Darker.[2] The song earned the artist a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance and features the vocals of Cantor Gideon Zelermyer and Shaar Hashomayim Choir.[3]
| "You Want It Darker" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by Leonard Cohen | |
| from the album You Want It Darker | |
| Released | September 21, 2016 |
| Length | 3:48 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Composer | Patrick Leonard |
| Lyricist | Leonard Cohen |
| Producers |
|
Alexis Petridis describes the song as "a menacing critique of religion" that "flips from anger to resigned acceptance and back again".[2] Far Out and American Songwriter ranked the song number seven and number three, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Leonard Cohen songs.[4][5]
The song was recorded by Iggy Pop for the 2022 tribute album Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen.[6]
The background choir vocals from this song are used as a sample in the track "Death of Love" from a electronic music producer James Blake.[7]
Charts
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] | 33 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 29 |
| Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] | 73 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 33 |
| France (SNEP)[12] | 76 |
| Germany (GfK)[13] | 81 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] | 52 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] | 27 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[16] | 22 |