Anthem

The line "a crack in everything" seems to come from a book by Jack Kornfield on buddhism. The story is that a young man who had lost his leg came to a buddhist monastary thing, and he was extremely angry at life, and always drew these pictures of cracked vases and damaged thing, because he felt damaged. Over time, he found inner peace, and changed his outllook, but still drew broken vases. His master asked him one day: "Why do you still draw a crack in the vases you draw, are you not whole?" And he replied "yes, and so are the vases. The crack is how the light gets in"

Leonard Cohen once explained the meaning of the song as follows:

That is the background of the whole record, I mean if you have to come up with a philosophical ground, that is “Ring the bells that still can ring.” It’s no excuse… the dismal situation.. and the future is no excuse for an abdication of your own personal responsibilities towards yourself and your job and your love. “Ring the bells that still can ring”: they’re few and far between but you can find them. “Forget your perfect offering”, that is the hang-up, that you’re gonna work this thing out. Because we confuse this idea and we’ve forgotten the central myth of our culture which is the expulsion from the garden of Eden. This situation does not admit of solution or perfection. This is not the place where you make things perfect, neither in your marriage, nor in your work, nor anything, nor your love of God, nor your love of family or country. The thing is imperfect. And worse, there is a crack in everything that you can put together, physical objects, mental objects, constructions of any kind. But that’s where the light gets in, and that’s where the resurrection is and that’s where the return, that’s where the repentance is. It is with the confrontation, with the brokenness of things. – from Diamonds in the Line

"Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light" is a quote attributed to that great Zen monk Spike Milligan.

I think this song is also a reminder that in the grand scheme of things all you can do is move forward and do the best you can with what you have.

There is a wonderful passage in the essay 'What I believe' by E.M. Forster (spichtinger.net/otexts/believe.html) which goes:

"The more highly public life is organized the lower does its morality sink ; the nations of today behave to each other worse than they ever did in the past, they cheat, rob, bully and bluff, make war without notice, and kill as many women and children as possible; whereas primitive tribes were at all events restrained by taboos. It is a humiliating outlook - though the greater the darkness, the brighter shine the little lights, reassuring one another, signalling: "Well, at all events, I'm still here. I don't like it very much, but how are you ?" Unquenchable lights of my aristocracy! Signals of the invincible army ! "Come along

• anyway, let's have a good time while we can. "I think they signal that too."

And when you put it like that it doesn't seem so bad, after all. Things are crap - of course they are, they always have been - but oh well, never mind. Carry on regardless: make the most of it. The crack is how the light gets in. You'll be hurt, you'll be screwed over, everything that is sacred will be rendered profane - but remember the words of the wise man. This too shall pass. And when you're tired, cold, ready to surrender - that's just when love will come to you. To make it all worthwhile. It is a tremendously hopeful message. In spite of all this adversity, well, there's still beauty. There's always something worth living for.

Thanks. This is one terrific song and now it has a new look.

i agree the chorus is saying its the flawed things that are the most beautiful because they are the ones with character.

it reminds me what someone said about imagine: its a great thing to aim for but if the world was like that it would just be boring

I see this as a song of hope, of how our faults are proof of our existence. We are a frail species and knowing the faults within us makes all the more capable of seeing, with more clarity, the faults around us. We are capable of becoming a "thunder cloud" should we choose to do so, should we dedicate ourselves to such a purpose. There will be no pomp, no circumstance, no reward, no salutary drums pounding a grand entrance, only dedication to the struggle. That's how the light gets in.

Great song and profound to its core.

While some of Leonard Cohen's songs may be a little pessimistic and concerned with the trivial pursuits of the flesh, this one is lyrically optimistic and I like that. I think Cohen has some insight into spiritual things but struggles with hope. So this song it quite refreshing in it's hopefulness.

There are some really good lines, aside from the crack in everything, which is a great line I like;

"while the killers in high places say their prayers out loud. "

It is Christian to say your prayers in private(Matthew6:5-6), so this line highlights the fact that those in 'high places' or positions of power in the world are acting in a hypercritical way when they pray out loud to be seen as righteous people.

"Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering "

We need to get active spreading the truth now, and not to worry that we have to first become perfect to do so. If we wait for perfection we will never get round to it.

"every heart to love will come but like a refugee. "

Everyone that desires love (the divine type, not romantic) will come together to the truth, but they will be like refugee's in a foreign land. As the place of Truth (with a capital T) is very foreign to the way the world is.

That is just the way I take the song anyway.

Where the heck do these credits come from: "Anthem" as written by Alex Harvey, Hugh Mckenna ?? I'm pretty sure Cohen wrote this song!