--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not a cry you can hear at night…" description: "\"It's not a cry you can hear at night. It's not somebody who has seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/leonard-cohen-448_broken_it-s-not-a-cry-you-can-hear-at-night-it_1918677.jpg" --- # It's not a cry you can hear at night. It's not somebody… ![“It's not a cry you can hear at night. It's not somebody who has seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/leonard-cohen-448_broken_it-s-not-a-cry-you-can-hear-at-night-it_1918677.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/leonard-cohen-448_broken_it-s-not-a-cry-you-can-hear-at-night-it_1918677.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/leonard-cohen-448_broken_it-s-not-a-cry-you-can-hear-at-night-it_1918677.jpg) > “It's not a cry you can hear at night. It's not somebody who has seen the light. It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line portrays a broken, desolate expression of praise, suggesting that true reverence can arise from pain and loss rather than joy. **In simple terms:** Painful praise reflects deep feeling. Key Takeaway Find meaning in brokenness. Themes suffering faith artistry Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic musical When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - spiritual reflection - music analysis Key Concepts existentialism paradox redemption Questions to Reflect On - How does brokenness shape your expression of gratitude? - Can pain be a source of authentic creativity? A Different Perspective It may romanticize suffering, overlooking healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Hallelujah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallelujah/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) ## Related quotes > [Love is not a victory march, its a cold and its a broken hallelujah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/love-is-not-a-victory-march-its-a-cold-and-its-a-broken-hallelujah/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/love-is-not-a-victory-march-it-s-a-cold-and-it-s-a-broken-hallelujah/) [Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/) > [You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well really, what's it to you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-say-i-took-the-name-in-vain-i-don-t-even-know-the-name-but-if-i-2/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You say I took the name in vain I don't even know the name But if I did, well, really, what's it to you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-say-i-took-the-name-in-vain-i-don-t-even-know-the-name-but-if-i/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I haven't touched meat or anything like that in over six years. You know what's pretty trippy, once I stopped, I didn't get sick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bruno/i-haven-t-touched-meat-or-anything-like-that-in-over-six-years-you/) [Aaron Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bruno/) > [Just don't make me wait too long,...I'll take anything domestic, light and cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/just-don-t-make-me-wait-too-long-i-ll-take-anything-domestic-light/) [Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/) > [You picked me up out of the dark you helped me see that there was hope... Then you left me pushing me back into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-burgess/you-picked-me-up-out-of-the-dark-you-helped-me-see-that-there-was/) [Nicole Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-burgess/) > [I've seen your flag on the marble arch, love is not a vict'ry march... it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-anderson/i-ve-seen-your-flag-on-the-marble-arch-love-is-not-a-vict-ry-march-it/) Katie Anderson > [But remember when I moved in you And the holy dove was moving too And every breath we drew was Hallelujah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/but-remember-when-i-moved-in-you-and-the-holy-dove-was-moving-too-and/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Now I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/now-i-ve-heard-there-was-a-secret-chord-that-david-played-and-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Maybe there's a God above, As for me, all I've ever seemed to learn from love Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/maybe-there-s-a-god-above-as-for-me-all-i-ve-ever-seemed-to-learn/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's the notion that there is no perfection - that there is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-the-notion-that-there-is-no-perfection-that-there-is-a-broken/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Hallelujah" "Your faith was strong but you needed proof. You saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/hallelujah-your-faith-was-strong-but-you-needed-proof-you-saw-her/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Your faith was strong, but you needed proof...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/your-faith-was-strong-but-you-needed-proof/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. 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I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not a cry you can hear at night. 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