--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now I've heard there was a secret chord…" description: "\"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 you? It goes like this the f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/leonard-cohen-448_baffled_now-i-ve-heard-there-was-a-secret-chord_2845153.jpg" --- # Now I've heard there was a secret chord That David played… ![“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 you? It goes like this the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, the major lift The baffled king composing Hallelujah” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/leonard-cohen-448_baffled_now-i-ve-heard-there-was-a-secret-chord_2845153.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/leonard-cohen-448_baffled_now-i-ve-heard-there-was-a-secret-chord_2845153.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/leonard-cohen-448_baffled_now-i-ve-heard-there-was-a-secret-chord_2845153.jpg) > “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 you? It goes like this the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, the major lift The baffled king composing 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 narrator reflects on a secret chord that pleases God, yet admits indifference to music, describing musical structure (fourth, fifth, minor fall, major lift) and the awe of the “baffled king” composing “Hallelujah.” **In simple terms:** Even profound music can feel distant; its structure moves us. Key Takeaway Appreciate music’s emotional depth. Themes music spirituality indifference structure creativity Mood melancholic reflective inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - music education - spiritual contemplation - creative writing Key Concepts music theory poetry philosophy of art Questions to Reflect On - What does the “secret chord” symbolize for you? - How does musical structure affect your feelings? A Different Perspective Focusing on technical aspects may miss emotional resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Hallelujah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallelujah/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-not-a-cry-you-can-hear-at-night-it-s-not-somebody-who-has-seen/) [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/) > [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/) > [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 feel like shouting, hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever I knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/i-feel-like-shouting-hallelujah-all-the-time-when-i-think-that-i-ever/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [In old age the consolation of hope is reserved for the tenderness of parents, who commence a new life in their children, the faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-old-age-the-consolation-of-hope-is-reserved-for-the-tenderness-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory” (Rev. 19:6–7). On into eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/hallelujah-for-the-lord-our-god-the-almighty-reigns-let-us-rejoice/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Hallelujah, there's forgiveness in the wind. Hallelujah, it's time to let go and let the love in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hallelujah-there-s-forgiveness-in-the-wind-hallelujah-it-s-time-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I had my way, I would build a lethal chamber as big as the Crystal Palace, with a military band playing softly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/if-i-had-my-way-i-would-build-a-lethal-chamber-as-big-as-the-crystal/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## 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 Baffled quotes > [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." 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