Leonard Cohen's voice falls silent: Five greatest songs

Leonard Cohen, whose mordant words and mournful voice resonated down through six decades, has died at the age of 82.

"It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen, has passed away," an announcement on his Facebook page read. "We have lost one of music's most revered and prolific visionaries."

A memorial service will be held in Los Angeles, Cohen's adopted home.

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Cohen turned to music in the late 1960s, when he "abandoned a promising literary career to become one of the foremost songwriters of the contemporary era", says the New York Times. His songs "addressed - in spare language that could be both oblique and telling - themes of love and faith, despair and exaltation, solitude and connection, war and politics".

Prone to depression throughout his life, Cohen's "often witty, charming and self-deprecating manner" was reflected in his lyrics, says the BBC.

"Only Bob Dylan exerted a more profound influence upon his generation," says Rolling Stone, "and perhaps only Paul Simon and fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell equalled him as a song poet."

Cohen is best known for his 1984 song Hallelujah, "a majestic, meditative ballad infused with both religiosity and earthiness", says the NYT. It sold in millions when it was covered by Jeff Buckley in 1994.

The cause of his death has not been reported, but in July he spoke of his impending mortality in a letter to Marianne Ihlen, his former partner and the inspiration for his song So Long Marianne, shortly before her death.

"Well Marianne it's come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon," he wrote.

"Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine."

Tributes have poured in from around the world, including several from musicians who recorded versions of Cohen's songs. Film-maker Ron Howard described him as one of his favourite singer-poets, while singer and actress Bette Midler mourned "another magicial voice stilled".

Here are five of his greatest songs:

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