Lady Midnight

Leonard Cohen · Complete Studio Albums Collection [2011]

I came by myself to a very crowded place;

I was looking for someone who had lines in her face.

I found her there but she was past all concern;

I asked her to hold me, I said, "Lady, unfold me,"

But she scorned me and she told me

I was dead and I could never return.



Well, I argued all night like so many have before,

Saying, "Whatever you give me, I seem to need so much more."

Then she pointed at me where I kneeled on her floor,

She said, "Don't try to use me or slyly refuse me,

Just win me or lose me,

It is this that the darkness is for."



I cried, "Oh, Lady Midnight, I fear that you grow old,

The stars eat your body and the wind makes you cold."

"If we cry now," she said, "it will just be ignored."

So I walked through the morning, sweet early morning,

I could hear my lady calling,

"You've won me, you've won me, my lord,

You've won me, you've won me, my lord,

Yes, you've won me, you've won me, my lord,

Ah, you've won me, you've won me, my lord,

Ah, you've won me, you've won me, my lord."

Lady Midnight

Leonard Cohen's "Lady Midnight" stands as a haunting centerpiece within his expansive discography, exemplifying the artist's mastery of melancholic storytelling and atmospheric composition. Recorded during the late 1970s, the track embodies the gothic romanticism and spiritual introspection that defined Cohen's work during this pivotal era. With its brooding piano accompaniment and Cohen's distinctive, gravelly vocal delivery, the song explores themes of longing and the complexities of the human condition, characteristic of his broader catalog. Released here as part of a comprehensive studio collection, the recording captures the raw emotional depth that has cemented his status as a profound influence on alternative and folk music. The piece remains a timeless testament to the power of understated lyricism and the evocative quality of his musical voice.