The Hills

Leonard Cohen's 'The Hills' is a poignant exploration of personal struggle, existential despair, and the glimmer of hope that persists despite overwhelming odds. The song opens with a stark admission of defeat: 'I can't make the hills / The system is shot / I'm living on pills / For which I thank God.' These lines set the tone for the rest of the song, revealing a narrator who is grappling with both physical and emotional exhaustion. The mention of pills suggests a reliance on medication to cope with life's challenges, a common theme in Cohen's later work as he dealt with his own health issues.

The lyrics delve deeper into the narrator's internal conflict, juxtaposing the 'animal howls' with the 'angel's upset.' This duality represents the struggle between primal instincts and higher aspirations, a recurring motif in Cohen's poetry and music. The narrator acknowledges a sense of regret and unfulfilled potential, yet he is 'not allowed / A trace of regret,' indicating a resignation to his fate. The lines 'For someone will use / The thing I could not be / My heart will be hurt / Impersonally' suggest that the narrator's failures will be inherited or experienced by others, adding a layer of existential continuity to his personal despair.

Despite the bleakness, there is a thread of hope woven through the song. The repeated refrain 'I know she is coming / And I know she will look / And that is the longing / And this is the hook' introduces a sense of anticipation and renewal. This 'she' could be interpreted as a new generation or a future self who will accomplish what the narrator could not. The imagery of 'the door opened wide' and 'freedom between' evokes a sense of liberation and possibility, even if only for a fleeting moment. In this way, Cohen masterfully balances the themes of despair and hope, creating a rich tapestry of human experience that resonates deeply with listeners.