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Leonard Cohen's Anthem and the Stormlight Archive


YmYm

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Listening to Leonard Cohen's "Anthem," I noticed that there were tons of connections to the Stormlight Archive.  It even suggested a theory about what's to come!  I know it's way off in tinfoil-land but still, I thought I'd put it together.  See the lyrics below, followed by analysis:

Quote

The birds they sang at the break of day 
Start again I heard them say 
Don't dwell on what has passed away or what is yet to be. 

Ok, we're not off to a great start.  Are there even any birds in Roshar?  But just replace birds with Wind Spren!  They don't dwell on what has passed away or what has yet to be, they just enjoy the moment.
 

Quote

Ah the wars they will be fought again 
The holy dove she will be caught again 
Bought and sold and bought again 
the dove is never free. 

This is obviously about the desolation.  The wars have literally been fought again and again.

Quote

CHORUS
Ring the bells that still can ring 
Forget your perfect offering 
There is a crack in everything 
That's how the light gets in. 

This is my favorite part - this is clearly about the Radiants. The crack in their soul lets them bond the spren and then literally lets Stormlight in!  

Quote

We asked for signs the signs were sent: 
the birth betrayed the marriage spent 
Yeah the widowhood of every government -- 
signs for all to see. 

Szeth, Nan, Taravangian and others saw the signs that the Radiants were coming back.  And the Holy birth of Jesus wasn't betrayed, but the Holy Oathpact sure was. Then, after Taravangian saw the signs, he had Szeth widow a lot of governments.
 

Quote

I can run no more with that lawless crowd 
while the killers in high places say their prayers out loud. 
But they've summoned, they've summoned up a thundercloud 
and they're going to hear from me. 

This is all about Rlain (and hopefully Eshonai).  They can't run anymore with the lawless Parshendi who have become killers singing their prayers to Odium and his spren, who have literally have summoned up the thundercloud to end all thunderclouds!!!  I hope Eshonai manages to stop running with that lawless crowd.

Quote

You can add up the parts but you won't have the sum 
You can strike up the march, there is no drum 
Every heart, every heart to love will come but like a refugee. 

Dalinar is trying to strike up the march against Odium.  But there's no drum - few are joining him or even believing him.  The last line about love has no obvious connection that I can see.  But it got me thinking.  If Odium is the Divine Hatred Shard, shouldn't there also be a Divine Love Shard?  I mean, how could Brandon not have a Shard representing Adonalsium's Love?  And might Odium hate that Shard above all others?  Might that Shard be fleeing the hatred, and perhaps at some point come into men's hearts as a refugee?  I admit I don't know of any evidence for this, so it's pure tinfoil, but I mean, it just feels like there has to be a Love Shard, right?  

Ok, that's it.  Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.  I saw a previous post about this (link below), but I wanted to start a new post because I wanted to explore it more deeply. 

 

Edited by YmYm
improving the language a bit after proof-reading
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