Leonard Cohen wrote songs.
Leonard Norman Cohen ( September 21 , 1934 -- November 7 , 2016 ) was a Canadian singer , songwriter , musician , poet , novelist , and painter . Cohen was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame , the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame , and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album by Canadian folk singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen , released in December 1967 on Columbia Records .