The world is rigged. You know it, I know it, and Leonard Cohen definitely knew it back in 1988.
When Everybody Knows first rattled out of speakers, it didn’t sound like a typical folk song. It didn’t sound like the "Godfather of Gloom" strumming an acoustic guitar in a Grecian villa. Instead, it was this weird, cold, synth-driven pulse. It felt like a transmission from a basement where the truth was being whispered because the walls had ears.
Honestly, the song is a mood. It’s that specific feeling you get when you realize the person you love is lying, the boss is skimming off the top, and the "good guys" didn't just lose—they weren't even invited to the game.
The Song That Predicted Everything
Most people think of Cohen as a poet of the heart, all "Hallelujah" and "Suzanne." But Everybody Knows is where he put on the sunglasses and became a prophet of the street. Co-written with Sharon Robinson, the track is basically a litany of "I told you so's."
It’s cynical. It’s bleak. It’s also kinda funny if you have a dark enough sense of humor.
When he growls about the "dice being loaded," he isn't just talking about a bad night at the casino. He's talking about systemic rot. The poor stay poor, the rich get rich. That's how it goes. We’ve heard that line a million times in political speeches since, but Cohen said it with a shrug that felt more honest than any manifesto.
The Lyrics: A Catalog of Disillusionment
Let’s look at what’s actually happening in those verses. Cohen touches on things that were taboo for a pop song in the late 80s:
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- The AIDS Crisis: The line about the "plague" moving fast and the "meter on your bed" was a direct, chilling reference to the fear and surveillance surrounding the epidemic.
- Social Inequality: "Old Black Joe's still pickin' cotton" is a gut-punch. It’s a reminder that for all our talk of progress, the underlying machinery of exploitation hasn't changed.
- Personal Infidelity: He pivots from the collapse of Western civilization to a lover who’s been faithful "give or take a night or two." It’s brutal.
That’s the magic of the song. It scales perfectly. It works whether you're looking at a map of a war zone or the contact list on your partner's phone.
Why the Sound Was So Polarizing
If you go back and listen to the I’m Your Man album, the production is... very 1988. We’re talking cheap-sounding synthesizers and drum machines. For the purists who wanted the "old" Leonard, this was a betrayal.
But it was a deliberate choice.
Cohen realized that his gravelly, sub-basement baritone needed something sharp to cut against. The Casio-keyboard vibe makes the lyrics feel more "industrial." It sounds like a city at 3:00 AM. It’s the sound of a man who has traded his robes for a pinstripe suit and a cigarette.
The Sharon Robinson Connection
We can't talk about Everybody Knows without mentioning Sharon Robinson. She didn't just sing backup; she helped build the architecture of the song. Her melody provided the "purity" that Cohen’s rumbling voice lacked.
She once mentioned in an interview that Leonard wanted something "tough." He didn't want a ballad. He wanted a march. They recorded it across Montreal and Los Angeles, and the result was a track that somehow sounds dated and timeless at the exact same time.
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From "Pump Up the Volume" to "Justice League"
A great song is like a virus—it finds new hosts.
In 1990, the movie Pump Up the Volume turned the song into an anthem for Gen X angst. Christian Slater’s character used it as the theme for his pirate radio station. It fit the "everything is fake" vibe of the era perfectly.
Then you have the covers.
Concrete Blonde did a version that’s arguably as famous as the original. It’s grittier, more rock-forward.
Don Henley took a crack at it.
Sigrid did a haunting, orchestral version for the opening of Justice League in 2017.
Why does it keep coming back? Because the song is a universal "vibe check." Every generation reaches a point where they realize the "fight was fixed," and they need a song to help them process that bitterness.
The Secret Life of Leonard Cohen
Cohen once told a journalist that the "secret life" is the one that parallels the one we live for appearances. Everybody Knows is the anthem of that secret life. It’s the things we know but don't say at the dinner table.
It’s easy to call the song "depressing." That’s a surface-level take.
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In reality, there's a weird comfort in it. There is a relief in hearing someone finally say the quiet part out loud. When Cohen sings "that's how it goes," he isn't saying we should give up. He’s saying we should stop being surprised by the darkness.
How to Listen to "Everybody Knows" Today
If you want to actually "get" the song, don't play it as background music while you're doing dishes. It deserves more than that.
- Find the 1988 Original: The synth-pop arrangement is essential. Don't skip it for a "stripped-back" acoustic cover. The artifice is the point.
- Read the Lyrics: Don't just hear the words. Read them like a poem. Look at the transition from the "beach of Malibu" to the "bloody cross on top of Calvary."
- Watch the "Exotica" Sequence: If you really want to see how the song can be used to create tension, watch Atom Egoyan's film Exotica. The way the song interacts with the visual of the strip club is legendary.
Practical Insights for the Modern Listener
The song is more relevant now than it was 30 years ago. We live in an era of "alternative facts" and algorithm-driven reality. Everybody Knows serves as a reminder to keep your eyes open.
Don't let the cynicism consume you, but don't let the "box of chocolates and a long-stemmed rose" distract you from what’s actually happening.
Cohen wasn't trying to be a downer. He was trying to be a witness. He was reminding us that even when the boat is leaking and the captain is lying, there is still a "Sacred Heart" somewhere in the wreckage. You just have to be honest enough to look for it.
Next Steps for the Cohen-Curious:
If this song hit a nerve, go straight to the rest of the I'm Your Man album. Specifically, listen to "Tower of Song" and "First We Take Manhattan." They carry that same "wise old man in a suit" energy. Then, find a copy of Cohen's book Stranger Music to see how these lyrics look on the page without the music.
The dice might be loaded, but you still have to play the hand you're dealt.