On October 6, 1973, the Yom Kippur War started when an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria, launched a surprise attack on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.[4] Amid high fatalities among Israeli soldiers and a sense of despair in the country, Cohen arrived in the country to perform on the battlefield in the Sinai Peninsula for small groups of soldiers. He said: “I am joining my brothers fighting in the desert,” adding “I don’t care if their war is just or not. I know only that war is cruel, that it leaves bones, blood and ugly stains on the holy soil.”[3] He arrived to perform with a pickup band of four Israeli musicians.[4] Cohen wrote and shelved a manuscript about the experience.[4]
The song is a meditation on death and was inspired by the Unetanneh Tokef prayer recited in synagogues during the High Holy Days.[3] The prayers begins: “On Rosh HaShanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed.[3] How many will pass and how many will be created.” In his adaptation of the prayer, Cohen added a question to the traditional liturgy: “And who shall I say is calling?"[3]
Cultural impact
In 2022, Canadian-Israeli journalist Matti Friedman referenced the song title with his book, Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai. The book is an account of Cohen's experience performing in the Sinai.[4]
A 2024 French-Canadian film, Who by Fire, directly references the song in its English-language title.[5]
Cover versions
In 2021, First Aid Kit performed the song in their live concert of Cohen songs, and it was later featured on their album, Who by Fire.[6][7]
In 2022, the British artist, PJ Harvey released a cover version of the song. Harvey recorded with composer Tim Phillips for the Irish Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters.[8]
In 2023, Beth Orton and Skinny Pelembe released their rendition of the song.[9]
Reception
The song was one of the best received by critics reviewing the album collection.[citation needed]
References
^Koral, David (September 27, 2012). "Leonard Cohen's Lyricism". The New York Jewish Week. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
