[Ads-l] Quote Origin: Blessed Are the Cracked for They Shall Let in the Light

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Fred Shapiro wrote:
> A modern version appears in Leonard Cohen's 1992 song "Anthem":
>
> Ring the bells that still can ring.
> Forget your perfect offering.
> There is a crack in everything.
> That's how the light gets in.

Thanks for your feedback, Fred. I have placed the Leonard Cohen
citation into the QI article, and you are acknowledged. The changes to
the article should be visible within an hour.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2026/09/24/cracked-light/

Previously, I examined a quotation which blended the words of Cohen
with a remark by Ernest Hemingway. Here is a link to that QI article:

Quote Origin: We Are All Broken. That’s How the Light Gets In
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2016/11/16/light/

This QI article presented another precursor which appeared in an 1860
book titled "Optimism: The Lesson of Ages" by philosopher Benjamin
Blood. This following excerpt mentioned crack/light, but it did not
use wordplay based on "cracked" (crazy).

[Begin excerpt]
It frequently happens that the souls of men outgrow the love of their
own peculiar merits, and they long to exchange, even for merits of
less worth.—"There is a crack in every thing that God has made;" but
through that crevice enters the light of heaven. Every thing is
blessed, but every thing is unfortunate as well.
[End excerpt]

The two QI articles are now crosslinked.
Garson

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