A curious thing happened to Leonard Cohen after he retired from performing in 1993: He became a legend.

But it didn't happen overnight for this enormously influential Canadian singer-songwriter, who may very well be pop music's most celebrated Jewish Zen Buddhist — and, at 74, one of its most enigmatic poet laureates.

And it didn't happen by design for Cohen, who — to his obvious astonishment — was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame early last year in New York. The induction came only a few months before he launched his first concert tour since 1993, a globe-hopping trek.

A master of contradiction who has been dubbed the "godfather of miserablism" because of his frequently dark, morose songs and rumbling baritone singing voice, Cohen sounded both serious and self-mocking during his Rock Hall induction last year.

"I'm reminded," he told the star-studded audience, "of the prophetic statement of (music critic) Jon Landau in the early 1970s, when he said: 'I have seen the future of rock 'n' roll, and it is not Leonard Cohen.'"

Perhaps not.

But over the course of a career that saw him publish his first book of poetry, "Let Us Compare Mythologies," in 1956, and release his first album, "Songs of Leonard Cohen," in 1967, he has made an indelible impact with his incandescent music, however gradual.

Or, as this quintessential maverick is fond of noting, his second album, 1969's classic "Songs From a Room," went on to sell a million copies, but took nearly 40 years to do so.

Then again, this is an artist who admits to having spent "at least five years" completing "Hallelujah," perhaps his most stirring and beloved song. Cohen wrote about 80 verses before finishing "Hallelujah," even though his 1984 recording of it, on his "Various Positions" album, used only five.

A deliberately ambiguous song that seems to celebrate both the sacred and the secular, the profound and the profane, "Hallelujah" has been covered by more than 100 artists. They range from Bob Dylan and k.d. lang to Jon Bon Jovi and the Swedish metal band Pain of Salvation.

Then, there's ex-Velvet Underground member John Cale, whose version was used in the hit 2001 animated film "Shrek," and Rufus Wainwright's own tremulous rendition on the film's soundtrack album.

In December, three versions of "Hallelujah" were simultaneously in the Top 40 in the United Kingdom, including the chart-topping one by "X Factor" TV show winner Alexandra Burke. At No. 2 was the far superior 1994 version by the late Jeff Buckley. Cohen's original only came in at No. 36.

However, as longtime fans can attest, he has written numerous other classic songs. Among his best are "Bird on a Wire," "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Sisters of Mercy," "I'm Your Man" and 1992's apocalyptic "The Future."

Equally notable are such gems as "Suzanne," "First We Take Manhattan," "A Thousand Kisses Deep" and "Please Don't Pass Me By," which — back in the early 1970s — was the song that usually concluded his concerts.

"I don't know what a perfect song is, but 'Suzanne' comes pretty darn close," said singer-songwriter Drew Andrews, 30, who is also a member of the bands Album Leaf and Via Satellite.

"I first heard 'Suzanne' five years ago when I was seeking a new musical direction and the impact was immediate. It challenged me to go deeper, not be afraid to address heavier subject matter and to try and combine strong melodies with more contemplative lyrics."

U2's Bono has often sung the praises of Cohen, of whom he said in 2005: "I've been humbled and humiliated as a fan of Leonard Cohen every time I've listened to his songs."

Cohen's appetite for fame has varied over the years, which is one reason he spent five years in the 1990s living in a Zen monastery on top of California's Mount Baldy.

"It was one of the many attempts I've made in the past 30 or 40 years to address acute clinical depression," he told an interviewer in 2001.

Those five years were healing for Cohen, who recalled "drinking about three bottles of wine before each concert" during his 1993 tour.

Bassist Roscoe Beck, who first worked with Cohen in 1979 and is now the musical director of his touring band, recalls that five-year sabbatical.

"When he took up residency at Mount Baldy, Leonard told me he was 'getting out of the music racket'," Beck said from his Austin, Texas, home. "The next time I talked to him was in 2001, about the time of his 'Ten New Songs' album, and I said 'I thought you were getting out of the music racket.' He replied: 'Now, I'm getting out of the spirituality racket!'

"I knew a little bit about his reputation for being morose, depressed and dark, when I met him in 1979. But he has a great sense of humor. He's one of the funnier people I know."

Yet, even when his public profile was low, Cohen's legacy continued to grow among his fellow musicians. The 1992 tribute album "I'm Your Fan" featured his songs performed by such admirers as Nick Cave, R.E.M. and The Pixies, while 1995's "Tower of Song: The Songs of Leonard Cohen" featured such disparate artists as Elton John, Suzanne Vega and Willie Nelson.

The 2005 film documentary "Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" featured the man himself, along with spoken and musical tributes from Wainwright, Cave, U2, Beth Orton, Antony & The Johnsons' namesake Antony Hegarty and others.

That 2005 film came out the same year Cohen discovered that his manager had siphoned more than $5 million from his savings, leaving the veteran musician almost broke. His decision to resume touring last year was prompted by his financial misfortune — a court ruling has since awarded him $9 million, but Cohen says he has yet to see any of the money due him.

Quicker than you could say "Hallelujah," virtually every date on his 28-city North American tour sold out, while his hugely successful 2008 European tour saw him fill 20,000-seat arenas. Clearly, the rare chance to see Leonard Cohen, live and in the flesh, is almost priceless. So, fortunately for fans, is his music.

To find out more about George Varga and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.