Cohen also discussed the trove of unfinished and archived songs that he's built up over his half a century career.

"I don't think I'll be able to finish those songs. Maybe, who knows? And maybe I'll get a second wind, I don't know. But I don't dare attach myself to a spiritual strategy. I don't dare do that."

"I've got some work to do," said Cohen. "Take care of business. I am ready to die. I hope it's not too uncomfortable. That's about it for me."

Friends and musical colleagues of Cohen also revealed that he is unlikely to appear on stage again, "except in a limited way: a single performance, perhaps, or a short residency at one venue".

Cohen's 14th album You Want it Darker will be released on October 21 and will the musician's third album in six years, an extraordinary output considering he hadn't released an album in the eight years prior to that.

The title track for the album debuted last month and was used in an episode of Peaky Blinders.

You can listen to the track here: