Hallelujah

ChrisLS
ChrisLS Posts: 2,749
edited December 2008 in The bottom bracket
...both my two teenagers listened to Leonard Cohen last night because of the power ballard version of Hallelujah that is now in the charts...and both prefer the orignal 8)

...LC is cool again, but then I think he always was...
...all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...

Comments

  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,094
    ChrisLS wrote:
    ...both my two teenagers listened to Leonard Cohen last night because of the power ballard version of Hallelujah that is now in the charts...and both prefer the orignal 8)

    ...LC is cool again, but then I think he always was...

    My folks went to see him in concert the other week, 30 odd years after my dad saw him at the IOW festival. Said he was fantastic (both times). I've bought my dad I'm Your Man on DVD for crimbo. Looking forward to watching it myself. Apparently there is a chance that Hallelujah might be number 1 and 2 in the charts this year as the Jeff Buckley version has been re-released and is selling well. I think the Cohen version is somewhere at the other end of the charts too. The power of a well written song eh!

    I dig LC too. That cat has some style.
  • Sirius631
    Sirius631 Posts: 991
    A woman can't seriously sing those lyrics!

    'And remember when I moved in you
    The holy dove was moving too
    And every breath we drew was Hallelujah'

    When a man sings it, it's about sexual ecstasy. When a woman sings it, it's just silly. Even if she was using a strap-on dildo, she could never move in another. And no, it doesn't refer to a baby moving in the womb.
    To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.
  • ChrisLS
    ChrisLS Posts: 2,749
    ...here's the full lyrics...a dark disturbing song...

    Now I've heard there was a secret chord
    That David played, and it pleased the Lord
    But you don't really care for music, do you?
    It goes like this
    The fourth, the fifth
    The minor fall, the major lift
    The baffled king composing Hallelujah
    Hallelujah
    Hallelujah
    Hallelujah
    Hallelujah

    Your faith was strong but you needed proof
    You saw her bathing on the roof
    Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
    She tied you
    To a kitchen chair
    She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
    And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

    Baby I have been here before
    I know this room, I've walked this floor
    I used to live alone before I knew you.
    I've seen your flag on the marble arch
    Love is not a victory march
    It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah

    There was a time you let me know
    What's really going on below
    But now you never show it to me, do you?
    And remember when I moved in you
    The holy dove was moving too
    And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah

    You say I took the name in vain
    I don't even know the name
    But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
    There's a blaze of light
    In every word
    It doesn't matter which you heard
    The holy or the broken Hallelujah

    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah

    I did my best, it wasn't much
    I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
    I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
    And even though
    It all went wrong
    I'll stand before the Lord of Song
    With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    ...all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    LC's the man, every bit as good as Dylan imho. Even my kids think the X-factor has killed a great song, although we all think Jeff Buckley's version is equal to the great man himself.
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

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  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,094
    Worth a look....

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7787355.stm

    Its funny seeing a song like this sung on the X Factor isn't it. Its feels like they just don't get it doesn't it. They interpret it so differently to the intented feel. It was even funnier seeing that little boy band do it. No clue!

    Apparently there's about 80 different verses around for this song although I don't know where you'd find them all?
  • gondwanaman
    gondwanaman Posts: 22
    John Cale's version is also worth a listen.
  • OffTheBackAdam
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    Jeff Buckley even topped himself after recording it!
    The Daily Telegraph's music critic did note that the version Alex whatsername sung, was somewhat altered from the original.
    Does she sing verse two as penned above? That'd be a bit odd to say the least. Not a good choice by Mr Cowell, even worse if little Egg-nogg had won.
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,719
    I have to say that I think Jeff Buckley's version is by far the best. The pared down simplicity of one man and a guitar just fits the song perfectly.

    The new one's bloody awful.
  • nwallace
    nwallace Posts: 1,465
    Those lyrics aren't even close to the full lyrics, Rufus Wainwright reportedly received 108 verses to pick from when he asked Cohen if he could cover it.

    Had a look around the tube for different versions, and the XFactor one has to be the worst sung, and least convincing of the lot, the voice totally doesn't fit the lyrics at any point.
    Do Nellyphants count?

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  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    I'm quite fond of John Cale's.

    Though I think I'm sick of the song altogether now, having trawled youtube yesterday for the different covers, in happy bemusement at Hallelulahgate.
  • meagain
    meagain Posts: 2,331
    Just...not....RIGHT.
    d.j.
    "Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."
  • stevewj
    stevewj Posts: 227
    John Cale - great voice - sheer quality - started to appreciate him when he did a live version of 'all tomorrows parties' with velvet underground.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,823
    X-factor version totally lacked any real soul. I said to my wife, when I happened to watch the rubbish on telly last weekend that if you were listening to the girl singing, and not watching her performing, that her version would just wash past you. I heard it on radio yesterday - I was right, girl has a strong voice but really, doing a karaoke version of such a really great song was a bad joke.
    Nick Drake version is pretty stunning.
  • balthazar
    balthazar Posts: 1,565
    andyrr wrote:
    Nick Drake version is pretty stunning.

    I was about to say, - I missed that! - but didn't Nick Drake die before Cohen wrote the song? If I'm in a confused mess and Nick Drake did sing it though, could you point me to it?
  • Toks
    Toks Posts: 1,143
    ChrisLS wrote:
    ...both my two teenagers listened to Leonard Cohen last night because of the power ballard version of Hallelujah that is now in the charts...and both prefer the orignal 8)

    ...LC is cool again, but then I think he always was...
    Because of your post I just U tubed it. Its bloody awful - kids will say anything to ensure good christmas presents :Dhttp://uk.youtube.com/results?search_qu ... &oq=leonar
  • Gothmeister
    Gothmeister Posts: 62
    Didn't I see an ad on TV for a CD called "Sacred Ballads" or something similar and, lo and behold, Hallelujah was being sung!!!!

    Oh, but of course, it's called "Hallelujah" it MUST be sacred/religious.

    Don't these so-called musicians EVER read the words???

    (I prefer Buckley's....the emotion in his voice and the heavily chorused guitar are just brilliant. In fact, the whole album's excellent: Lilac Wine, et cetera....what a loss to the world of music)
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,823
    Not quite sure where the Nick Drake / Jeff Buckley crossover came from, must have been the terribleness of the X-Factor version scrambling my brain !
  • NervexProf
    NervexProf Posts: 4,202
    A very engaging take on this song:

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ELKTGbyjA ... annel_page

    This french lass is amazing, especially when playing blues.
    Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom

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