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ntom · Post by **ntom** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:52 am

After yet another cover of the song, "Hallelujah" came up in my Pandora, I decided I wanted to put to rest my question on who the original author was of the song.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah ... en_song%29
Reading the article is quite interesting indeed. I wish it was more fleshed out on Cohen himself and the process of the song, especially if it had 80 verses written, but I suppose that's what the documentary is for.

So, for those of you who didn't know, there you have it, and answer to the question of a song that has been covered by over 300 known performers.

P.S.
The documentary is the same name as this thread. I haven't watched it yet, so I don't know much else besides what is on the wikipedia page.

xNiMiNx · Post by **xNiMiNx** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:21 am

My fav of the 300+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We8r-GfZzYA

ntom · Post by **ntom** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:04 pm

xNiMiNx wrote:My fav of the 300+

Here I was thinking it was going to be a super-rad metal cover of Hallelujah by Cohen, but we're talking about 2 different songs. Guess someone didn't bother to read the Wiki page

xNiMiNx · Post by **xNiMiNx** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 2:39 am

ntom wrote:Guess someone didn't bother to read the Wiki page

On the bright side, if it wasnt for me not reading that wiki page and posting, thered be no responses so far

OT: The latest HaG album is aiming for death metal if anyones interested (yeah i know im posting on kvr, but hey you never know). Its a far cry from things like Take me to your Dealer, or Heil Hizzle Mein Nizzle, but they finally brought back some greek lyrics.

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:51 am

It's great that "Hallelujah" let Leonard Cohen re-build his career after getting completely robbed by his manager. Of all the versions I've heard Jeff Buckley's is still the pinnacle. And John Cale gets honorable mention for hearing something in the song that wasn't in Cohen's original recording. Bono's rendition is undoubtedly the worst I've heard.

If you need to know more there's this book. I read it on a sick day last year, it's too long by a third but still a moving testament to the emotional power of music.

chaosWyrM · Post by **chaosWyrM** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:35 am

i think its odd that people wouldnt know he wrote it.

i mean theres other songs of his i understand if people dont know he wrote them, but this one?

its easily one of my least favorite cohen songs, and ive yet to hear a cover that did anything worthwhile with it.

people really like it though.

ntom · Post by **ntom** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:54 am

Winstontaneous wrote:It's great that "Hallelujah" let Leonard Cohen re-build his career after getting completely robbed by his manager. Of all the versions I've heard Jeff Buckley's is still the pinnacle. And John Cale gets honorable mention for hearing something in the song that wasn't in Cohen's original recording. Bono's rendition is undoubtedly the worst I've heard.

I appreciate the link!

I think this book was mentioned in the article too and it was definitely something I wanted to read. I'm gonna have to pick up a copy as it seems like the song and the zillions of covers has left an interesting legacy.
It was the same Pandora station that brought the Buckley version to my attention that prompted me to wiki who the original author is of the song that also played the K.D. Lang version (prior to my listening of the Buckley version) and I fell in love with it!

While I will agree that the song is over done, on the one hand. It reminds me of H.P. Lovecraft's world (not his writing style, per se) how so often he referenced things that were only imaginary, such as the Necronomicon and Cthuhu, that so many picked it up and MADE it into a real thing into this world, and it's only because so many different people besides the original author wrote these things into their own stories that it just became a part of our own.
I feel like "Hallelujah" is much the same in leaving such an interesting legacy behind. I've considered covering it myself, too...though, I'm a bit too horrible at singing.

IncarnateX · Post by **IncarnateX** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 9:13 am

Cohen's version is the only one for me. IMO the lyrics have to be read into the life-tired, apathetic and yet humorous way he sings it. You can really "feel" this is about the hazzles of love and living, which dry you out, but still leave islands of wisdoms to benefit from as you are aging.

I admire him deeply. A great poet. Thanks for bringing it up once more. It's timeless.

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:01 am

Curiously enough, and in spite of the commercialism and the pop arrangement, and even the (surprising) disdain attributed to her in the article, I like very much Alexandra Burke's version.

chaosWyrM · Post by **chaosWyrM** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:42 pm

so...heres what mr cohen had to say on the subject of covers of his songs. of course this was a while ago.

heres an archive of the interview (with atrocious sound quality):

pacifica radio's wbai dec. 4th. 1974

http://audio.pacificaradioarchives.org/ ... 0vault.mp3

as a side note...the interview was conducted by my mom (and they spelled her name wrong in that quote up there).

Frantz · Post by **Frantz** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:05 am

The beginning of the BBC documentary. Can't find the rest of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RJC2YA ... RJC2YA6yU8

The Fourth, The Fifth, The Minor Fall