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Total ratings: 2233
Length: 4:54
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That David played, and it pleased the Lord
You don't really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
Well she tied you to her kitchen chair
She broke your throne and cut your hair
And from your lips she drew Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked the floor
Used to live alone before I knew ya
But I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Our love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya
It's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not someone who's seen the light
It's a cold and broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah...
Wouldn't be so bad.
Hard to mess this one up
She did!!
Second best version of this song. Buckley is always No.1.
LC’s version is number one!
"The song begins with David, one of God's most devout servants, who spoils that relationship in his adulterous passion for Bathsheba. In the line "she cut your hair" he probably thinks of Samson, whose bond to God as a Nazarite (symbolized by his uncut hair) was likewise broken when his passion for Delilah blinded him to her betrayal.
In the lyrics that grow out of those two stories, Cohen rejects the idea that romantic love is discovery, victory, or revelation. Rather, it is urgent and painful, it seems to have happened against the will of the singer himself, and it has left him broken. Yet though he is broken, he cries out Hallelujah—the ultimate cry of praise—to a love so emotionally overwhelming it's like worship."
Allison Crowe – Hallelujah – live-in-the-studio - Bing video
Just when you think you're tired of a song...
I was puttering around in the kitchen and found myself just leaning and listening and thinking 'God, what a voice.'
Her duet with Tony Bennet
k d lang performed this number at the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and it was astonishingly good .. I always knew she had a great voice, but that performance was amazing.
I think of that performance every time I hear the song, regardless of who's singing. It was absolutely profound in the moment.
k d lang performed this number at the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and it was astonishingly good .. I always knew she had a great voice, but that performance was amazing.
Totally agree, I also really enjoyed seeing Neil Young play Long may you Run
You must be a Pink Floyd fan, then.
What, wait. PF did a cover of Hallelujah?
And just to spite the naysayers who think this song gets overplayed on rp I'm going to add it to by workshop playlist, so I can listen to all 3 versions, and . . . send them out into the cosmos to counter the times they hit the psd button.
So, there!
Hard to mess this one up
And there have been plenty of chances for that.
Is there anyone who's been around a while who hasn't covered it? Almost like a rite of passage or something.
PSD'ing - one of the great things about RP is that we have the choice :)
However, I will still rate this an 8 because it is a great version.
Greatings from Bavaria to all the listeners outside.
k.d kicks this out of the park, sorry.
It was never meant to be the dirge that Jeff made it into, as pretty as his version was, made more poignant after his terrible end.
This is more of a dirge than Jeff Buckley's.
k.d kicks this out of the park, sorry.
It was never meant to be the dirge that Jeff made it into, as pretty as his version was, made more poignant after his terrible end.
But k.d. delivers the line, "How to shoot someone who out-drew ya", the way it was meant; matter-of-factly. After all, it's not a Christmas song. The word 'Hellelujah' is meant ironically.
"You saw her bathing on the roof /
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya /
Well she tied you to her kitchen chair /
She broke your throne and cut your hair /
And from your lips she drew Hallelujah."
Irony.
That's all well and good but it doesn't change the fact that hers is not the best version. Hits it out of the park? I would call it a double to left field.
Best version of this song. Great album wish she’d do another one.
Perhaps you should listen to the other versions again.
k.d. tries but she just can do what Buckley and Wainwright did/do.
k.d kicks this out of the park, sorry.
It was never meant to be the dirge that Jeff made it into, as pretty as his version was, made more poignant after his terrible end.
But k.d. delivers the line, "How to shoot someone who out-drew ya", the way it was meant; matter-of-factly. After all, it's not a Christmas song. The word 'Hellelujah' is meant ironically.
"You saw her bathing on the roof /
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya /
Well she tied you to her kitchen chair /
She broke your throne and cut your hair /
And from your lips she drew Hallelujah."
Irony.
May you live long in your songs, Mr. Cohen...
Yup, immortality even I'd say - viz: 'Bird on the Wire'!
I was puttering around in the kitchen and found myself just leaning and listening and thinking 'God, what a voice.'
k d lang performed this number at the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and it was astonishingly good .. I always knew she had a great voice, but that performance was amazing.
You rarely see stupid comments out here but when you do they will emanate from the Pink Floyd fans
You must be a Pink Floyd fan, then.
I was puttering around in the kitchen and found myself just leaning and listening and thinking 'God, what a voice.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-_ZDrypec
Saw him do this Live 5-6 years ago. So moving his version was.
https://youtu.be/2FpwjQLZTTs
Yes indeed. She sang it, on many occasions, much better than this version. She gets my vote for the best rendition of Hallelujah ever (at the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics, for example) -- although Buckley and Cale's are more popular. I'd like to hear her "Greatest Hits" version played on RP. Bill?
Jeff Buckley's version is also quite good. And I also am fortunate that I saw Lenny live - he will be missed.
wtf
this song is terrible, no mater who sings it.
I am just so glad that I am not you. I don't even mean that as an insult — but I am oh so glad.
You rarely see stupid comments out here but when you do they will emanate from the Pink Floyd fans
wtf
this song is terrible, no mater who sings it.
I am just so glad that I am not you. I don't even mean that as an insult -- but I am oh so glad.
Huh. I wish more "artists" had actual singing talent. K.D. certainly does.
I understand the comment, but find it ironic that talent should be a detraction.
Beautifully sad song.
The Atlantic just covered this song — check out How Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Became Everybody's 'Hallelujah'.
And they mention there's a book on the way out: The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah".
Much agreed ... Jeff Buckley reaches deep and channels it out on record .. unbelievable .. the high's, the lows, just brilliant!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE
My personal favourite, though, is when she sang it with Cohen in the audience on the occasion of his induction into the Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 2006.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYiMJ2bC65A
On hearing that version, Cohen's partner, Anjani Thomas, said that she and Cohen looked at each other and said: "well, I think we can lay that song to rest now! It's really been done to its ultimate blissful state of perfection."
This is supposed to be one of those special songs that you play once in a blue moon, when the mood is right, not just in the middle of a workday!
You nailed it. Great tune, one of the best...but too much of a great thing...
This is supposed to be one of those special songs that you play once in a blue moon, when the mood is right, not just in the middle of a workday!
Well said.
This. It's a beautiful song, and there are many amazing renditions. But do we have to hear them all?
I was at the tipping point a loooong time ago...
Agree 100%.
Totally agreed! Like nails on a chalkboard!
I like k.d. but thought the same thing. :(
THE difinitive version for me
Her live version at the Vancouver Olympics was very moving.
If you don't like this song fine; but don't ever, ever use the above P.O.S. again in any context whatsoever. If you like a song, don't show a picture of this d-bag with his thumb up; if you just had a baby with him, don't show a picture of him holding it.
Scratch that, you loose any and all privileges to ever comment on a song again because of this egregious breaking of the rules.
Word.
Totally agreed! Like nails on a chalkboard!
Funny, I was just thinking the exact opposite. I've always thought Jeff Buckley was trying to sound soulful (instead of actually being soulful) and trying much too hard at that.
I agree! His version is remarkable...RIP J.B.
words out of my mouth.. that's why i love RP!
Jeff Buckley
I agree! His version is remarkable...RIP J.B.
Fast forward to 2011 and for some reason a debate rages on, NOT over WHO recorded the best version of Hallelujah, but whether anyone OTHER than the the song's creator should have recorded a different version in the first place. Ridiculous.
If Mr. Cohen was anything other than overjoyed for the opportunity to make some extra scratch and share his music with other artists (that he no doubt respects) he probably would have weighed in by now.
That said, K.D. Lang has a much better voice than Mr. Cohen and I like her version better. Suck it.
Are you kidding?
This is an amazing song covered by many, many artists.
Don't reduce music to numbers.
just because it's covered by "artists" doesn't mean it's good. I'll reduce it to numbers if the song is that bad and the repetition is what's annoying.
Hallelujah it's over.
——-Superior Version——
Far superior version!
Jeff Buckley
Her phrasing, range and power of the song came through much better! But I may be a little biased as a Canadian and resident of Vancouver. see the link or search it on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVq0L4kkpKM&feature=related
I have been a fan of RP for many years! Keep up the great music and brilliant mixing.
Mike
——-Superior Version——
Agree!
I was so annoyed I went and got the lyrics because I couldn't believe my ears... my very first negative post on RP in over 6 years of listenting.
Maybe there's a God above,
But all iv'e ever learnt from love,
Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya,
It's not a cry that u hear at night,
It's not someone whos seen the light,
It's a cold and broken hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah
Are you kidding?
This is an amazing song covered by many, many artists.
Don't reduce music to numbers.
——-Superior Version——
I was so annoyed I went and got the lyrics because I couldn't believe my ears... my very first negative post on RP in over 6 years of listenting.
Maybe there's a God above,
But all iv'e ever learnt from love,
Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya,
It's not a cry that u hear at night,
It's not someone whos seen the light,
It's a cold and broken hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah
John Cale was the first person to cover this song, for the I'm Your Fan tribute album. He had seen Cohen perform it live and asked him for the lyrics. Cohen faxed him 15 pages (!), from which Cale selected the verses that have been used in later versions by Buckely etc.