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That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
Well, it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth,
The minor fall and 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
And she tied you to her kitchen chair,
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair,
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well, baby, I've been here before,
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march,
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well, there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below,
But now you never show that to me, do ya?
But remember when I moved in you,
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well, maybe there is a God above
But all I've ever learned from love,
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light,
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Outstanding! His sensless death was a minor tragedy!
Your second exclamation mark is odd, especially combined with the word minor. Trying to read it in my head with the implied emphasis is making me giggle, and I'm sure that was not your intent.
This is not a church song. And no it is not Jeff Buckley’s now. To each their own on which version you like best, but it is Cohen through and through.
It's really great: country, traditional, Black church gospel, you name it. The Louvin Brothers, Aretha, Willie, on and on.
AND some bro-country guy who decided this song deserved the 'white country gospel' treatment. Oh well.
c.
SeriousLee wrote:
Fuck it. This schmuck stole it from Leonard.
It's His Forever
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
The day this album came out I ran to the store to get it and It's been in my player for ages... I'd love to hear the song 'Eternal Life' on RP more too, and all the other songs on that album for all I care.
Agree! Tired of this song!
The absolute best cover I've ever heard of this song. Jeff made it his own. Still missing him after all these years.
I was just thinking the same. No one covers it better.
God I hate this song, by anyone.
To each his own... thank you for just stating your opinion, rather than attacking the artist. I can respect your comment because of that.
That wouldn't be so bad.
Write me a song that every teenager wants to be deflowered to.
Leonard Cohen:
"Hold my beer."
Jeff Buckley:
"No, hold my beer!!!"


This... this is just a pale shadow of the power of the original. Give us Cohen's version, please.
This version by Jeff Buckley is regarded by music critics and fans the world over as a classic gem. But apparently, you had to be different, simply because you're sooooooooo special. See that >| next to the play button? Click that. See where that takes you.
its bit shit
Nice version, yes, but how about getting John Cale's version into the rotation?
Now that would be very interesting to listen too
Visceral and unpleasant reaction to this whinny whine.
This version by Jeff Buckley is regarded by music critics and fans the world over as a classic gem. But apparently, you had to be different, simply because you're sooooooooo special. See that >| next to the play button? Click that. See where that takes you.
When Johnny Cash covered "Hurt," Trent Reznor acknowledged, somewhat begrudgingly, that the song was no longer his, it was Cash's.
I feel pretty comfortable in saying that this song is no longer Leonard Cohen's, it's Jeff Buckley's. And that's fine. Cohen has a whole bunch of songs that are still his. Let Jeff have this one.
hear, hear
Can.not.listen
Its kind of beyond a 10 rating in a non numerical universe
How do I say this nicely? (being Canadian and all..) While I'm happy that many Americans have got to know and love this song through this cover, us Canadians have loved and treasured both the author/composer's (Leonard Cohen) heart-wrenching version, and the quintessential cover, most notably sung live, in bare feet and in tribute to Cohen who was sitting in the front row, by the goddess herself, kd lang. Welcome to the team friends, and glad you like Jeff's version, but gad, the originals were devastatingly beautiful and still make me pause when I hear them today, decades later.
Prick

This is the most over rated sappy, long and repetitive song ever and you play this waaay to much, Bill!!! Fingernails on a chalkboard.
i hear ya
this is one song that needs to be unwritten and deleted from the musical record.
i wish that were possible.
it is drivel and from the start i wish it to end. but like a bad disease it just keeps going
hey my first post, i signed up to give this a MINUS TEN
I stand by every word.
How people gush forth forth over this bollox shows there are plenty limp minded people out there.
and jeez leonard cohen what a depressing prick and thank god this buckley twat din't get to record much more.
this is one song that needs to be unwritten and deleted from the musical record.
i wish that were possible.
it is drivel and from the start i wish it to end. but like a bad disease it just keeps going
hey my first post, i signed up to give this a MINUS TEN
Well congratulations, you got 10 thumbs down on your post so mission accomplished it would seem.
The absolute best cover I've ever heard of this song. Jeff made it his own. Still missing him after all these years.
It's one of the best cover versions ever.
The absolute best cover I've ever heard of this song. Jeff made it his own. Still missing him after all these years.
Check out KD Lang for a great cover
and also shite
Out of curiosity, just how many covers of this song are there?
Recorded as in an album:
John Cale
Jeff Buckley
Rufus Wainwright
k.d. lang
Alexandra Burke
Pentatonix
and then
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...(Leonard_Cohen_song)#Other_cover_versions
Also give this a listen:
https://www.wnycstudios.org/po...
The absolute best cover I've ever heard of this song. Jeff made it his own. Still missing him after all these years.
Out of curiosity, just how many covers of this song are there?
BUT...
It is so overplayed. everywhere. Takes the magic away.
Always makes me smile to see choirs singing this with their best devout faces on - if only they knew

I think with Leonard Cohen there's not much space between spirituality and sensuality. I'm with you that some folks singing this might not catch both aspects of it. Leonard Cohen is like that though. That's why I enjoy his music.
LC must have been very proud when he heard this version.
there are so many great versions of this song but Jeff Buckley's cover gets a "10-Godlike" ranking from me. If you haven't heard it, Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History Podcast covers the story of how Jeff Buckley discovered and transformed this song.
https://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/07-hallelujah
I know that very many RPeeps love Buckley's rendition. I hear a whiny kid going over the top.
Cohen did a great on his song during his later tours.
Inappropriately performed as a spiritual song so many times...
Always makes me smile to see choirs singing this with their best devout faces on - if only they knew


Yeah, of all the versions this is the worst.
Pffff. We're all taking you very seriously.
Check out KD Lang from the 2020 olympics,
kd's was very good...I remember being stunned... but Jeff's version is better.
The absolute best cover I've ever heard of this song. Jeff made it his own. Still missing him after all these years.
Check out KD Lang from the 2010 olympics,
I dunno, I like this well enough, but I'd much rather hear Cohen's version.
Yeah, of all the versions this is the worst.
Time to change it up Bill - getting stale around here.
Like the birthday song, it has gotten really, really, old and annoying.
Never, ever need to hear it again. Will likely hear it hundreds more times.
Overly dramatic, sap-fest of saccharhine.
A marriage made in heaven ?
I agree it is outstanding. I still feel like the version of Rufus Wainwright, that he played on (I think) an irish channel is a bit better, because it carries more emotion, sadness.
I feel pretty comfortable in saying that this song is no longer Leonard Cohen's, it's Jeff Buckley's. And that's fine. Cohen has a whole bunch of songs that are still his. Let Jeff have this one.
I have to disagree. Buckley has made it his song, but it is a different song than Cohen's. There is something a little too sweet about Buckley's version for my taste. Cohen's version has more depth to it.
Johnny Cash took Trent Reznor's song and made it more.
LLRP!!
i wish that were possible.
it is drivel and from the start i wish it to end. but like a bad disease it just keeps going
hey my first post, i signed up to give this a MINUS TEN
Hey One Post Wonder - thanks for sharing your ignorance with us

WTF is a "quasi-religious secular anthem"?

I feel pretty comfortable in saying that this song is no longer Leonard Cohen's, it's Jeff Buckley's. And that's fine. Cohen has a whole bunch of songs that are still his. Let Jeff have this one.
Apart from John Cale.
Um, oh look, Jeff Buckley! He's awesome!
"Why bow to the tyranny" - don't bow to no stinking virus!
Dumb enough to be an American
Are you tired of winning yet?
World leading infection rate ... and total deaths
.... totally out of control
Covid poses a cultural IQ test .... the USA is a catastrophic FAIL


Angels require no effort to sing.
Got a video of angels singing ... or eating pizza ... ?

And she broke your throne and she cut your hair,
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah"
that will be me when i finally get my hair cut after the lockdown is over
How's that lockdown working out?
The USA never locked down ... and has paid a terrible price, with plenty more to come
Greetings from a place with no community transmission since April 2020

why bow to the tyranny, just follow the market where it moved to and you will get a haircut no problemo - stop complying
"Why bow to the tyranny" - don't bow to no stinking virus!
Dumb enough to be an American
Are you tired of winning yet?
World leading infection rate ... and total deaths
.... totally out of control
Covid poses a cultural IQ test .... the USA is a catastrophic FAIL

i wish that were possible.
it is drivel and from the start i wish it to end. but like a bad disease it just keeps going
hey my first post, i signed up to give this a MINUS TEN
Oh come now, tell us how you really feel!
Though I don't share your sentiments, I do appreciate the passion in your comment. It definitely made me laugh!
https://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/07-hallelujah
28 seconds - if I am prepared, I can hold that note for that long, but it won't be that pretty with a quivering vibrato. The part that kills me is that he goes right back into another beautiful 12+ second run right after that with no gasping breath; I'd be sucking wind right then.
i immediately went and played Cohen's right after Buckley's version of this song, while reading some of the comments here...
Gave it a chance, but hard Nope. This kid can't hold a candle to Alex Burke's performing this song on X-factor back in 2008:
Edweirdo wrote:
I have to assume that you're trolling, because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaWLsgxDzuw
I have to assume that you're trolling, because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate.
https://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/07-hallelujah
https://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/07-hallelujah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaWLsgxDzuw
"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."
Beautiful...