Hallelujah (the song)

[OldPhiKap]

Reminds me of my 6th grade graduation ceremony when the class performed "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas

We did “The Night They Drive Old Dixie Down” on recorder for a fifth grade school performance.

In Connecticut.

I still laugh at that.

[Turk]

Paradise By The Dashboard Light is a ballad. Prove me wrong.

I beg to differ; it's a wedding song. (Not mine; it was so long ago we didn't keep the receipt, Mrs. Turk enjoys pointing that out when it comes on the radio...)

[cspan37421]

I beg to differ; it's a wedding song. (Not mine; it was so long ago we didn't keep the receipt, Mrs. Turk enjoys pointing that out when it comes on the radio...)

As of yesterday "You Shook Me All Night Long" was a wedding song in NW Georgia, if it wasn't already.

[Acymetric]

We did “The Night They Drive Old Dixie Down” on recorder for a fifth grade school performance.

In Connecticut.

I still laugh at that.

I mean, the song was written/performed by (mostly) Canadians, sooo...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Still a good song, imo.

The song is seeming worse and worse each passing day. I'm not going to link to the details, but R. Kelly is in the headlines again today.

[bundabergdevil]

We did “The Night They Drive Old Dixie Down” on recorder for a fifth grade school performance.

In Connecticut.

I still laugh at that.

We performed Dixie Land in my Texas elementary school. I doubt the teachers knew the origin and meaning but, yeah...

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Apparently, the University of Toronto has Cohen's archives, including all 80 verses he wrote for Hallelujah.

This is the most interesting part of this thread so far. Thanks for the information.

[Bob Green]

Please stop the back and forth. Multiple posts have been deleted.

[freshmanjs]

If fairness to H.E.R. the version performed at the 9/11 ceremony didn't include the verse above.

And that is not entirely inappropriate as the song has a long history of verses being added/omitted by Cohen and others.* Depending on which verses are included, the song's theme of yearning for the divine in the face of loss/despair/struggle isn't entirely inappropriate for a 9/11 memorial. Sure, Cohen's original appears to be mostly about the end of a romantic relationship (in which the protagonist shares significant culpability), but some of the "broken Hallelujahs" stuff is fairly universal.

Consider some of the verses H.E.R. did include.

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 ya?
There a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter what you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

and

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

Add in emotional vocals and a stirring musical arrangement and I can see why it gets performed at memorial services -- even if the full lyrics are a bit "off topic". The lyrics aren't perfect for the occasion, but it doesn't seem as inappropriate to me as playing "Born in the USA" at a political campaign rally or playing REM's "The One I Love" at a wedding.

Now attempting to turn Hallelujah into a Christmas song -- especially if the lyrics are "updated" to include stuff Cohen never wrote -- is another story altogether!





*The song has an interesting history as it was relatively obscure until John Cale recorded as a part of a 1991 cover album. Cale's version is significantly different from Cohen's original version from 1984. Apparently, before recording the cover, Cale reached out to Cohen for a copy of the lyrics. Cohen sent Cale 80 different verses he had written for the song. Cale eventually settled on 5 verses for the cover (2 from the 1985 original and 3 "new" verses). Jeff Buckley ended up covering Cale's version and the rest is history.

Apparently, the University of Toronto has Cohen's archives, including all 80 verses he wrote for Hallelujah. So, maybe one day these will be released and the song can be arranged to be even more versatile. I can just imagine the following fast food commercial.

They say there was a secret sauce
That David made and it pleased the boss
But you don't really care for burgers, do ya?

Leonard Cohen's career in general had a remarkable trajectory (much like the song). It's hard to think of other musicians who had such a late career resurgence in popularity. Tony Bennett is the other one that jumps to mind.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Leonard Cohen's career in general had a remarkable trajectory (much like the song). It's hard to think of other musicians who had such a late career resurgence in popularity. Tony Bennett is the other one that jumps to mind.

Especially considering how his music changed so much. His first few albums - the darker, more "singer-songwriterish" are by FAR my favorites. He went through a somewhat regrettable synth stage in the 80s, as did many.

As a songwriter, I put him up next to the very best of his era.

[fidel]

"Puff the Magic Dragon" comes to mind on these kind of misconstrued meanings.

But it does reference Hannalee. Thats close to Hallelujah, right?

[OldPhiKap]

We performed Dixie Land in my Texas elementary school. I doubt the teachers knew the origin and meaning but, yeah...

My daughter sings Dixieland Delight every home game in Tuscaloosa. But they’ve added some naughty fillers.

After telling her about what we chanted to Dean Smith, though, I’m in no position to criticize. (and I still feel that way fwiw)

[DukieInKansas]

Perhaps I should be ashamed to admit that I was first exposed to the song when Bon Jovi was singing it a lot during the 2008-09 timeframe. I'm a Jersey guy...what can I say?

My first recollection of the song was in the West Wing episode where Mark Harmon's character, a Secret Service agent assigned to Allison Janney's character, was killed when he walked into an armed robbery.


eta - this version was better without the video but that may not be saying much.

[brevity]

Hallelujah is one of the few songs to have an entire book written about it.

I'm guessing that book is The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" by Alan Light.

hallelujah.jpg

Already placed a hold at the local library. I read Dream Brother (about Jeff and Tim Buckley) years ago, so this seems right up my alley.

[freshmanjs]

The song is not about sex. In a 7-plus-minute song with 7 stanzas, there is one line that might be considered explicitly sexual (and which Kate did not sing, she chose 3 stanzas which were the furthest from that line). And even that line has a deeper double meaning.

I'm not sure anyone who is not a musician (or other artist) who has sacrificed for their art really gets what he was writing about. The great thing about the song, as with all great art, is that it can relate (though not specifically) to everyone if they bother to actually engage with it.

Hallelujah is one of the few songs to have an entire book written about it. Bono said something to the effect of it being the most perfect song ever written. While I have many favorites (for many moods and reasons), it is hard to argue with him.

This link contains a lengthy excerpt from the book you mentioned by Alan Light. In it, Light and others talk quite a lot about the sexuality in the lyrics (multiple verses, not just one line). The author also is harshly critical of Bono’s cover of the song.

https://www.rollingstone.com/feature...on-194516/amp/

[dudog84]

I'm guessing that book is The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" by Alan Light.

hallelujah.jpg

Already placed a hold at the local library. I read Dream Brother (about Jeff and Tim Buckley) years ago, so this seems right up my alley.

Yes it is, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

[dudog84]

This link contains a lengthy excerpt from the book you mentioned by Alan Light. In it, Light and others talk quite a lot about the sexuality in the lyrics (multiple verses, not just one line). The author also is harshly critical of Bono’s cover of the song.

https://www.rollingstone.com/feature...on-194516/amp/

Look, Bob told you and I to stop it. I did, but I will defend myself. Out of respect for him I'll use restraint.

I'll just say I'm a musician who has played this many times in public. I know the song quite well, have studied it in fact. You can make anything about sex if that's where your mind is at. Hallelujah is about sex as much as the chorus is about God.

[-jk]

<Dad voice>OK, guys, don't make me stop this thread!</Dad voice>

-jk

[House P]

Yes it is, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I also recommend this book if you are a fan of Cohen, Buckley, and/or the song. While it may be a bit much to write a 300 page book about a single song, it is a relatively fast read if you like the subject matter.

If you found the Rolling Stone excerpt freshmanjs linked interesting, you will probably like the whole book.

[OldPhiKap]

I am generally against songs with sexual innuendo, preferring melodies about coal mining disasters and brand new roller skates. But I may have to give this song a listen.




(Cohen’s best song imo is “Everybody Knows,” followed by either “Tower of Song” or “First We Take Manhattan.” But if you’re debating your favorite Leonard Cohen song with someone, you’re already friends.)