Favorite version of Hallelujah

Now that's what I was searching this thread for. Had her of Bob's version but never sought it out.
He NAILS the vocal. And this song just loves the electric guitar.
Bob and Leonards live version are the 2 best vocals for me.

 

The song was a work in progress every time Cohen sang it. I prefer his live versions.

Not all the verses were about sex, perhaps "what's this song about?" and "how do I say this so that it works both ways?" was part of the problem he had in writing it. The version on Cohen Live is about doing it, although Cohen could never resist double meanings which is not quite the same thing as double entendres. The song may be about sex, but it works on another level, too. For Kate Mc., it's about a crucible.

 

Buckley dragged it into the stream of public consciousness that forever changed the song into a song book standard. And it's a very pretty and powerful take. I'm sure it's going to be the populist vote so thanks to Cale for visualising the arrangement.

 

The woman is just BADD!

Ed

 

But the performance they're covering is Buckley's.

 

Those who haven't heard some of Leonard Cohen's live versions of this song: Please seek them out.

 

I went with Jeff Buckley, but an honorable mention to Renee Fleming's version on 'Dark Hope'. Brilliant singing, brilliant arrangement.

 

I guess I'm supposed to hate this but I don't. It's an interesting take. The falsetto "hallelujah"s are pretty bad but Bono himself has the charisma to pull this off well enough for my liking.

Ed

 

Not underrated in Canada.

 

Yep, Buckley covered John Cale, and people are covering Buckley's cover of Cale's cover...

Cohen > covers...?
Cale > Buckley > covered by everyone and his dog

 

Totally agree. The studio original underwhelms compared to his live performances.

 

I agree. Vastly superior. I'm glad he chucked the first verse in the earlier version which I frankly think doesn't quite cut it. Love the instrumentation, the guitar solo, the slow burn and steady build. Very nice.

 

Artists usually say: "It's Leonard Cohen's song...'' not Jeff's. I agree it's a shame that Hallelujah is all people want to know and don't even try to listen to something else by Leonard or Jeff.

 

For me, it's Leonard's but with John Cale a close second.

Best Wishes,
David

 

Yes, or something else by Cale.

 

Buckley's album, Grace, is stunning, and not just because of 'Hallelujah'. The whole album is beautiful.

 

Leonard Cohen wrote 80 verses. Cale asked to see all of them, but was sent a selection. From this he 'created' a more upbeat version. It is this version that makes it possible for the hideous cover versions to exist. Therefore, much as I love Cale, he did the world a big disservice with this one.

 

Cale said he picked the "naughty" verses, ie those with a sexual undercurrent, which probably accounts for some of the popularity.

 

I don't understand the dislike for the song. I remember when they played Buckley's version at Fenway on the first game after the bombing. I thought it was very powerful.

 

many people get upset when something becomes popular

 

Or when they're forced to hear a song abused again, again and again by talent show contestants.

 

John Cale by a mile...I love Jeff's version and of course old Lenny's version is great as well...

 

I vote for Jeff Buckley without a grain of doubt, but Leonard Cohen has done some great work with this song on stage.

 

That makes some sense. I love the song, especially Jeff Buckley's version, but I have never been a fan/followed those talent shows, so I have not heard it so much that I have tired of it. I guess that a similar situation for me would be "Just the Way You Are" or "My Way", both popular karaoke songs in Japan for my generation. I can't hear those songs without remembering the Japanese accented versions.

 

I'm probably unusual in that I first heard this song in early 1985, when the Various Positions album was released in the UK (on CBS - who had passed on it in America). I loved the whole album from the first and can remember thinking Hallelujah was a very special song, something only a truly great songwriter could have come up with it. I was too young to totally 'get it' but the sexual subtext was apparent to me and, then as now, I find the final verse almost unbearably moving.

Whoever said above that it's far too intelligent a lyric to make it a song for the masses was absolutely right and most of the cover versions sell the song short. So: I'll go with the Various Positions as my favourite, with honourable mentions for Cale and Buckley.