Hallelujah
 

So that X Factor bird and her management are banking on a Christmas number one with her cover of Leonard Cohens 'Hallelujah'. They are facing something of a backlash however with fans of real music going out and buying previous versions, with Jeff Buckleys climbing the charts very quickly indeed (midweek position number 3).

So the question looms: which version is your favourite?

Some of the most famous to have covered the song include Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Damien Rice, kdlang, Sheryl Crowe, U2, Bon Jovi *shudder*, John Cale, Imogen Heap and most recently Alexandra Burke.

There's a load out there. For me, you can't beat the original by Cohen. In no other version does it sound to me that the vocalist knows what they're singing about and that is important. With passion in lyrics comes soul in the sonics. No one but Cohen has the foggiest what the song is saying and I think that conveys itself when compared to the multitude of covers. Buckley, Wainwright, Cale and Rice have done very good covers with a lot of soul but it's Cohens for me all the way. :)

Re: Hallelujah
 

I do think that Alexandra`s version is excellent but for me i don`t think the Buckley version can really be topped........and he`s creeping up right behind her now, number 2 on Itunes now so Simon Cowells plan to dominate the Christmas number 1 may just backfire this year..........

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Hope it does, might wipe that smug smile of the creeps face:rolleyes:

Re: Hallelujah
 

I really dislike Alexandra Burke's power ballad version. I'd much rather have heard Diana Vicker's heartfelt soulful interpretation.:rolleyes:

The only real winner in all this in Cohen, who was on the verge of bankruptcy before all this interest in his song.

I too prefer his original version to all others, and happily it'll at least means he'll have food on his table this Christmas.

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I would have bough Geraldine McQueen's version of the song.:D

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I only found out yesterday that Alexandras Mum used to be in "Soul II Soul"

:D

I don't mind her version TBH and I like Lleonard Cohen songs generally( "Famous Blue Raincoat" by Jennifer Warnes is one of my all time fav albums)

Re: Hallelujah
 

I didn't know that.

She should get together with Sinitta's mum, '70's/'80's disco diva Miquel Brown, and do a hi-energy version of Hallelujah.:D

Re: Hallelujah
 

Only one version for the purist
has to be LEONARD COHEN :jimbo:

Re: Hallelujah
 

Not heard the original- just Rufus Wainwright's from Shrek - and even that's better than the X factor one.

Re: Hallelujah
 

The version on Shrek is by John Cale. The version on the soundtrack of Shrek is by Rufus Wainwright.

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yeh, used to be one of the lead singers:D melissa bell

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Definitely Cohen for me..

Re: Hallelujah
 

Handle'll be turning in his grave.:D

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Leonard Cohen churned out kak!.. the Alexandra version has got some decent background..if you like gospel then ok.. but it all sounds a bit to serious for my liking

Re: Hallelujah
 

What was Leonard Cohen on about in this song? :confused:

Re: Hallelujah
 

I think it's about King David, and his feelings for Bathsheba.

Which is odd, because really David loved Jonathon.

Blimey, it's like a Biblical Will & Grace.

:D

Re: Hallelujah
 

Well it turns out that Mr Cowell`s record company owns the rights to Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckleys versions so methinks he really has this one sewn up big time..................with them all charting he`s got the cash rolling in......:eek:

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I agree with Garinda on this one, think Diana's version was top class.

I wonder if this helped push Cowell in the direction of Hallelujah?

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My 2 cats can do a better rendition of Hallelujah than Diana...........:alright:

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Amen to that! :D

The version I heard by Mitch Benn on Radio 4 last night was the best yet.

"Sing your plastic pop songs, but stay the hell away from halleluujaahhhh" :D

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What's that all about? :confused:
I didn't know they'd done it to that song too, but I know they did it to "Bad Reputation". What's the point?

Re: Hallelujah
 

YouTube - K.D. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

This version without a doubt, Kd Lang.
( closely followed by Rufus and then John Cale.)

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Did enjoy that Lindsay .. best up to yet .. although he looks a right pratt in that tunic and bare feet .. :D

Cannot now bear to listen to Alexandra's version, have to turn it down when it comes on the radio .. there again, never liked Whitney Houston, and Leona Lewis bores me to tears too ... too big .. get over it .. but black singers bore me anyway !

Heard the Cohen version ... is this Lee Marvin on sleeping tablets ... :D

Don't understand a blooming word .. guess the guy that wrote it was on some sort of drugs at the time.

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Errrrrrrrr K D Lang is actually female.................:rolleyes:

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Nope, just a bloody good poet :)

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Ya' knows Pipinfort .. did sorta' think that ... but erm, then erm ... is that 'her' in the video then ?? LOL

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I know what you are saying............................................ ;)

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Ehm ... I understand Shakermaker, but the rest of us non-intellectuals have gotta' sort out what this Jewish guy is on about.

Don't agree about the poetry anyway .. talks about his love for Bathsheda, then tying someone to a 'kitchen' chair and cutting their hair off. Please explain !! Am willing to learn .. :D

Ok .. here are the lyrics, please explain word for word, as we used to do with Shakespeare in my school days .:-
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/leona...allelujah.html

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Although Cindy Crawford did struggle getting rid of all her stubble, on the infamous Vanity Fair cover.:D

http://www.rem.ufpr.br/REMv7/Brett_Wood/Lang.jpg

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All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.

Dear Oscar!
It's nothing intellectual at all. That would be vulgar. It's perfect poetry because the meaning is subjective. Hopefully even Cohen has no clue what it means. I'm probably talking jibberish now. 'Hallelujah' makes no sense whatsoever in terms of any narrative, but in a fantastical story form it seems to make all the sense in the world. That's why I love it. It's utterly brilliant gobbledygook.

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In other words, utter crap. :D

We are not spectators though Shakermaker .. listeners, and must admit that the tune is very haunting.

Think this is some type of love song, and we should endeavour to put more banal lyrics to this, then would be more uplifting. Think maybe that is the attraction though .. that everyone pretends to understand it. Still think he had 'popped a few' when he wrote it though.

Re: Hallelujah
 

Katherine Dawn Lang, native of Canada, stunning looking lady some 10 years ago, ( may have converted me back then !) but sadly not looking too hot now, great voice though, and bucketloads of passion!

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Pft, that Doherty fellow with his dirty fingernails has bred such cynicism!

And Lennon, McCartney, Mick, Keef, Cash, Dylan, blah blah blahhh...

Re: Hallelujah
 

Heard the Alexandra version today whilst in Spar, it is bland in the extreme, no passion, no emotion, dross.
That may well make me an "Halleleujah" snob but so what, I seem to recall mentioning it as the song I wanted at my funeral on a thread on here some time back , and certainly not sung by her! ( or I will be back to wreak terrible revenge!):eek: