Hallelujah-Leonard Cohen

Which Version Of Hallelujah Do You Like

  • Jeff Buckley

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • K. D. Lang

    Votes: 4 21.1%
  • Leonard Cohen

    Votes: 11 57.9%

  • Total voters
    19

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Leonard Cohen was one of my favorite song writers and I especially like listening to him sing his own songs

But when it comes to Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley's rendition has always done it for me.

My buddy marty brought to my attention that there was a PBS tribute to Leonard Cohen and in this was a rendition done in 2005 by K. D. Lang (also a Canadian, like Cohen) in which she won the Juno award. I must admit that this version now sits high above that one done by Jeff Buckley


Here is KD Lang's version


and of course done by Cohen himself



I love Cohen's guttural voice. From my understanding when he recorded in his later years the microphone that he bought and always used was that used by the great Sinatra himself
 

jazdoc

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Aug 7, 2010
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None of the above. IMO, Marcy Playground's version is better. ;)

 

Folsom

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I like Cohen too much to not go with him. My first exposure to him was a friend that would sing "The Future" song by him, with a guitar, and like a pirate. From then on I have really liked him. He isn't so in your face on political stuff, more of an artists giving you an impression instead of a statement.

Steve, I enjoy his voice as well. What is funny is that he never liked it and that is why when he got older he hired backup singers.
 

Mosin

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None of the above.

K. D. Lang's version is very masterful, but Allison Crowe finds the soul of the song.

 

GaryProtein

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Last edited:

cjfrbw

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Apr 20, 2010
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I don't know why, but I find that borrowed singers never get the inflections quite the way Cohen does himself. They tend to go melodramatic or self conscious at parts, so I guess I like Cohen's versions better.
 

Steve Williams

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microstrip

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I don't know why, but I find that borrowed singers never get the inflections quite the way Cohen does himself. They tend to go melodramatic or self conscious at parts, so I guess I like Cohen's versions better.


+1!

Probably I also suffer from an hidden copyright bias :D, but I almost always prefer originals.
 

BruceD

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And then there's something completely (well almost!) different;)

BruceD

 

Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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My favorite still is the Jeff Buckley version. I recommend strongly to all Hallelujah fans this book: The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah”
 

astrotoy

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I'm fortunate to have a safety master tape (15ips 2 track 1/4") of the Leonard Cohen album "Various Positions" where Hallelujah is found.

Larry
 

Lagonda

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Leonard Cohen, specifically his version from”Live in London” great sounding vinyl. The Hammond organ and Mandolin on this version are wonderful.
 

marty

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My buddy marty brought to my attention that there was a PBS tribute to Leonard Cohen and in this was a rendition done in 2005 by K. D. Lang (also a Canadian, like Cohen) in which she won the Juno award. I must admit that this version now sits high above that one done by Jeff Buckley

Steve, the Tower of Song PBS tribute was done in November 2017 in Montreal, one year after his death (not 2005). It was first aired on PBS in June 2018. I know these things are personal, but here are some of the most popular covers for the song:

Rufus Wainwright
U2
Brandi Carlisle
Imogen Heap
Dresden Dolls
Susan Boyle
k.d. Lang
John Cale
Renee Fleming

Of these and many others, I think there are only 2 artists whose performances reflect that they truly understand the song; Cohen himself and k.d. lang. The obvious love found and love lost theme seems to me to be relatively easy for a songwriter to write about or sing. But that's not why the song is a masterpiece IMHO. Capturing the essence of the phrase as Cohen applies it to mourning, guilt, penance, beauty, being broken, regret, catharsis, reconciliation and ultimately celebration is what Cohen is talking about. Cohen is telling us that LIFE is one big hallelujah! Cohen is mesmerizing when he sings it. lang makes me cry.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Steve, the Tower of Song PBS tribute was done in November 2017 in Montreal, one year after his death (not 2005). It was first aired on PBS in June 2018. I know these things are personal, but here are some of the most popular covers for the song:

Rufus Wainwright
U2
Brandi Carlisle
Imogen Heap
Dresden Dolls
Susan Boyle
k.d. Lang
John Cale
Renee Fleming

Of these and many others, I think there are only 2 artists whose performances reflect that they truly understand the song; Cohen himself and k.d. lang. The obvious love found and love lost theme seems to me to be relatively easy for a songwriter to write about or sing. But that's not why the song is a masterpiece IMHO. Capturing the essence of the phrase as Cohen applies it to mourning, guilt, penance, beauty, being broken, regret, catharsis, reconciliation and ultimately celebration is what Cohen is talking about. Cohen is telling us that LIFE is one big hallelujah! Cohen is mesmerizing when he sings it. lang makes me cry.

I know when the PBS tribute was but the you tube video was published inn 2007 of a 2005 performance



oneandonlyck
Published on Apr 3, 2007
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K.D. Lang's Juno Awards in Winnipeg in 2005 Performance on Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Thank you Ken!
SHOW MORE
 

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