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"Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). Achieving little initial success, the song found greater popular acclaim through a new version recorded by John Cale in 1991.
Mar 28, 2022 · The song was originally written by Cohen in 12/8 time, which recalls gospel music and, as such, early rock and roll songs. Cohen wrote the track in C-major and its chord progression—C, F, G, A...
- Jacob Uitti
- Senior Writer
- The Complex History of "Hallelujah"
- Hallelujah vs. "Hallelujah"
- Judaism and "Hallelujah"
- John Cale
- Jeff Buckley
- The Mainstreaming of "Hallelujah"
- The American Idoling of "Hallelujah"
It's a song that many know, but few know much about. "Hallelujah," written by Leonard Cohen in the early 1980s, is perhaps best understood through its complex history—one marked by tragedy eerily befitting a mournful masterpiece. "Hallelujah" is unusual in that it started out as an obscure hymn by an underappreciated singer/songwriter (Cohen), was ...
In Hebrew, the word "hallelujah" means to rejoice in praising God. However, the numerous biblical references and religious symbols in Cohen's songlead not to spiritual heights, but to Cohen's secularism. It's a bitter lament about love and loss. Cohen, adept in scripture, simply taps the human condition described in the Bible in order to provide co...
Leonard Cohen was known for richly structured, soulful, poetic songs exploring the depths of despair, broken love, and politics, and often laced with religious imagery drawn from his Jewish background. In that sense, "Hallelujah" is a representative document of the Cohen catalog. The song’s constant refrain of "hallelujah" takes the listener throug...
"Hallelujah" went largely unnoticed for years after its 1984 release. One exception was Bob Dylan, who was a huge fan and played it live on two different occasions in 1988. Later that year, John Cale, formerly of the Velvet Underground, heard the track while attending Cohen's concert at the Beacon Theater in New York City (November 16, 1988). The s...
Though promising to keep in touch, Tim Buckley unexpectedly died of a heroin overdose that June. Scottie Moorhead decided then and there to go by his first name (Jeff) and to honor his biological father by taking his last name. And that was how Jeff Buckley was born at the age of 9. From a young age, Jeff showed signs of being a promising musician....
Buckley has been posthumously recognized as a musical genius, and his cover of "Hallelujah" was soon considered a classic. In 2004, Rolling Stone declared it one of the greatest songs ever recorded, and in 2013, the Library of Congress added Buckley's cover to the National Registry. Timewrote, "Buckley treated the ... song like a tiny capsule of hu...
Between 2001 and 2009, "Hallelujah" went full-on mainstream, being used in TV series like The West Wing, One Tree Hill, Scrubs, Crossing Jordan, Without a Trace, The O.C., House, Dirt, Criminal Minds, ER, Third Watch, and Ugly Betty. It was also extensively featured on singing-competition shows like American Idol, The Voice, The X Factor. In fact, ...
Dec 6, 2022 · "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen is one of the most enduring songs ever. Learn about "Hallelujah" lyrics, history and various cover versions of the song, including from Jeff Buckley, John Cale...
Feb 24, 2023 · Leonard Cohen is arguably one of the most prolific songwriters of all time. He expresses this through his catalog of lyrically rich songs, perhaps the best example being his signature song,...
- Cillea Houghton
- 7 min
- Staff Writer
Jul 3, 2023 · The song’s creation took place in the early 1980s, a period marked by Cohen’s deep introspection and spiritual exploration. Cohen reportedly wrote around 80 draft verses for “Hallelujah,” over a span of several years.
One of Leonard Cohen's most popular songs, "Hallelujah" is his magnum opus, crafted over a period of five years. The word "hallelujah" is Hebrew for "glory to the lord." The idea of the song is, there are lots of different hallelujahs, and they're all valid, even the ones that are cold and broken.
