The song "Hallelujah" - beautiful song. For my money it's the only decent song Leonard Cohen ever wrote. God I hate Leonard Cohen. What a putz. Never had an inkling of the talent of any of his contemporaries. But I digress: "Hallelujah" is simply a beautiful song.
Most people like Jeff Buckley's version, but that kind of throws me, too. Jeff Buckley is one of those artists who died too young, meaning he died before his star faded - actually before it completely rose. So, when you're in that rising star phase, and you die, then you're left with a small but hard core pack of devoted fans who think you are the absolute most perfect artist ever and nobody will ever come close. So there are people who believe his version of "Hallelujah" is the final word.
Me, I heard the song first on the Shrek soundtrack. Yes, that's right, the Shrek soundtrack, it was Rufus Wainwright's version, and mind you I'm not much for Rufus' total flame-y Liberace approach to songs, but this one he nailed the total emotion of the song, this complete biblical soul-tearing angst about what we can do to each other in relationships, how we can just tear the other person's heart out, and drive a nail through it, wow! Wainwright's version is the absolute tops for this song. Voice perfect, piano perfect, mood perfect.
Here are the lyrics, but they really don't do it justice. This is a song that's got some great lines, a little syrupy on the poetic angle, but it's the performance that really brings it all together.
I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
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 you?
There's a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Then for you chordies out there, I've found someone's transcription:
Standard Tuning
Intro: C Am C Am
C Am
I heard there was a secret chord
C Am
That David played and it pleased the lord
F G C G
But you don't really care for music, do you?
C F G
Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
Am F
The minor fall and the major lift
G Em Am
The baffled king composing hallelujah
Chorus:
F Am F C G C
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah ....
C Am
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
C Am
You saw her bathing on the roof
F G C G
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
C F G
She tied you to her kitchen chair
Am F
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
G Em Am
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah
F Am F C G C
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah ....
C Am
Baby I've been here before
C Am
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
F G C G
I used to live alone before I knew you
C F G
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Am F
But love is not a victory march
G Em Am
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
F Am F C G C
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah ....
C Am
Well there was a time when you let me know
C Am
What's really going on below
F G C G
But now you never show that to me do you
C F G
But remember when I moved in you
Am F
And the holy dove was moving too
G Em Am
And every breath we drew was hallelujah
C Am
Well, maybe there's a god above
C Am
But all I've ever learned from love
F G C G
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
C F G
It's not a cry that you hear at night
Am F
It's not somebody who's seen the light
G Em Am
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
F Am F C G C
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jah ....
And some links to vids: Buckley's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4
And here is Wainwright's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB67HO8tkQs
and finally, Cohen's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Fkuq5Lf0Q
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