An unholy version of "Hallelujah"

Cosmoline · Post by **Cosmoline** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:33 am

This is just wrong in every possible respect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWKARjk3psE#8FxZuSrkEOE

Sarah Thorngreen · Post by **Sarah Thorngreen** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:19 am

uargh...this is murder !!

/Sarah

altinkum · Post by **altinkum** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:15 pm

I agree it's horrendous. BTW On the Toronto 2006 vid Just as leonard is about to introduce anjanee He states that this is her first public performance, surely this can't be right? Didn't she accompany him on tour many years ago?

Wendy

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:51 pm

Hi Wendy ~

I initially had the same reaction you did when I heard that, but then I took Leonard to mean that this was Anjani's first public performance of her new album... and, perhaps, even her first public solo performance.

~ Lizzy

Philwilli · Post by **Philwilli** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:56 pm

Here is a link to some one that can do it better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2dZRosKqI

I would say that this is a holy version.

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:53 am

I quite like the first link OK he murdered the song but he was enjoying himself and while he is recording at home he is off the streets.

The second link was beautiful. Wasn't the last bloke to sing the one that won the international Pop Idol Contest?

Philwilli · Post by **Philwilli** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:24 pm

The last bloke is Kurt Nilsen who won the World Idol contest in 2004.
He's a nice down to ground bloke with a great voice.

altinkum · Post by **altinkum** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:49 pm

Lizzy I had the same thought after I posted my question.

Wendy

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:36 pm

Hi Wendy ~

Isn't that the way it always goes

. Now, we'll probably find out that in some obscure fashion we're both wrong

.

~ Lizzy

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:47 am

Hello. I thought the first bloke was ok. Only slightly better than my own version. The second guy I didnt like much- sounds like he's trying to sound like Jeff Buckley (whose version of Hallelujah is perhaps better than Cohen's own in many respects)
I find when doing covers of LC songs, its not so much about emotion as it is about understanding the song, or being able to identify with it. And I really believe Mr Buckley when he sings it.
Anyone else know of any covers they deem to be improvements on Leonard's original?

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:51 am

Frank wrote:Anyone else know of any covers they deem to be improvements on Leonard's original?

There ain't single one.
But some are nice. Johnny Cash's Bird on the Wire. Willie Nelson's Bird on the Wire (live 2006 version). Nick Cave's Suzanne (2006 tribute soundtrack). Kathryn William's Hallelujah. Jennifer Warnes. Fragile and lovely Esther Ofarim. Bob Dylan. Tori Amos.

Non-english covers are great experience, to listen Cohen in Spanish, French, Croatian, Polish, Hungarian, Dannish, Swedish, Icelandic, Norwegian, to name first great CDs which come to mind. There's plenty of them.

Dem · Post by **Dem** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:44 pm

Anyone else know of any covers they deem to be improvements on Leonard's original?

Mmm, I am not sure if it is an improvement but in my humble opinion this cover is at least as good as a Leonard original:

"Fisrt We Take Manhattan" by Joe Cocker.

Dem

Anth · Post by **Anth** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:22 pm

Dem wrote:
Anyone else know of any covers they deem to be improvements on Leonard's original?
Mmm, I am not sure if it is an improvement but in my humble opinion this cover is at least as good as a Leonard original:

"Fisrt We Take Manhattan" by Joe Cocker.

Dem

The one and only decent cover of this song is by Jennifer Warnes. Hau

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:49 pm

IMO, only Cohen does Cohen the way it should be done, namely HIS way.

But I like very very much Madeleine Peyroux's Dance me to The End Of Love, and Carla Bruni's In My Secret Life. I can't stand Buckleys's almost buckling over Hallalujah - he almost goes thru the roof - and as far as I am concerned he murdered that great song. No other covers have made me want to hear them again.

I particulalry like LC "live".

Beccka · Post by **Beccka** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:47 pm

I'm a bit of a snob (no one can do it like Cohen!) but I actually liked the ukelele version. It's just so far removed from the way the song is usually done. Also, I never really think of "Hallelujah" as a sad song - somber, maybe, but there's an uplift to it - so hearing a 'happy' version of the song was great.