The Holy or the Broken - book about Hallelujah by Alan Light

[Godwyn]

Hi All,

And for those of you interested, the BBC has a short video piece highlighting the book and the story of Hallelujah!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20778621

I also noticed that the song was part of the tribute to the children killed at Newtown.

MG

(And just to add my two cents, I think a large part of why Hallelujah! failed to get noticed for so long was that the original had a rather twangly country-fied and old-fashioned production style that was completely out of step with the times.)

[Evie B]

I have listened to so many versions of Hallelujah, including many of Leonard's other versions several of which I own, but this one, on the bootleg "Blossoms of Heaven, Ashes of Hell" is still my favourite. I am grateful to the bootlegger because otherwise I would never have heard this. It is phenomenal. What a voice. Does anybody else think this is a great version?

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

I liked the fun little quiz at the end of the article.

Evie B

[Cheshire gal]

Evie,

I agree with you. This is an excellent Hallelujah... L.C's voice sounds so raw and Bob Metzgers guitar is excellent. I have not heard this disc Blossoms of Heaven.... I wonder where we could find it.

[Evie B]

Hi Cheshire gal

I'm glad you like it, his voice gives such gravity to the emotions, and I love that it has the original "do ya".

The "Blossoms" collection of recordings, they fill 2 cds, is a bootleg so, as such, it would be illegal for anyone to profit from selling them. A friend gave me disc 1, which had Dance Me, Bird On The Wire, etc, and when I discovered there was a second disc another friend downloaded it from the internet. I am not really savvy enough to do it myself. If you search Blossoms of heaven ashes of hell, it pops up on the internet on bootleg sites. Maybe another member would trade something for copies if you are not sure about downloading it. If all else fails, private message me.

Evie B

[rike]

I missed the online version, but the same article appeared in today's (December 23) Los Angeles Times, titled "A song grows from obscurity to ubiquity." The print version has also a photo of LC from the mid-1980s. I could not find the print version. Sorry, computer toddler.

http://www.latimes.com/features/books/j ... 2652.story

[Dem]

The "Blossoms Of Heaven, Ashes Of Hell" bootleg
is actually a recording of the Zurich 21.5.1993 concert.
and is circulating under various names as a bootleg.

In my opinion it was the best live recording of Leonard
until his last tour and it is really a pity that it was never
officially released.

However with a bit of search in Internet you can find it.

Merry Christmas

Dem

[jarkko]

All those bootlegs are featured at www.leonardcohenfiles.com/bootleg3.html

[tina]

Bono calls Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' the 'most perfect song in the world'
The U2 frontman has heaped praise upon the oft-covered track

http://www.nme.com/news/leonard-cohen/67884

U2 frontman Bono has called Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' the "most perfect song in the world".

Bono makes the claim in a new book by Alan Light, called The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of 'Hallelujah'.

Other artists make their love of the track known in the book, with Regina Spektor saying: "This song is pretty much indestructible." Patrick Stump of the Fall Out Boy adds of the oft-covered track: "The song keeps coming up, and every time it's like it's brand new. It sounds new every time you hear it."

Of his book, Light has written in Hollywood Reporter: I attempt to explore the unprecedented path of this song - a protracted snowball effect that, over the course of several decades, has turned 'Hallelujah' into one of the most loved, most performed, and most misunderstood compositions of all time.
He adds: "Cohen's simple, indelible melody and striking, ambiguous words - a mesmerizing synthesis of prayer and sexuality - combined with the irresistible force of that universal, one-word chorus add up to a song that is able to serve as a celebration and a lament, a versatile symbol of triumph and sorrow, heartbreak and wisdom."

Comedian Adam Sandler recently performed a spoof version of the song at the 12-12-12 Hurricane Sandy benefit gig in New York.

Earlier this year, Cohen said that people have asked him for a moratorium on the usage of covers of his classic song, 'Hallelujah'.

The track, from his 1984 album 'Various Positions', has been covered by a host of artists including the late Jeff Buckley, Bono, Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang and The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.

Of its popularity, Cohen told The Guardian: "There's been a couple of times when other people have said can we have a moratorium please on 'Hallelujah'? Must we have it at the end of every single drama and every single Idol? And once or twice I've felt maybe I should lend my voice to silencing it but on second thought no, I'm very happy that it's being sung."

Leonard Cohen is to return to the UK in 2013 with a one-off show at London's O2 Arena on June 21.

To check the availability of Leonard Cohen tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

[sturgess66]

Video uploaded by Vanderbilt University - Alan Light discuss the improbable journey of "Hallelujah"

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

Unlikely ascent of "Hallelujah" topic of Vanderbilt lecture

Uploaded on Jan 16, 2013

Watch video of noted music journalist Alan Light discuss the improbable journey of "Hallelujah" from rejected to one of the most performed songs in rock history Jan. 15 at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Light is the author of The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" (Atria/Simon & Schuster).

In recent years, "Hallelujah" has become a staple of movies and television shows ranging from Shrek to The West Wing. Among artists who have covered the song are Bob Dylan, U2, Justin Timberlake and k.d. lang. However, the song was written and first recorded in 1984 by musician Leonard Cohen for an album that was rejected by his label. Then Jeff Buckley recorded the song a decade later for his debut album, Grace. Three years after that, Buckley had died and the song remained largely unknown.

Light, a frequent contributor to The New York Times, Rolling Stone and other publications, has conducted in-depth interviews with the song's interpreters and key figures who were there for its original recordings. Light also serves as director of programming for "Live from the Artists' Den," a concert series broadcast on PBS.

Light's lecture was sponsored by Religion in the Arts and Contemporary Culture at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

[lizzytysh]

I'm gratified that I didn't pre-judge Alan's writing of this book, which some thought opportunistic [appearing on the heels of Sylvia Simmons's "I'm Your Man" biography]. Skeptics questioned an entire book on a single song [not an unreasonable question, except for that song being "Hallelujah," of course ]. Still, the presumption was that there'd be a lot of padding. My choice to withhold judgment until reading it appears wiser with every review and now Alan's excellent presentation. His interest in Leonard and "Hallelujah" are clearly genuine and he admits to not having been sure if his researching of his topic would end up warranting a book. From what he read of it, it seems to be that it did, and now I'm again looking forward to reading it. Given its ascent and now its pervasiveness in our day-to-day and our spiritual lives, my belief is that those who embrace the song will end up embracing the book devoted to it, as well. Alan Light is a serious music journalist and his decision to write this book was a genuine endeavour to explore the history of a great song, its many covers, and its writer relative to its writing.

Thanks so much for posting this youtube link, Linda. I didn't think I had time to watch it, but decided to just listen to what I could for now, and it just carried me right through to the end. I like Alan's honesty and sincerity, and just wish he'd known to correct the woman who he quotes in his book [at approx. 45 minutes] as mentioning that Leonard had converted to Buddhism, hence the "broken Hallelujah," etc. Overall, though, it appears he's written a good book worth reading.

[John Etherington]

As God once said (and Felicity Buirski once sang) "Let there be Light"!

[John Etherington]

and there was Light...rather too much, in this case! Out speaker is certainly keen, but I could only sit through half of it. I wouldn't want Mr. Light to take a crack at "Anthem"...some things really are sacred!

[cohenadmirer]

Really unsure whether i can find time in my short life to read this book and/or watch that lengthy lecture.
Love the song but only leonard's recent and kd laing's version can move me to tears

[lizzytysh]

I thought the same, but for me, the time passed quickly and easily. Difference in tastes, probably. The questions posed by the students in the last 1/2 hour were interesting, too.

[MarieJolie]

The more I listen to Jeff Buckley's version, the less I like it.

I do agree. Buckley's version is actually moving, nevertheless it gives the impression of someone crying. Cohen's interpretation is instead majestic. That's the only word I found to define it,