Five of the Best Covers of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”

However, “Hallelujah” may well be an exception to this. The track became a hit not only for alternative artists, but also for pop artists thanks to Alexandra Burke’s famous performance, meaning Cohen received unexpected recognition in a series of songs by Simon Cowell. X Factor.

Speaking to host Joe Whiley, newly crowned guitar icon St. Vincent called “Hallelujah” “one of the best songs ever written.” Continuing, she explained: “(It’s about) the complexity of being alive – and the agony and the ecstasy and everything and everything inherent in that conflict.” Although she strongly condemned the musicians who dared to take on this track, it is difficult to disagree with her statement about its power.

This is something that Cohen himself realized quite early on. The artist struggled to give rhythm to his new song and was largely stuck in the lyrical melodrama he had built. The poems stretched to pages, and Cohen was unable to translate them into the realm of musical pleasure. Instead, it was the Velvet Underground’s John Cale who struck the secret chord, so to speak, in this piece of iconoclastic brilliance.

Since then, Cohen’s 1984 classic has occupied the golden throne of pop music. Even though it is beloved by musicians and mainstream, it remains a testament to the song’s creation and creator, as many artists have been willing to take it on over the years. Here are the top five.

Five of the best covers of “Hallelujah”

“Hallelujah” – John Cale

There’s just one place to start, and no, it’s not. What one. John Cale’s version of the track doesn’t necessarily evoke the most emotion or connect most deeply with the original material. It received inclusion due to Cale’s overall contribution to Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece. The Velvet Underground musician has whittled down the once epic track from 15 verses to today’s exciting cultural juggernaut.

The process was long and difficult, too grueling to recount quickly. Instead, it’s best to listen to the 1992 performance of the track and let John Cale’s lilting Welsh tones descend upon the heavenly melody with the reverence he, in many ways, paid to it.

“Hallelujah” – Willie Nelson

It’s not unusual to see someone trying to master Leonard Cohen’s immortal 1984 anthem. Various positions. The song has become the anthem of musicians all over the world and is rightfully loved by almost everyone who hears it. However, despite the constant covers, Willie Nelson makes the song original and bold.

Participation in his 2006 album SongbirdNelson’s gnarled vocals perfectly complement the caramel country tones he employs. Leaning toward poetry, Nelson doesn’t sing much, instead letting the power of the lyrics do the heavy lifting. It’s a gruesome country story, a little far removed from the beauty at the center of the piece, but somehow that seems to work best.

“Hallelujah” – Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor’s influence on the influx of current singer-songwriters associated with New York and the boom of the indie revolution, like The Strokes, without any bravado, is often overlooked. Spector carefully walked the line between irony and postmodernism, creating several sardonic tracks filled with razor-sharp wit and truly unique vocals.

So the similarities between her and Cohen are pretty obvious. In 2005, Spector confirmed this conclusion by releasing a simply magnificent cover of Cohen’s megahit. Using piano and violin, Spector’s sometimes comedic performances are always neatly undermined by the sharpness of her vocal abilities. Rising and falling whenever it needs to, this is a forgotten indie junkyard gem that’s worth rediscovering.

“Hallelujah” – Bob Dylan

“How long did it take to write this?” Bob Dylan asked Leonard Cohen while discussing the great track. “Two years,” Cohen lied, knowing full well that the process of creating this particular song actually spanned five circles around the sun.

No matter how long it took to write, one thing is for sure: “Hallelujah” is one of the greatest songs ever written, and Dylan was more than happy to bring the track to the public in 1988. “That song ‘Hallelujah’ has resonance for me,” Dylan later said New Yorker. “It’s a beautifully constructed melody that builds, develops and fades back, all in the shortest possible time. But this song has a connecting chorus that, when it arrives, takes on a power of its own. “The ‘secret chord’ and the ‘I know you better than you know yourself’ aspect of the song resonate a lot for me.”

Bob Dylan meeting Leonard Cohen is a beauty to behold.

“Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley’s cover of “Hallelujah” is the definitive version of the song, and if you can’t get into the humble majesty that Buckley imbues the track with his luxurious vocals, then you’re probably just being “cool” for the sake of it. You’re completely missing the point of music.

This performance from his homecoming in Chicago is as close to perfection as it gets. It’s powerful and deeply personal; he speaks with truthful tenacity and does not allow the universal merits of such a topic to interfere with Buckley’s own approach to the subject. Poignant as ever, just as likely to hear a pin hit the floor, it’s performances like these where both the greatness of the track and the sadness of Buckley’s loss are felt most keenly.

Simply put, if this speech doesn’t stir your soul, then it might be worth checking out what you have in its place.

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