Which version do you prefer? (most are not embeddable, sadly).
1. Leonard Cohen, the song’s composer. Make sure you get to at least 0:45 (video no longer available, Dec2010).
2. Rufus Wainwright, singer of the Shrek version
3. Brandi Carlisle. I attended her concert at Chautauqua earlier this year, and this song was phenomenal. Not sure it comes through in this vid.
Brandi Carlile – Hallelujah (Cohen) (Porto)
4. Write-in candidate the late Jeff Buckley, a favorite of my IRL friend, Rose, and my ‘net friend, Topcat (no embedding available, so you’ll have to click over). (Video no longer available Dec2010).
Ooh! Two more excellent versions:
Allison Crowe, per Erich.
No more versions embedded on this post (although you can still bring them up in your comment). If you have another artist’s version (Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi?) you’d like to highlight, do a post on your blog and I’ll link to it here.
18 Responses
OTHER!!!!!! Shriek!!!!!!!!Ok. Lori. This could well be the most important comment you receive in your life. DEEP BREATHListen to Jeff Buckleys version of this song. I beg you. I IMPLORE you. For the love of music, please please do it. https://au.youtube.com/watch?v=AratTMGrHaQENDETH RANT xoxox
Allison Crowe’s version on her Tidings album is my favourite Hallelujah.It’s such a glorious song, it’s easy to see why people love every recording.
Topcat — duly noted. You might want to go back and change your rant. Er, vote.
I think I’ve been living under a rock. A Shrek version???
Now having watched TC’s version too I think I have to go with that one.I love the internet — I discover all sorts of amazing things!
I love the Jeff Buckley version!
I voted “other.” I had never really heard this song (gasp!) until I saw kd lang singing it at the Juno Awards a few years ago (Canada’s version of the Grammys). Sent chills down my spine. I absolutely love her voice. I imagine there’s a video clip of that somewhere out there…!
Other. I like the k.d. lang version, with Jeff Buckley and Brandi Carlisle being close seconds. My whole family enjoyed this post. Mr S votes for Jeff Buckley. Our son became still and quiet during Rufus Wainwright, so I say he votes for that.
Lori, you need to stop being in my head. I was just listening to this song (and the rest of the Jeff Buckley album) 2 nights ago and have yet to get it out of my head. Haunting. Aching.
I Have to go with kd lang on this one…I’ve heard a ton of artists do this, but hers is absolutely breathtaking and just gives you that ache.BTW – FarmWife found you and I’ve since started reading…much enjoy your stuff.
But I just watched Jeff Buckley’s version and it is so kick ass, too. And so is Rufus’ version.Leonard’s cheesy synthesizers giveth something to the song, and they also taketh something away. What can you do – this is an amazing song. You can’t really take away from how beautiful the song is. Although I noted an American Idol version or some such shite on YouTube and I shudder to think….
I’ve got to go with Leonard on this one because, as I’ve noted previously, I am sort of a tiny little bit for real in love with him. And while I’ve heard lots of versions of this song that I like (seconding Loribeth’s nomination of KD Lang), I’m just sort of old school about stuff like this.
I voted for Leonard Cohen because he is one of my very very favorite, um, folk(?) songwriters. The song “Teachers” and “One of Us Cannot Be Wrong”. I almost can’t breathe when I listen to them. So, when you asked about Hallelujah, I just couldn’t vote for anyone else. Jeff Buckley’s version is gorgeous. Buckley was a master of beautiful singer. His drowning was definitely a tragedy but I think my emotions of his loss play into loving his version. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s ~beautiful~, but I just don’t hear the power in that first verse over the words “It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift ..” It’s beautiful yes, but powerful? no. The guitar is amazing though. But Rufus Wainwrights’ version is heartstopping. I literally cried through the entire song. I don’t know what it is about this version. It fills my heart with the feelings of every heartbreak I’ve ever felt. I can feel it all like it was brand new. Fresh. His high notes and how they fall. I don’t know. I don’t experience it with any other versions. I don’t know why. He must be singing more than Cohen’s song. He sings it with so much emotion that it’s like it’s touching my heart directly. “And its not a cry you can hear at night, its not somebody who’s seen the light, its a cold and its a broken Hallelujah”. I can’t even sing that in my head with him. My throat won’t allow it. Neither will my heart.
I thought you meant Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. I never heard these before. kd lang hands down from this selection, but Handel is still the best. Talk about chills. I guess I better start practicing for the Messiah sing-a-long. The Hallelujah Chorus is one of the hardest to sing!
Phoebe: I love singing Handel’s Messiah. It was a big deal at the college I went to. Do you do the sing-along with the CO Symphony? Must be quite a feeling!
Better sound (but without video):
How about this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gChE4kenLh0. I’ve always enjoyed Jason Castros! I love the ukulele!