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dharma wrote:I just saw the "Hallelujah Chart Battle" being discussed on the BBC News channel - they even played an excerpt of LC's version.

Tis a weird world!

I woke up this morning to a discussion on Radio 5 about the various versions of Hallelujah. I'm almost sad that I'm going to be out of the country over the Xmas period because the Hallelujah controversy will, no doubt, continue to rage!

Off to do a little downloading!

Here is a neatly penned little beeb article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7787355.stm

I like it! But don't let it discourage you from dowloading Lenny's tune.

Keep the eyes on the prize - after all the song is partly about the joy in hopeless lost causes. And the victory to be had in defeat.

stargazer61 wrote:

dharma wrote:I just saw the "Hallelujah Chart Battle" being discussed on the BBC News channel - they even played an excerpt of LC's version.

Tis a weird world!

I woke up this morning to a discussion on Radio 5 about the various versions of Hallelujah. I'm almost sad that I'm going to be out of the country over the Xmas period because the Hallelujah controversy will, no doubt, continue to rage!

Off to do a little downloading!

Here is a brief bit about a 'discussion' overheard on a train, from readers' comments on The Guardian site:

"I did hear the most amazing conversation on the train last night.

"I quote one woman to another 'I love Alexandra's song, Simon Cowell really knows how to write a Christmas song'

I nearly cried........."

Well...that confirms it. Some people are sooooooooooooooo...what's the word?

dense?
clueless?

Here's my version that I've posted in the poetry section


Now I've heard her sing the joyful words
The words that we have always heard
But Cowell you don't really care, do you?
You want the first
You want the worst
To satisfy your bulging purse
With Alexandra singing Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallescrewyou
Hallelujah

Now Cowell shouts for number one
But we don't want another con
You'd spoil our festive Christmas, would you?
You tied her
To a contract dear
She'll break but have the minor share
And from her lips you drained the Hallelujah

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallescrewyou
Hallelujah

You've taken Leonard's name in vain
We bet you didn't even know his name
Before you saw the £ signs flashing for you
There's now a crack
In what you do
The light is bright and shining through
With holier than thou Hallelujahs

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallescrewyou
Hallelujah

You did your best, you'll try next year
To force upon the Christmas cheer
Just tell the truth and never say ' I fooled you'
But you won't try
You never go wrong
You'll answer to the Lord of Song
Who'll bless you with his own Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, X Factor screws you
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallescreeeeeeeeewyou


Merry Christmas
Pete

Pete brilliant - I think that should be a competition a parody of Hallelujah.

scorp wrote:Here is a brief bit about a 'discussion' overheard on a train, from readers' comments on The Guardian site:

"I did hear the most amazing conversation on the train last night.

"I quote one woman to another 'I love Alexandra's song, Simon Cowell really knows how to write a Christmas song'

I nearly cried........."

Well...that confirms it. Some people are sooooooooooooooo...what's the word?

different?

The X Factor version of the song is certainly an edit of the song. A reduction.

Some of the missing bits seem the most important :

I did my best, it wasn't much.
I couldn't feel, so I learned to touch.
I've told the truth, I didn't come all this way to fool you.

Yeah even though it all went wrong
I'll stand right here before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my lips but Hallelujah.

I expect they might have been considered too personal - or at least personalising.

I love those lines "I couldn't feel, so I learned to touch. I've told the truth, I didn't come all this way to fool you". A songwriter's confessional?

I expect the Daily Star would have us believe the feeling and touching are all about a good grope and fumble in the bushes, but I'm hearing it as about someone compensating for their feeling of inner emotional dislocation by touching the hearts of others through what he does (songwriting). On the other hand, in the eighties it could well be a mix of the two - the inner emotional cripple loses himself in indiscrete compensatory sensual pleasure. Whatever, it covers a lot of territory in a tight phrase. And I suspect with modern lifestyles being what they are, there's a lot in there for listeners to identify with.

jillian0108 wrote:dense?
clueless?

they chime quite well with what i had in mind. this is a more intelligent look at
hallelujah:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3814 ... -song.html

The Times on-line has got an article on Hallelujah too. Sorry, I always mess up links!

sebmelmoth2003 wrote:i saw one of jls's mothers on tv and she revealed that he's taking a sabbatical from studying theology at university. So it's possible that (schooled in the pentacostal tradition?) jls might be able to rival alexandra in the God stakes.

Few theology students are religious.

Just downloaded Jeff Buckley's version. There's one good reason for buying it over Alexandra's: more bang for your buck. At almost 7 mins as against her three and a half, it's twice as much song for your money. Even adds an extra couple over Lenny's.

Interesting that Buckley's version also ends on the "shoot somebody who outdrew you*" line (that's where the TV people must have got it from), so buyers of either of the covers are left missing the denouement.

I hear Buckley's is Cohen's own favourite cover of the song. This is the first time I've listened properly to the Buckley version: I've heard it on the radio or whatever a few times playing in the background and not previously felt drawn, but thought it might be timely to get better acquainted.

I'm not looking to start a war, but can't get excited about it. I don't find it emotionally involving - less so than Alexandra's. Too drawn out. Too contrived. His vocal affectations only serve to distract the listener from locating the meaning never mind the impact of the words. It sounds like Marc Bolan on one of his hippy trippy light and frippy things - not that I've got anything against them but this song doesn't fit that mould. Sing the fucking song straight for chrissakes, I find myself thinking when I should be listening to the song. Heartfelt but indefinite.

Oh well. The loser takes it all.

Well, Ok, Sony takes it all, but you know what I mean.

*this line has three different versions. LC sings "shoot at someone", whilst Buckley positively "shoots somebody" and Alexandra meets them somewhere in the middle but definitely lands her shot. Only LC's allows for the possibility of the duellist missing and getting shot in return. I prefer the uncertainty that leaves the possibility of loss.

Once the dust has settled on this song, for a while at least, how long do we think it will take for Anthem to become a universally admired masterpiece?

I feel a facebook campaign coming on ... Anthem for Xmas 2009 [with Hallellujah ...or 'Love Itself' as the 'b' side....though Love Itself would be good as a single in its own right, outside of xmas perhaps].

And another thing. If Lenny was in the UK now he and his band [how good they are!] would have a massive nationwide sell out tour on their hands - the biggest and most extensive yet.

scorp wrote: And another thing. If Lenny was in the UK now he and his band [how good they are!] would have a massive nationwide sell out tour on their hands - the biggest and most extensive yet.

Hopefully someone will let him know the extent of the interest and furore that Hallelujah has been causing in the UK and suggest that he might like to consider swinging the tour back in this direction in 2009 (for the benefit of those new to his work, of course!)

mike_b wrote:Much appreciations for the above link. Does anyone know where I can get to hear the Radio 2 documentary on the song? Kicking myself for having missed it.

I hope this is the one you're looking for.

Part 1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2RJC2YA6yU8

Part 2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bG8wGr7ZQqg

Part 3
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4L-drtDC-gk

Part 4
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=N9idfTKDDqk

Part 5
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mb09ewwqfdU

Part 6
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HMwKwDxUjx8

Part 7
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3EX6l9dcdw8

You all missed a classic treatment of the subject from the Daily Star

i didn't miss it - i purchase the star regularly (now it's only 20p ) ; i think the radio presenter steve allen must be a star reader because at 05.00 hours and a bit later on he recapitulated the star article ( without crediting it) saying, inter alia, that leonard had never written a song about God in his life.

he also mentions this on his blog. audio only available to paying subscribers.

...Actually, talking about Scary sexual encounters…….does Alexanda from X-Factor know what the lyrics to her song 'Hallelujah' really mean? It's nothing to do with religion that's for sure!..

http://www.lbc.co.uk/steve-allens-gossi ... ry/80/1724