Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

you can play all of them at the same time.

MorningBreath: you can play all of them at the same time.

And see God?

Another good link:

http://myoldkyhome.blogspot.com/2008/02/mokb-covers-project-hallelujah-re post.ht ml

I would have thought the one by the fellow that wrote it would have been the best, given that he wrote it.

/don't invoke Dylan/Hendrix on me - can't stand Hendrix.

Great, I spend all day yesterday having this song in my head, and now it's back in my head again.

Not that I mind really, it's an awesome song...except when sung by Alexandra Burke

/Watched the Scrubs episode with this song in it last night
//Then watched the end of The West Wing Season 3
///Both had this song in it

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

Came in to say this.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

I also like Buckley's. All the others don't do anything for me.

PoopStain: TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

It's the most accessible, but Buckley's is the best. It has the most emotion. Buckley is singing with the broken heart of a man who loved a woman but probably now hates her and wants to gouge her eyes out with a screwdriver, and he hates himself for it.

Wainwright is singing for a check in a cheesy movie about a green ogre.

True, he did sing it for Shrek. But it's smooth, ya know? A song like that is supposed to be smooth.

I like John Cale's version best, myself.

I've always found it interesting; that, as much as I dig the man's music, Leonard Cohen has the unique distinction of being the only artist that I never want to hear two songs from in a row.

I can't forget by the Pixies (new window)

I'd have to say that John Cale's version is my absolute favorite. His voice just fits the song best.

Leonard Cohen's is still the best for me.
I find Wainwright's to be too overwrought. But then, all of his songs seem that way to me.

Buckley's version is pure, heartbreaking, passion.

Especially the live version.

I like this one. Even if they mess up a couple of times.

Some kids (new window)

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

You spelled 'John Cale' wrong.

shivashakti: Leonard Cohen's is still the best for me.
I find Wainwright's to be too overwrought. But then, all of his songs seem that way to me.

This.

PoopStain: TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

It's the most accessible, but Buckley's is the best. It has the most emotion. Buckley is singing with the broken heart of a man who loved a woman but probably now hates her and wants to gouge her eyes out with a screwdriver, and he hates himself for it.

Wainwright is singing for a check in a cheesy movie about a green ogre.

THIS. And do people actually enjoy listening to Wainwright? His voice makes me want to gouge my eardrums out with a screwdriver.

Buckley's is too pedestrian an attempt at intensity for my taste. Or maybe I just don't like his voice.

Cale. Cohen. Lang was decent.

While we're on the subject, I find I'd rather listen to 'I'm Your Man' or 'the future' these days when it comes to 'drum machine' era Cohen. Hallelujah is certainly the highpoint of Various Positions, though.

McBatt: While we're on the subject, I find I'd rather listen to 'I'm Your Man' or 'the future' these days when it comes to 'drum machine' era Cohen. Hallelujah is certainly the highpoint of Various Positions, though.

Young Cohen > Old Cohen

But I guess he still has to pay the bills

Mr_Ectomy: Young Cohen > Old Cohen

I tend to think of them as two different people sometimes. It's not really fair to compare 'Songs of Love and Hate' Cohen to anything recent. It's two totally different approaches, and I imagine two different goals. I'd put 'Tower of Song' and 'Stories of the street' in the same quality level, any day.


Admittedly, much like Rodger Waters, his love of female backing vocals can be grating.

McBatt: I tend to think of them as two different people sometimes. It's not really fair to compare 'Songs of Love and Hate' Cohen to anything recent. It's two totally different approaches, and I imagine two different goals. I'd put 'Tower of Song' and 'Stories of the street' in the same quality level, any day.

I think he came down from Mount Baldy a total wuss.

Allison Crowe (new window)

I like KD Lang's version. I always forget that little weirdo has such a pretty voice.

sloppy shoes: TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

I also like Buckley's. All the others don't do anything for me.

Wainright's and Buckley's are just copies of Cale's version.

Also: John Cale's version is the one that is actually played in Shrek, but Wainwright's is on the soundtrack (Wainwright was a Dreamworks artist and Shrek was a Dreamworks production; it was their idea of "synergy").

Mr_Ectomy: I think he came down from Mount Baldy a total wuss.

ah, I haven't even listened to his stuff from this decade. I thought you were talking about his switch in arrangements and instruments in the 80s with the 'old > new' thing.

How is Buckley's a copy of Cale? it is totally different arrangement- guitar vs. piano and strings (slightly cheesy for Cale).

Cale's voice bothers me mildly, but better pitch than some of the others especially the shockingly bad Dylan version.

Buckley's arrangement and vocals track Cohen's version more than Cale's version.

The Wainright version is Cale's version with a more popular style and quality of singing. The arranger shouldn't have even gotten paid they are close enough.

And Buckley's is the best version ;) Cohen and Buckley are pretty close though. The only other one worth it to me is linked in the comments above with two kids playing it as they have the spirit of the thing, even if they lack technical perfection (and have a mild accent).

Rufus wins, imo.

I remember the first time I heard his version and thought it was one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever. You can hear the emotion in his voice.


/dylan's on the other hand made me cringe..it sounds like drunk karaoke.

Wainwright's version makes me cringe. I'm not a big enough music nerd to nail it completely, but the "Hallelujah" in the last line of each verse is completely different (A friend told me he changed a chord from minor to major, but I can't say for sure). He hits a higher note, and it just sounds all wrong.

/Buckley's is the winner, hands down

Does Satan wear a suit and tie
Or does he work at the Dairy Queen
Does he listen to rock and roll
Does he feed the mean
Singing Hallelujah

What about Jesus
Didn't he do it too?
Hang out with prostitutes
And have a drink or two.
Power of example
My mama said it and I heard
She says one ounce of action
Beats a ton of words.

Singing Hallelujah.
Mama said there would be angels
Mama said there would be sun

Is the devil in Elvis to go where no white man went
Or hiding in Hugh Hefner's body or maybe even Larry Flynt.
Say, hows about the President shielding all them stones
Man if I could find a shield like that I'd run 'round naked
in my glass home.

Sippin' Hallelujah
I think my angel's gone to Vegas
Sippin' Hallelujah
Holding aces in her hand. Hallelujah
As she's singing rock of ages. Hallelujah
On the table at the Sands. Hallelujah

Does Satan wear a suit and tie or
Does he work at the Dairy Queen.
Does he listen to rock and roll
Does he feed the mean
Streak in all of us.
All us saints here on earth
Hypnotized and over-advertised
'Til we're numb at birth

Singing Hallelujah
And my angel's turning pages
Singing Hallelujah
And she just don't understand. Hallelujah
That the devil's hot on her trail. Hallelujah
On the road to broken promised land. Hallelujah
On the TV and the radio. Hallelujah
Good and evil look the same to you

Martin wins

this is the best version:
Vader - Hallelyuah!!! (God is dead) (new window)

It was Buckley's version on his 1994 album Grace that took the song into the canon. It was arguably the highlight of the album. Injecting the emotion of his trembling multi-octave vocals, the build-up to the line "Love is not a victory march/ It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah" is devastating. Buckley's death by drowning at the age of 30 would immortalise a now wholly poignant song, and it was Buckley's "Hallelujah" that was ranked as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, not Cohen's. And like the best cover versions of other great songs, with the fame Buckley brought "Hallelujah" you'd almost be forgiven for thinking he was the writer. Buckley omits two of Cohen's redemptive verses; he called his version an ode to "the hallelujah of an orgasm", even saying: "I hope Leonard doesn't hear it." He needn't have worried. Cohen has allegedly acknowledged it to be his favourite version.

End of discussion.

Seriously, if you didn't already think it was Buckley, you can stop listening to music now. You're never quite going to get the concept.

PoopStain:
It's the most accessible, but Buckley's is the best. It has the most emotion. Buckley is singing with the broken heart of a man who loved a woman but probably now hates her and wants to gouge her eyes out with a screwdriver, and he hates himself for it.

Wainwright is singing for a check in a cheesy movie about a green ogre.

Agreed. Wainwright is better produced/polished and I think it actually works against the song. I can almost say the same about Cohen's. I don't particularly care for "synthesizer Cohen"

The version by Janus is the best, and only one I will listen to.

I understand that people generally prefer the version of the song they hear first, but Jeff Buckley's version is head and shoulders above the others. His voice is a conduit for the emotion of that song.

Wainwright's version is good but his voice is better suited for brighter songs like "Oh What A World" (link pops).

I love the Buckley version, but wish it would end approximately one minute before it actually does.

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: Rufus Wainwright's version is the best.

It might be fairly rare, as I'm not sure how often she's actually done it, but Brandi Carlisle's version is the best I've heard. You should be able to find a torrent of it somewhere. Farking amazing.

I love Rufus Wainwright's version. There's something about Jeff Buckley's voice that I don't really like, but he nailed the emotions of that song.

I had the pleasure of seeing kd lang perform it live at the Ryman Auditorium a few months ago. Without a doubt it was the best live vocal performance I have ever seen.

Found it: Brandi Carlile (new window)

Xythero: I like KD Lang's version. I always forget that little weirdo has such a pretty voice.

Not only does Lang have a voice, but she's got the smarts to use that voice intelligently unlike other vocalists I can name coughLindaRondstadtcough.

I like Lang's version, Wainwrights and Buckleys in that order. But this is really like trying to resolve whether you like blondes, brunettes or redheads. It's all good.

The Headless Horseman's Headless Horse: Found it: Brandi Carlile (new window)

That woman is farking unbelievable. Whatever that one minor hit she had a while back was...my jaw dropped when I heard her singing and I bought the song, even though I normally HATE "chick rock." She has a simply astounding voice.

ridcullylives: The Headless Horseman's Headless Horse: Found it: Brandi Carlile (new window)

That woman is farking unbelievable. Whatever that one minor hit she had a while back was...my jaw dropped when I heard her singing and I bought the song, even though I normally HATE "chick rock." She has a simply astounding voice.

It's not normally my type of music either, but that entire album she put out was farking incredible. Saw her live twice last summer on consecutive nights. I don't think I'll miss another show.

You can't blame Wainwright, it's not like he ever lost a woman.

/I like his best.

Klingon Penis: End of discussion.

Seriously, if you didn't already think it was Buckley, you can stop listening to music now. You're never quite going to get the concept.

THIS and more. You don't deserve to listen to music if you can't at least appreciate Buckley's version.

John Cale's version will always be the definitive one for me.

I was impressed with Lang's, I never heard her do it before. Buckley's is very good as well, but it's impossible to just listen to without thinking about how tragic his passing was... For me, that fact overpowers the actual song.

Wainwrights is the easiest to listen to because it's the most thoroughly processed, but its not the best, not by by far. Buckley takes the cake, then KD Lang, and then Cohen's.

I wasn't impressed with the Brandi Carlile version at all. Her voice kept cracking mid-note, and it made her sound like she was yodeling. :-/

I'm getting really tired of hearing covers of this song. Every freaking artist feels like they need to cover it now.


Cohen wrote the original. I love Cohen, but Cale is the one who covered it first and made it into the arrangement that it is today that everyone else does. Cohen wrote a good song, but Cale made it a great song. Yet, Cale gets no credit.

Cohen and Cale, maybe Buckley, are the only versions that should be heard. The rest can go DIAF.


/sorry, I'm a big John Cale fan and I hate how underrated he is.