Hallelujah
'Hallelujah' was the UK Christmas number one for X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke in 2008. Amazingly, the number two song on the same charts was Jeff Buckley's version of the same song. The original, written and released in 1984, also made it into the same Top 40 chart for the week beginning 15th December 2008. So, where do the three versions come from and what do they mean?
Here are the versions (click on each for lyrics):
- Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah - 1984
- Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah - 1988
- Jeff Buckley, Hallelujah - 1994
- Alexandra Burke , Hallelujah - 2008
Cohen's original song contained 4 verses (shown here in black). In 1988, he sang a different song, with 3 new verses (shown here in red) and the same concluding verse. Buckley's song takes 2 verses from the 1984 version and three from the 1988 version. Burke sang a shorter version than Buckley, taking 2 verses from the 1984 original and one from the 1988 version.
There has been much speculation about '15 verses' of Cohen's song, based on a comment made by John Cale. It looks like this involves seeing each verse as two verses (they could be seen this way by simply splittling them in half), which gives 14 verses. The mystical 15th could merely reflect a slight change in lyrics of one verse, or may simply have been a mistake by Cale.
What does it mean?
'Hallelujah' is a Hebrew word meaning 'Praise the Lord'. Here, Lord refers to the Tetrgrammaton, the four-letter name of God: Yahweh or Jehovah, although observant Jews will not say this name aloud.
Cohen is Jewish, and in the original version of the song he included several Biblical references:
- "Now I've heard there was a secret chord that David played, and it pleased the Lord" David in 1 Samuel 16:23
- "You saw her bathing on the roof.Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you." David in 2 Samuel 11:2
- "She broke your throne, and she cut your hair" Samson in Book of Judges
It is very much a religious song. Rufus Wainwright said "The melody is almost liturgical and conjures up religious feelings. It's purifying."
Cohen's second version of the song leaves out the Biblical references. Most commentators see this as a more secular song, identifying with the way in which lovers worship one another.
It is important to understand this in a religious context. Many Christians, particularly in the Anglican Church (the Church of England or the Episcopal Church) include a variation of the following in their wedding vows:
"With my body, I thee worship"
The continued popularity of this song shows that it still strikes a chord with people of all ages. We may get the impression that sex has become casual or hedonistic, but in truth, for most of us, sex involves us at a spiritual level. When we have sex, we are acknowledging something divine, sacred or holy in each other.
For Christians, Jews and Muslims, God's first command was to find a partner, have sex and start a family. For many, sex should never be totally separated from procreation, and the question 'Should I have sex with him/her?' should really read 'Do I want to make a family with him/her?'.
To me, this song reflects the reality that as humans we are drawn into relationships, whether with God or one another. The deeper these relationships go, the more they have the capacity to enrich our lives, or to hurt us profoundly. However, as Cohen sings to end both versions of his song:
"Even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song with nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah."
Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah (1984, Various Positions)
Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Chorus
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Chorus
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Chorus
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Chorus
Leonard Cohen, Hallelujah (1988, released on Cohen Live, 1994)
Baby, I've been here before.
I know this room, I've walked this floor.
I used to live alone before I knew ya.
Yeah I've seen your flag on the marble arch,
But listen, love is not some kind of victory march,
No it's a cold and it's a very broken Hallelujah.
Chorus
There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below,
Ah but now you never show it to me, do ya?
Yeah but I remember, yeah when I moved in you,
And the holy dove, she was moving too,
Yes every single breath that we drew was Hallelujah.
Chorus
Maybe there's a god above,
As for me, all I've ever seemed to learn from love
Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew ya.
Yeah but it's not a complaint that you hear tonight,
It's not the laughter of someone who claims to have seen the light
No it's a cold and it's a very lonely Hallelujah.
Chorus
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 ya.
Yeah even tough it all went wrong
I'll stand right here before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Chorus
Jeff Buckley, Hallelujah (1994, rereleased posthumously and reaching #1 in March 2008)
Well I heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Chorus
Well Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Chorus
Well baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew ya
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Chorus
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you?
And remember when I moved in you?
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Chorus
Well maybe there's a god above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who'd out drew ya
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Chorus
Alexandra Burke , Hallelujah (2008, a single released as winner of the fifth series of The X Factor)
Well I heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing hallelujah
Chorus
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah
Chorus
Well maybe there’s a god above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who’d out drew ya
And it’s not a cry that you hear at night
It’s not somebody who’s seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah
Chorus
