Unless you’ve been hiding behind a typewriter for the last decade, you know that there is a rich history of various Internet memes that can rapidly ensnare pop-culture. They range from mocking the mind-boggling public decisions of Kanye West to Keyboard Cat to an endless series satirizing 300. Justin Timberlake’s performance on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon should cement a new musical meme: The Hallelujah.
Originally penned by Canadian crooner Leonard Cohen, 1984′s “Hallelujah” has gone through innumerable iterations and been exhaustively covered, with three different versions topping the iTunes chart in the last three years alone. Here we give you a few notable versions of the song: the definitive, the beautiful, and the Bon Jovi. Which ones are your favorite?
1. Jeff Buckley
Buckley’s sexual, simmering version of “Hallelujah” has become the definitive version of the song, but his was actually a faithful recreation of the John Cale cover. Buckley covered the song for his 1994 album Grace, but his often wordless, moaning, falsetto-drenched performance has remained both critically renowned and commercially popular. He trills and vibratos every word to their drawn-out emotional apex. The videos of Buckley, shirt rendered down to the navel, hair sticking to forehead, show a “Hallelujah” where every word and exhale take you to a cosmic elsewhere.
2. Rufus Wainwright
Wainwright has performed “Hallelujah” live several times, adding a flowery piano line to the otherwise plaintive waltz. He puts an emphasis on the propulsive crescendoes that take over the final few verses, his voice strong and full of yearning but lacking Buckley’s purity or Cohen’s grizzled, emotional gravel. On few occasions, Wainwright has been joined on stage by sister Martha, who contributes a husky theatricality and harmonies.
3. Justin Timberlake with Matt Morris
This gospel-tinged cover has already reinvigorated “Hallelujah” with massive popularity. (As of right now, it’s the number one song on iTunes and the first video to come up when you search YouTube for Justin Timberlake). It might have seemed self-serving for Timberlake to feature his unknown label artist Matt Morris, but his soulful vocals provided a good contrast for Timberlake’s wispy, inspired interpretation. The piano-flecked, achingly silent duet warrants the popularity.
4. Beirut
Zach Condon of Beirut somehow transforms “Hallelujah” into an upbeat ukulele jaunt. The operatic dimensions in his voice contrast nicely with the island, primitive feel of the ukulele. The performance is a bit devoid of emotional attachment, considering Condon forgets the lyrics at two separate points. However, his voice soars, and he wisely lets empty spaces in the song marinate in your mind, the audience filling in extra vocals (one beauty of “Hallelujah” is a deeply involved, otherwise hushed crowd singing the chorus). You’ll be surprised how quickly this version grows on you.
5. Bon Jovi
It’s tough to listen to Bon Jovi cover Leonard Cohen, not because the song is bad but because you keep expecting it to transition into “Livin’ On a Prayer.” Despite the incongruity, Leonard Cohen has said that the performance from Live at Madison Square Garden is his favorite version, and the added stadium sensibilities don’t drain the song’s power. Jon Bon Jovi actually takes the song to a surprisingly emotional throaty peak while holding on the mic stand for dear life, and sobbing violin adds some dimension. “Hallelujah” isn’t so lyrically disparate from “You Give Love A Bad Name” anyways, though there are substantially less power chords.
Comments (29)
Nope. You should have included k.d.lang’s version — which Leonard Cohen had said, after watching a 2006 performance, had taken the song to its ultimate possible height.
It’s silly to consider a covered song a meme. If you’re going to consider this one a meme then every single song out there that’s been covered should also be considered a meme. Though, I’d hate that. Since none of them should be in the first place. It’s music, that’s it. Not some internet pop craze.
Fun fact: Rufus Wainwright’s studio version of “Hallelujah” appeared on the first Shrek soundtrack.
Every time I hear Jon Bon Jovi sing “Hallelujah” it brings tears to my eyes! He sings it with such emotion! And you all thought he couldn’t sing!!!
Rufus’ rendition can bring a tear. Saw Michael McDonald hold his own with it. Somebody lied to Mr. Bon Jovi tho.
The most thorough and helpful stuff I’ve found on this habit can be found here:
http://www.clapclap.org/2007/04/hallelujah.html
As usual, JT adds nothing new (though at least he refrained from tearing off Morris’ shirt)!
I’m a little bit heartbroken by the fact that you didn’t include Regina’s Spektor’s version. :(
Leonard Cohen has never said one version of Hallelujah is better than any other. The pr teams and labels for different artists like to claim otherwise.
my fave will always be rufus’ version, but i hadn’t heard beirut’s — thanks!
Allison Crowe performs my favorite version of Hallelujah. Great to see Leonard Cohen gaining such appreciation with all the covers.
What’s the source for “Leonard Cohen has said that the performance from Live at Madison Square Garden is his favorite version”? I’ll bet anything the origin is a press release from the Bon Jovi camp. Try and find an actual quote from Leonard Cohen saying that. You won’t.
Rufus’ will always be my favorite. It’s so multidimensional. I don’t love the live version posted here as much as other recordings I’ve heard, but I still love it.
I’d never heard Bon Jovi’s version before though. Nicely done :)
I heard Jon Bon Jovi say it himself in an interview, and how humbled he was to be told that. (Although I don’t know if it was the MSG performance per se–I believe he said “my version.”)If he’s lying he set himself up to be called on the carpet by Mr. Cohen himself. And JBJ is a smart and savvy man, whether you like his music or not. That would be a really dumb move.
I agree that kd lang does a beautiful job with the song as well.
what about including Leonard’s version? Clearly the best!
Another fun fact: Leonard himself sang the song in the Shrek movie
what about john cale?
Leonard Cohen, for sure, has never said Bon Jovi’s version is his favorite. If someone told BJ that it must have been his own publicist. As for Shrek, it’s John Cale in the movie, and Rufus Wainwright on the soundtrack.
and for sure, as Vicki says, include Leonard’s version from his latest tour (it puts these covers in perspective)
No one sings it better than Jon Bon Jovi. To see and hear him perform this in person is even more touching..He’s the best.
I agree with Linda H. I listened to all the above versions and Jon Bon Jovi is clearly number 1 with me, followed by Justin Timberlake. KD Lang should definitely be included in this list – definitely one of the best, and of course, noticely absent is Leonard himself. It’s a beautiful song and loved it before I heard anyone else sing it besides Leonard Cohen.
yes, apparently we forgot about the ladies with the chops for this song. Brandi Carlile’s version is fantastic!
Hallelujah is a musical meme, but not because of the covers – it’s because it’s FUCKING EVERYWHERE. I swear to god, I love Leonard Cohen, but do soundtrackers need to use it in every movie or TV show when they want to make something seem poignant? IT’S NOT AS POWERFUL IF YOU TURN IT INTO A CLICHE.
Just to make my point, places it’s been used:
- The OC
- Watchmen, for a sex scene (a sex scene that didn’t exist in the comic and was TMI)
- CSI
- House
- The West Wing
- Scrubs
- SHREK. Ugh. Not that there’s really anything wrong with Shrek, but really?
And many more, if you take a perfunctory glance at Leonard Cohen’s IMDB.
Lazy writers.
Bon Jovi’s is the best! It’s the full song and it’s all really engaging till the end.
It is a beautiful song and, yup, it’s over-used as a dramatic device on tv and in movies. I love the musical performances (divorced from these productions). My two faves are Leonard Cohen’s newest (Live in London) recording, and Allison Crowe’s Tidings version.
Great article. My husband & I had just been going through this conversation about this song. We discussed the meaning, (an Orgasm) the many covers, (based on the meaning, should Timberlake have sang it for Haiti) it being on Shrek, which version is best, the whole gamut. We even sat and watched many artist perform it on YouTube. I personally liked the following of 4 Norwegian singers…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NEU6Xf7lM
Either fav, the song has got ppl listening, talking and singing. Kudos to Cohen, a great artist. His versions should be bought just to support the original love.
Just for an interesting tid-bit, this song’s ‘Hallelujah ‘ brings to mind the Life Energy called ORGONE ENERGY. It was discovered by a Dr. Wilhelm Reich. He has written about Orgone Energy enveloping our earth and can be found in most things–especially an orgasm. He studied & discovered how to harness and use Orgone Energy to benefit the health of humans as well as the planet as Orgone clearly affects the atmosphere but the U.S. Government didn’t like that. Wilhelm Reich was sentenced to prison for his works & died there I believe in 1957. Yes, the government always knows best right? Now, on the flip side we have HAARP who studies–I mean–manipulates weather, the sexually perverted, the deviants & predators & masses on Viagra! WOW! I think it is time we all woke up from our stupor.
Leonard Cohen NEVER called Bon Jovi’s cover of Hallelujah best. That’s a ridiculous claim made by his pr team. It’s absolutely untrue.
Jon Bon Jovi sings it the best, the maturity in his voice adds a realism to the lyrics and the meaning of the song. The only one that could do any better is the original by Mr Cohen. BON JOVI RULES!!!!!!!!!! Rock On
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who was shaking his head back and forth knowingly Grissom shifted his eyes over at Brass,
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