FEATURE
[ WHAT DO WE DO WITH “HALLELUJAH”? | Paul Herman ]
Why it resonates so strongly.
But what about those verses? Those very Cohen himself reflected, “This world is full
odd verses? There are numerous Biblical of conflicts and full of things that cannot be
That haunting melody. That simple chord references, strange as they may be. King David. reconciled. But there are moments when we
progression. That powerful word. The legacy Bathsheba. Samson. Delilah. And there are can… reconcile and embrace the whole mess,
of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen lives on and hundreds of interpretations of the verses, from and that’s what I mean by ‘Hallelujah.’” And
on. And of course, the Christmas Version will the very sacred to the very carnal. In a way, the true-to-form, the many cover versions seem
undoubtedly be covered countless times in the mish-mash of “Hallelujah” verses seems entirely just as messy and tangled—from Jeff Buckley
next couple weeks in our churches. fitting, and an ironic reflection of the human to Bono’s 1995 trip-hop version to a poignant
condition itself. Out of the messy humanness of scene in the 2001 movie, Shrek.
life, one true chorus rises. Hallelujah.
So is it a worship song?
To get a deeper appreciation, let’s take a look
at the history of the song itself. Leonard Cohen Clearly, those verses don’t really fit into “our”
is an interesting guy. And the song story is genre. But let me also ask… what happens
fascinating. deep in your heart and soul when you sing that
chorus?
From a CCLI standpoint, Leonard Cohen’s In a book called The Holy or the Broken: original version of the song is registered with Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and the Unlikely In Luke 9:49, John says, “we saw someone
us. It’s #5516144. I can’t really comment on Ascent of “Hallelujah” by Alan Light, the song driving out demons in your name and we tried
the copyright legality of the Christmas version, finds its way from what an Atlantic Magazine to stop him, because he is not one of us.”
because I don’t know if permission was sought article describes as “a cheesy reverb-heavy or granted for the adaptation of the verses. But B-side oddity on an album Cohen’s label “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is
maybe it’s academic, because the “Hallelujah” rejected to a mystical, soul-stirring pop canticle not against you is for you.”
verses seem like a total free-for-all anyway. that’s played today at just as many weddings Leonard Cohen himself apparently wrote as as funerals.”
So, back to the question… what do we do with
many as 80 draft verses, before slicing them
“Hallelujah”? What else can we do, but just
down to four for the original version. And many John Lissauer, the producer of Cohen’s 1984 sing it. Say it. Breathe it. Let it be our heart cry.
verses are mixed-and-matched in the over- album Various Positions, said that “Hallelujah” Especially in this season—messy and tangled
300 known cover versions of the song, so who “was gonna be the breakthrough… [it] just as the world is right now—still we celebrate the
can possibly keep track? (If you’re interested, jumped out at you.” But CBS Records newborn God-With-Us.
Newsweek has ranked the top 60 cover President Walter Yetnikoff scoffed, “What is versions.) this? This isn’t pop music. We’re not releasing http://www.newsweek.com/60-versions- it. This is a disaster.”
Hallelujah.
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December 2017
WorshipMusician.com