29 January 2014
Mrs. Carrie McWhorter
For some it carries a sense of restoration and renewed faith. To others it is the wonderful hymn that they fall in love with. Whatever it is, this songs journey has made it over 3 decades and is still going strong. Leonard Cohen’s song Hallelujah is one of the greatest songs ever written.
Leonard Cohen was the original artist of the so loved song hallelujah. It was released in 1984 on Cohen’s album Various Positions. Before the song was released, many record artist doubted the song. Even after the song was released it did not achieve its popularity until a decade later when Jeff Buckley released a revised version on his record. After Jeff Buckley released a version of this song on his record Hallelujahs journey to success began. Hallelujah was recorded and sang by over 100 artist, ranging from U2, Justin Timberlake, Bon Jovi, and Willie Nelson. The song has many interpretations and has a meaning that nobody is really sure about. Jeff Buckley said “Whoever listens carefully to Hallelujah will discover that it is a song about sex, about love, about life on earth. The hallelujah is not an homage to a worshipped person, idol, or god, but the hallelujah of the orgasm. It’s an ode to life and love.” On the other hand Leonard Cohen suggested “Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means Glory to the Lord.” In Lights article he showed that people took the meanings however they want and the song can go with any situation. Jeff Buckley’s version was played after a 9/11 tribute. “The faith, hope, and happiness it brings is why Hallelujah has survived so many decades,” Light stated. Many versions of the song have been played elsewhere to fulfill faith, hope, and happiness. “Various versions have been played at funerals and weddings,” Light stated. Hallelujah many meanings give hope and a sense of happiness to people. This is why the song is one of the greatest hits ever to hit our ears