Jump to content

Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Hallelujah"
Artwork for 1984 Dutch single
Single by Leonard Cohen
from the album Various Positions
ReleasedDecember 1984
RecordedJune 1984[1][2]
Genre
Length4:39
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Leonard Cohen
Producer(s)John Lissauer

"Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). Achieving little initial success,[1] the song found greater popular acclaim through a new version recorded by John Cale in 1991. Cale's version inspired a 1994 recording by Jeff Buckley that in 2004 was ranked number 259 on Rolling Stone's "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

The song achieved widespread popularity after Cale's version of it was featured in the 2001 film Shrek.[3][4] Many other arrangements have been performed in recordings and in concert, with more than 300 versions known as of 2008.[5] The song has been used in film and television soundtracks and televised talent contests. "Hallelujah" experienced renewed interest following Cohen's death in November 2016 and re-appeared on international singles charts, including entering the American Billboard Hot 100 for the first time.[6]

History

[edit]
Leonard Cohen's studio recording
Partial excerpt of first verse and chorus. First included in Cohen's 1984 album Various Positions.
Jeff Buckley "Hallelujah" cover excerpt
From the album Grace, released in 1994. In 2007, Sony BMG rereleased the album (subtitled "The Legacy Edition") with a live music video of the song.
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Cohen is reputed to have written around 80[7] to as many as 180[8] draft verses for "Hallelujah"—a number affected by the accounting question that he had many versions of the same line.[9] Cohen is said to have claimed 150 draft verses, a claim substantiated by his notebooks containing manifold revisions and additions, and by contemporary interviews.[10] In a writing session in New York's Royalton Hotel, Cohen is famously said to have been reduced to sitting on the floor in his underwear, filling notebooks, banging his head on the floor.[7] Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, creators of the 2022 documentary film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, said that Cohen took about five years to write the song, and reconfigured it numerous times for performances.[11]

Unlike some other songs that became anthems, "Hallelujah" initially was on an album that was rejected by Columbia Records,[12] was largely ignored after an independent label released it, was not widely[8] covered until John Cale's 1991 version, and did not reach the Billboard charts until Cohen's death in 2016.[13] Reflecting on the song's initial rejection, Cohen related that Columbia told him that "we know you are great, but don't know if you are any good".[14]

Following his original 1984 studio-album version, Cohen performed the original song on his world tour in 1985, but live performances during his 1988 and 1993 tours almost invariably contained a quite different set of lyrics. Numerous singers mix lyrics from both versions, and occasionally make direct lyric changes; for example, in place of Cohen's "holy dove", Canadian-American singer Rufus Wainwright substituted "holy dark", while Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Crowe sang "holy ghost".

Musical composition and lyrical interpretation

[edit]

"Hallelujah", in its original version, is in 12
8 time, which evokes both early rock and roll and gospel music. Written in the key of C major, the chord progression of C, F, G, A minor, F matches those referenced in the song's famous first verse.[15][16]

When at age 50 Cohen first recorded the song, he described it as "rather joyous", and said that it came from "a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way, but with enthusiasm, with emotion."[17] He later said "there is a religious hallelujah, but there are many other ones. When one looks at the world, there's only one thing to say, and it's hallelujah".[17] Journalist Larry Sloman, who knew Cohen well and interviewed him often,[8] described the song as one part biblical, one part the woman that Cohen slept with last night,[9] citing an unidentified critic saying that Cohen was most interested in "holiness and horniness".[8]

Meaning of "Hallelujah"

      This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can reconcile and embrace the whole mess, and that's what I mean by 'Hallelujah.'

—Leonard Cohen[18]

His original version, recorded on his 1984 album Various Positions, contains allusions to several biblical verses, including the stories of Samson and Delilah from the Book of Judges ("she cut your hair") as well as King David and Bathsheba ("you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you").[19][15][20]

Cohen's lyrical poetry and his view that "many different hallelujahs exist" is reflected in wide-ranging covers with very different intents or tones, allowing the song to be "melancholic, fragile, uplifting [or] joyous" depending on the performer:[15] The Welsh singer-songwriter John Cale, the first person to record a cover version of the song (in 1991), promoted a message of "soberness and sincerity" in contrast to Cohen's dispassionate tone;[15] the cover by Jeff Buckley, an American singer-songwriter, is more sorrowful and was described by Buckley as "a hallelujah to the orgasm";[15][21] Crowe interpreted the song as a "very sexual" composition that discussed relationships;[15] Wainwright offered a "purifying and almost liturgical" interpretation;[15] and Guy Garvey of the British band Elbow made the hallelujah a "stately creature" and incorporated his religious interpretation of the song into his band's recordings.[15] Noting its inclusion in the 2001 animated movie Shrek and performance in numerous singing competition reality shows, New York Times movie reviewer A. O. Scott wrote that "Hallelujah is one of those rare songs that survives its banalization with at least some of its sublimity intact".[8]

Canadian singer k.d. lang said in an interview shortly after Cohen's death that she considered the song to be about "the struggle between having human desire and searching for spiritual wisdom. It's being caught between those two places."[22] Former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page, who sang the song at Canadian politician Jack Layton's funeral, described the song as being "about disappointing [other] people".[23]

Where songs come from

      Even Cohen, like the king in the song, was baffled by Hallelujah. He didn't want to explain it and decided he probably couldn't if he tried. He said: "If I knew where songs came from, I would go there more often."

Xan Brooks, The Guardian[24]

The song was the subject of a 2012 book, The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of 'Hallelujah'; author Alan Light said that Cohen's "approach to language and craft feel unlike the work of anybody else. They sound rooted in poetry and literature because he studied as a poet and a novelist first."[13] The book served as the basis for the 2022 documentary film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song; the film's co-creator said that Cohen "addressed the deepest of our human concerns about longing for connection and longing for some sort of hope, transcendence and acknowledgment of the difficulties of life."[13]

Financial Times arts and culture columnist Enuma Okoro wrote that "the lyrics and the tone of the song seem to sway between hymn and dirge, two musical forms that could serve as responses to almost everything that happens in our lives: songs that celebrate and acknowledge the blessings and provisions of our lives, and songs that bemoan our losses, our heartbreaks, and our deaths".[25] Okoro noted that the word hallelujah is composed of two Hebrew words that mean "praise God", adding that Cohen said people have been "singing it for thousands of years to affirm our little journey".[25]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1985–2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 59
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27] 13
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[28] 17
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[29] 65
Finland Download (Latauslista)[30] 4
France (SNEP)[31] 1
Germany (GfK)[32] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 55
Italy (FIMI)[34] 66
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[35] 27
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[36] 1
Portugal (AFP)[37] 69
Scotland (OCC)[38] 30
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[39] 58
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[40] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[41] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[43] 36
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 59
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[44] 20

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[26] Gold 35,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[45] Gold 45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

[edit]

Since 1991, "Hallelujah" has been performed by more than 300 singers in many languages.[5] Statistics from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Canadian Recording Industry Association, the Australian Recording Industry Association, and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, show that, by late 2008, more than five million copies of the song sold in CD format.[citation needed] It has been the subject of a BBC Radio documentary, a book,[3] and been in the soundtracks of numerous films and television programs.[47] Different interpretations of the song may include different verses, out of the more than 80 verses Cohen originally wrote.[48]

In an April 2009 CBC Radio interview, Cohen said he found the number of covers of his song "ironic and amusing", given that his record label refused to release it when he first wrote it; however, he then claimed the song could benefit from a break in exposure:

I was just reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it and the reviewer said – "Can we please have a moratorium on 'Hallelujah' in movies and television shows?" And I kind of feel the same way ... I think it's a good song, but I think too many people sing it.[49][50]

Conversely, in early 2012, while promoting his then-current album, Old Ideas, Cohen stated he was not tired of the song being covered:

There's been a couple of times when other people have said can we have a moratorium please on "Hallelujah"? Must we have it at the end of every single drama and every single Idol? And once or twice I've felt maybe I should lend my voice to silencing it but on second thought no, I'm very happy that it's being sung.[51]

John Cale

[edit]

John Cale's cover first appeared on I'm Your Fan (1991), a Leonard Cohen tribute album, and later on his live album Fragments of a Rainy Season (1992). Cale's version has vocals, piano, and different lyrics that Cohen had only performed live such as "I used to live alone before I knew ya" and "All I ever learned from love was how to shoot at someone who outdrew ya". Cale had watched Cohen perform the song and asked Cohen to send him the lyrics.[3] Cohen then faxed Cale 15 pages of lyrics. Cale claims that he "went through and just picked out the cheeky verses."[48]

Cale's version forms the basis of most subsequent performances, including Cohen's performances during his 2008–09 world tour. Cale's version is used in the film Shrek (2001), but Rufus Wainwright's version appears on the soundtrack album.[15][3] Cale's also appears on the first soundtrack album for the TV series Scrubs[52][53] and as the ending song of the Cold Case episode "Death Penalty, Final Appeal".

Jeff Buckley

[edit]
"Hallelujah"
Single by Jeff Buckley
from the album Grace
Released22 May 2007[54]
RecordedLate 1993–94, at Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York
Genre
Length6:53
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Leonard Cohen
Producer(s)Andy Wallace
Jeff Buckley singles chronology
"Forget Her"
(2004) 		"Hallelujah"
(2007)

Jeff Buckley, inspired by Cale's earlier cover, recorded one of the most acclaimed versions of "Hallelujah" for his only complete album, Grace, in 1994. It was released as a single in 2007, ten years after Buckley's death.

Critical reception

[edit]

In 2004, Buckley's version was ranked number 259 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[21] The same year Time called Buckley's version "exquisitely sung," observing "Cohen murmured the original like a dirge, but ... Buckley treated the ... song like a tiny capsule of humanity, using his voice to careen between glory and sadness, beauty and pain ... It's one of the great songs."[55]

In September 2007, a poll of fifty songwriters conducted by the magazine Q listed "Hallelujah" among the all-time "Top 10 Greatest Tracks" with John Legend calling Buckley's version "as near perfect as you can get. The lyrics to 'Hallelujah' are just incredible and the melody's gorgeous and then there's Jeff's interpretation of it. It's one of the most beautiful pieces of recorded music I've ever heard."[56] In July 2009, the Buckley track was ranked number three on the 2009 Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time, a listener poll held every decade by the Australian radio station Triple J.[57] In 2017, The International Observer named Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" the greatest song of all time.[58]

On 2 April 2013, it was announced that Buckley's version of the song will be inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.[59]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Buckley's version was not an instant hit, nor did Buckley live to see the full measure of the reception his recording would ultimately have; he died in 1997. The album on which it appeared did not go gold in the US until 2002, nine years after its release. In fact, like Cohen's original, the Buckley version was not released as a single until much later, and it did not chart until 2006, posthumously for Buckley. In March of that year, Buckley had his first national top 10 best-seller when "Hallelujah" was at number seven in Norway. In 2007, it made the top 3 on the Swedish charts. In March 2008, it topped Billboard's Hot Digital Songs in the US after a performance of the song by Jason Castro in the seventh season of American Idol.[60][61][62] The sudden resurgence of interest provided both Gold and Platinum status, the RIAA certifying the digital track on 22 April 2008.[63] It has sold 1,144,000 digital copies in the US as of May 2010.[64] It also hit number one in France in March 2008.

Usage in media

[edit]

The Buckley version has been widely used in film and television dramas, including the movie Lord of War,[65] the series The West Wing,[55] Crossing Jordan,[55] Without a Trace,[55] The O.C.,[55][66] Third Watch,[55] LAX,[55] and Justiça.[67] "Hallelujah can be joyous or bittersweet, depending on what part of it you use", Time quoted Buckley's publisher as saying. The magazine opined that its liberal use in some cases was "a tacit admission that neither the writers nor the actors could convey their characters' emotions as well as Buckley."[55]

On 20 April 2013, Buckley's version of the song was played at Fenway Park during a tribute honoring the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing before the Red Sox played their first home game following the tragedy.[68]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[86] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Belgium (BEA)[87] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[88] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[89] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[90] Gold 150,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[91] Platinum 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[92] Gold 5,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[93] Gold 30,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[94] Gold 10,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[95] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[96] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Rufus Wainwright

[edit]
Rufus Wainwright by Oliver Mark, Berlin 2010
Wainwright in 2010

Canadian-American musician and singer Rufus Wainwright had briefly met Jeff Buckley and recorded a tribute song to him after his 1997 death. That song, "Memphis Skyline", referenced Buckley's version of "Hallelujah", which Wainwright would later record, though using piano and a similar arrangement to Cale's. Wainwright's version is included on the album Shrek: Music from the Original Motion Picture, although it was Cale's version that was used in the film itself.[97] The Shrek soundtrack, containing Wainwright's cover, was certified 2× Platinum in the United States in 2003 as selling more than two million copies.

Wainwright, his sister Martha Wainwright, and Joan Wasser performed the song in the 2005 film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man.

In 2016, Wainwright recorded a version of the song with a chorus of 1,500 singers at a disused power station in Toronto.[98]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2007–2010) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[99] 97
US Hot Rock and Alternative Songs (Billboard)[100] 16
US Rock Digital Songs (Billboard)[101] 11

k.d. lang

[edit]

In 2004, k.d. lang recorded a version of "Hallelujah" on her album Hymns of the 49th Parallel. She has since sung it at several major events, such as at the Canadian Juno Awards of 2005,[102] where it "brought the audience to its feet for a two-minute ovation."[103] Lang also sang it at the 2006 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame when Cohen was inducted into the Hall of Fame.[104] Cohen's partner, singer Anjani Thomas, said: "After hearing k.d. lang perform that song at the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2006 we looked at each other and said, 'well, I think we can lay that song to rest now! It's really been done to its ultimate blissful state of perfection'."[105] Lang sang it at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, before a claimed TV audience of three billion.[106] Lang's rendition of the song has been used several times in figure skating, notably by American skater Mariah Bell and Brazilian skater Isadora Williams.[107][108]

Lang again performed the song at the 2017 Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen concert.[109]

Alexandra Burke

[edit]
"Hallelujah"
Single by Alexandra Burke
from the album Overcome
B-side
Released17 December 2008
Recorded2008
GenreR&B, pop
Length3:39
LabelSyco
Songwriter(s)Leonard Cohen
Producer(s)Quiz & Larossi
Alexandra Burke singles chronology
"Hero"
(2008) 		"Hallelujah"
(2008) 		"Bad Boys"
(2009)
Music video
"Hallelujah" on YouTube

On the 13 December 2008 finale, for the fifth series of the reality television show The X Factor, head-to-head finalists Alexandra Burke and group JLS each performed it as their final song before the winner's vote. Burke was voted the overall winner, and her condensed cover version of the song was immediately recorded and released as a prize for her victory. It reached Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart on 21 December 2008.[119]

Burke herself was not initially enamoured with the choice of song, saying "It just didn't do anything for me" and "I could not see a way to put my twist on it." After finding a way to perform it to her liking, however, she later realised "what a smart choice of song Simon Cowell made by picking Hallelujah. He managed to judge the mood and has selected the song of the year. I have grown to love it. Everyone seems to love it.”[120]

Chart battle with other versions

[edit]

The release of Burke's cover created interest in the previous versions of the song, including a Buckley fan campaign to take Buckley's cover to the top of the Christmas chart and therefore deny Burke the top spot.[121] The campaign was fuelled by Buckley fans' dislike of The X Factor's commercialism and the song's arrangement,[122][123] as well as their desire to introduce younger people to Buckley's version.[124]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Burke's version broke a European sales record after selling more than 105,000 digital downloads in just one day, breaking the previous record set by Leona Lewis.[125] The song sold 576,000 copies in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling single released by a woman in the United Kingdom and the 2008 Christmas number one, while Buckley's cover charted at number two and Cohen's original version at number 36 on the same chart.[119]

On 28 December 2008, the UK Singles Chart listed Burke's version as the biggest-selling single of the year,[125][126] with NME announcing sales of more than one million copies since its release.[127] This also made Burke the first ever female British artist to have a million-selling single in the UK.[128] It has sold 1.330 million as of August 2016, making it the biggest-selling X Factor winner's single to date.[129]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2008–17) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[130] 53
Canada AC (Billboard)[131] 15
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[132] 27
European Hot 100 Singles[133] 6
France (SNEP)[134] 175
Ireland (IRMA)[76] 1
Scotland (OCC)[135] 1
Slovenia (SloTop50)[136] 25
UK Singles (OCC)[137] 1

Year-end charts

[edit]
Chart (2008) Position
Ireland (IRMA)[138] 2
UK Singles (OCC)[139] 1

All-time charts

[edit]
Chart Position
Ireland (IRMA)[140] 14

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[141] Gold 150,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[142] 3× Platinum 1,800,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Pentatonix

[edit]
"Hallelujah"
Single by Pentatonix
from the album A Pentatonix Christmas
Released21 October 2016
Recorded2016
GenreA cappella
Length4:28
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Leonard Cohen
Producer(s)Pentatonix, Ben Bram
Pentatonix singles chronology
"Jolene"
(2016) 		"Hallelujah"
(2016) 		"Dancing On My Own"
(2017)
Music video
"Hallelujah" on YouTube
Pentatonix, 2015

The a cappella group Pentatonix covered the song in the quintet's 2016 album, A Pentatonix Christmas. On 21 October 2016, Pentatonix also released a music video for their cover filmed in the California Mojave Desert.[143][144]

Weekly charts

[edit]
Chart (2016–2024) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[145] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[146] 22
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[147] 14
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[148] 16
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[149] 83
France (SNEP)[150] 20
Germany (GfK)[151] 4
Global 200 (Billboard)[152] 38
Hungary (Single Top 40)[153] 2
Italy (FIMI)[154] 18
Lithuania (AGATA)[155] 86
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[156] 62
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[157] 76
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[158] 53
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[159] 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[160] 40
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[161] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[162] 23
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[163] 2
US Rolling Stone Top 100[164] 68

Year-end charts

[edit]
Chart (2016) Position
Hungary (Single Top 40)[165] 71

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[166] Platinum 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[167] 3× Platinum 240,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[168] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[169] Gold 100,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[170] 3× Gold 600,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[171] Platinum 50,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[172] Platinum 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[173] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[174] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other cover versions

[edit]

It's a beautifully constructed melody that steps up, evolves, and slips back, all in quick time. But this song has a connective chorus, which when it comes in has a power all of its own. The 'secret chord' and the point-blank I-know-you-better-than-you-know-yourself aspect of the song has plenty of resonance for me.

– Bob Dylan[175]

Bob Dylan was among the first to perform Cohen's song in concert with his earliest noted performance being in Montreal on 8 July 1988.[176] Other notable singers who have covered "Hallelujah" include Brandi Carlile, Regina Spektor, Willie Nelson, Susan Boyle, Tim Minchin, Myles Kennedy, and Bono. Bono's version, which is mostly spoken, was included in Tower of Song, an all-star tribute to Cohen in 1995. Bon Jovi has covered the song several times in concert, including on their 2008 Live at Madison Square Garden DVD.[177]

In 2006, the Norwegian quartet of Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm released a cover of the song. After debuting at number 8 on the Norwegian VG-lista, the single reached number one in January 2007.[178] The song remained listed on the Norwegian top 20 for 37 (non-consecutive) weeks between 2006 and 2007.[179] The song also appears on the 2006 album Hallelujah Live, credited to Lind with Nilsen, Fuentes and Holm, which also reached the top of the Norwegian VG-lista.[180]

International group Il Divo released a Spanish-language adaptation with different lyrics on their album The Promise (2008), which topped the charts in the UK. The song was performed by recording artist Damien Rice at the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions when Cohen was inducted. That same year Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins recorded a classical-crossover version for her album Sacred Arias.[176] Kate Voegele performed it in character as Mia Catalano in the US teen drama One Tree Hill. Also appearing on an album, her version made the Hot 100 Billboard charts and reached number 53 in the UK shortly after airing of the episode there.[181] Also in 2008, the Welsh band Brigyn released a version in Welsh.[182] In 2009 Swedish artist Ebba Forsberg released a version sung in Swedish.

The song has become a staple of television talent shows. Jason Castro, an American Idol season 7 contestant, performed a version on 4 March 2008,[183] which propelled Jeff Buckley's version of the song to the top of the Billboard digital song chart.[60][61] His version was included in his self-titled debut album and his second studio album, Who I Am. Lisa Hordijk, winner of the 2009 Dutch X Factor, released "Hallelujah" as her debut single, which went double platinum and remained at the top of the Dutch charts for ten weeks.[184]

A 2009 hit by Orthodox Jewish singer Ohad Moskowitz, "Bo'i Kala", featuring the words of the traditional tune accompanying a Jewish bride to the chuppah, is a musical adaptation of "Hallelujah".[185][186]

On 22 January 2010, American musicians Justin Timberlake, Matt Morris, and Charlie Sexton performed a live cover version of "Hallelujah" during the Hope for Haiti Now telethon in support of those affected by the 2010 Haiti earthquake. A recorded version was released the following day on the Hope for Haiti Now soundtrack album and reached a peak of number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[187]

On 16 April 2010, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Richard Eaton Singers conducted by Jack Everly premiered a new arrangement for orchestra and chorus by Claude Lapalme.[188] Also in 2010, the Maccabeats of Yeshiva University released Voices from the Heights, with an a cappella version of "Hallelujah" set to the Hebrew words of the Shabbat liturgical poem "Lecha Dodi".[189][190]

Canadian singer Kelley Mooney was asked by her parish priest to perform the song for Easter mass but she discovered the lyrics were inappropriate, so she wrote new lyrics[191] about the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. In 2008, after two years of trying,[192] she received permission from Cohen to perform the song with new lyrics.[193] Her performance in 2010[192] with a children's choir received 1.4 million views on YouTube and also appeared on GodTube.[193] Mooney released a CD Tomorrow in 2011 which included her version of Hallelujah,[192] and her version was number three on the Billboard Christian digital downloads chart in 2014,[194] the same year the video reached 6.5 million views on GodTube as of Easter.[193]

Steven Page performed the song live at the state funeral of Canadian Opposition Leader Jack Layton on 27 August 2011.[195]

Raul Esparza performed the song live at the Kennedy Center's 11 September Memorial Concert on 8 September 2011.[196]

Sephira (also known as Sephira - The Irish Rock Violinists), the Irish sister violin duo, recorded and released a version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in 2011 on their Starlight Christmas album, with the track later featured on their 2013 Eternity EP. Known for their synchronized violin performances and distinct Celtic sibling harmonies, Sephira's rendition of Hallelujah combines classical violin instrumentation with rich vocal harmonies, offering a unique interpretation of the iconic song. Their version has been performed for Royalty at various special events and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.

In May 2012, Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet presented the World Premiere of The Doorway – Scenes from Leonard Cohen, created and choreographed by Jorden Morris – with "Hallelujah" performed by Allison Crowe (voice and piano) and ballerinas Sophia Lee and Jo-Ann Gudilin dancing alternate dates.[197]

On the 17 December 2012 episode of The Voice, the song was covered in tribute to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting by coaches Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green.[198]

American actor, comedian and musician Adam Sandler performed an off-color parody of "Hallelujah" in December 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, with Paul Shaffer on piano. Sandler's version contained numerous references to Hurricane Sandy and contemporary events in local culture, sports and politics.[199]

Singer Tori Kelly recorded a cover of "Hallelujah" for the animated film Sing and has done two notable live performances of the song: during the "In Memoriam" portion of the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, and alongside Luis Fonsi during the 2017 Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief telethon.[200][201] In August 2020, Cohen fans were incensed when Kelly's recording was played after Donald Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention.[202] A legal representative for the Cohen estate said they had "specifically declined the RNC's use request" for "one of the most important songs in the Cohen song catalogue". She added that the estate might have approved the use of Cohen's "You Want It Darker".[203]

On 12 November 2016, an episode of Saturday Night Live opened with cast member Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton performing a rendition of the song in tribute to both Cohen and Clinton. The preceding week had seen both Cohen's death and Clinton's loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election.[204]

In November 2016, Klezmer musician Daniel Kahn released a Yiddish version, with lyrics translated by Kahn, Michael Alpert, Mendy Cahan, and Josh Waletzky. The Forward published the video to its website and YouTube channel.[205]

Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington sang "Hallelujah" during his eulogy to Chris Cornell at Hollywood Forever Cemetery on 26 May 2017.[206]

The American alt-right conspiracy theorist and comedian Owen Benjamin used the music of "Hallelujah" with new lyrics in his song titled "How They Rule Ya" in support of freeing British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was held at the time for contempt of court charges for violating a press gag order, encouraging vigilante action against and illegally filming some of the defendants[207] in the trial of the Huddersfield grooming gang. Released on 12 June 2018 under the alternative title "Free Tommy Robinson", it charted in the UK iTunes Charts.[208] Robinson as a tribute and gratitude to Owen Benjamin, upon his release led the crowd outside the Old Bailey to a rendition of the song written by Benjamin.[209]

At a national remembrance in January 2021 for those killed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Yolanda Adams sang a slightly modified two verses of "Hallelujah", changing "Maybe there's no God above" to "I know that there's a God above". A number of American Jews criticized the performance, as they had a usage of the song at the end of the 2020 Republican National Convention, for ignoring the song's lyrics about sexuality and questioning one's faith.[210]

Inclusions in film, television and events

[edit]

Accolades and achievements

[edit]
  • The BBC commemorated the 25th anniversary of the first recording of "Hallelujah" with an hour-long radio documentary, The Fourth, The Fifth, The Minor Fall, broadcast on 1 November 2008, in which the song's history and numerous cover versions were presented and discussed.[15]
  • The song was named one of the top ten greatest tracks of all time in a poll of songwriters conducted by the British music magazine Q.[218]
  • Rolling Stone magazine listed the song as one of the 500 greatest songs.[21]
  • In the February 2009 issue of Blender, "Hallelujah" was named that month's "Greatest Song Ever" (a monthly feature).[219]
  • In 2005, "Hallelujah" was named the tenth-greatest Canadian song of all time in Chart magazine's annual readers' poll.
  • On 21 December 2008, "Hallelujah" became the first song in 51 years[119] to hold the top two positions on the UK Singles Chart; The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke's and American singer Jeff Buckley's covers were the two highest-selling songs in the week beginning 15 December 2008. Leonard Cohen's version was number 36 in the same chart.[220]
  • In 2014, "Hallelujah" was ranked number 1 in Rolling Stone's "Best Leonard Cohen Songs" readers' poll.[221]
  • Far Out and American Songwriter ranked the song number three and number one, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Leonard Cohen songs.[222][223]
  • Cohen's original version was ranked number 74 on the 2021 edition of "Top 500 Songs of All Time" by Rolling Stone magazine.[224]

Other charted versions

[edit]
Covering Artist(s) Year Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[225] 		AUT
[226] 		BEL
(FL)
[227] 		BEL
(WA)
[228] 		CAN
[229] 		DEN
[230] 		EU
[231] 		FRA
[232] 		NL
[233] 		NZ
[234] 		SWE
[235] 		SWI
[236] 		UK
[237] 		US
[238]
Bon Jovi 2008 — 29 — — — — — — — — — — 177 —
Kate Voegele — — — — — — — — — — — — 53 68
Lisa Lois 2009 — — — — — — 99 — 1 — — — — —
Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris featuring Charlie Sexton 2010 — 22 25 31 5 37 — — — 8 10 — 91 13
Natalia and Gabriel Ríos — — 1 6 — — 81 — — — — — — —
Karise Eden 2012 2 — — — — — — — — 35 — — — —
Bastian Baker — — — —[A] — — — 18 — — — 24 — —
Matthew Schuler 2013 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 40
Xavier Naidoo 2014 — 20 — — — — — — — — — 36 — —

Notes

  • A ^ Bastian Baker's version of "Hallelujah" did not enter the Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 5 on the Wallonia Ultratip chart.[241]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Light, Alan (19 November 2013). The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah". New York: Atria Books. ISBN 978-1451657852.
  2. ^ "How Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Brilliantly Mingled Sex, Religion". Rollingstone.com. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Fetters, Ashley (2 December 2012). "How Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Became Everybody's 'Hallelujah'". The Atlantic. Washington DC: Emerson Collective. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Singer backs Welsh 'Hallelujah'". BBC. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b Arjatsalo, J., Riise, A., & Kurzweil, K. "A Thousand Covers Deep: Leonard Cohen Covered by Other Artists". The Leonard Cohen files. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b Trust, Gary (21 November 2016). "Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Hits Hot 100 for First Time". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  7. ^ a b Barton, Laura (18 December 2008). "Hail, Hail, Rock'n'Roll". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e Scott, A. O. (30 June 2022). "'Hallelujah' Review: From Leonard Cohen to Cale to Buckley to Shrek". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Bob Dylan included the song in some of his set lists in the late 1980s.
  9. ^ a b Cunningham, Nick (13 December 2022). "Oscar FYC: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song by Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine". BusinessDocEurope.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022.
  10. ^ Zuel, Bernard (11 July 2022). "Why Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah endures 56 years since it was written". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022.
  11. ^ Rapold, Nicolas (1 July 2022). "Trying to Capture the Life and Lyrics of That Wry Sage Leonard Cohen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022.
  12. ^ McMillan, Matthew (19 September 2022). "We wanted people to understand Leonard Cohen, the man: Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller on Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song (interview)". The Upcoming. Archived from the original on 19 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b c LeDonne, Rob (29 June 2022). "'More than a song': the enduring power of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022.
  14. ^ a b Brooks, Richard (17 September 2022). "Hallelujah! Leonard Cohen's almighty struggle with rejected song that became a classic". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 September 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j The Fourth, The Fifth, The Minor Fall. BBC. 1 November 2008.
  16. ^ "Hallelujah By Leonard Cohen – Meanings And Thoughts". 30 January 2024. So the fourth and the fifth are the F and the G notes or chords.
  17. ^ a b Light, Alan (11 November 2016). "Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah": Music's Greatest Work in Progress". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021.
  18. ^ Fetters, Ashley (4 December 2012). "How Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Became Everybody's 'Hallelujah'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Hallelujah By Leonard Cohen – Meanings And Thoughts". Its All About All. 21 November 2023. It happened one late afternoon, "that David arose off his bed, and was walking around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof, he saw a woman bathes, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon" (2 Samuel 11,2)
  20. ^ "2 Samuel 11 - NIV Bible - In the spring, at the time when kings go off to". Biblestudytools.com. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  21. ^ a b c "Hallelujah — Jeff Buckley". Rolling Stone. New York City: Wenner Media LLC. 9 December 2004. Archived from the original on 9 May 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
  22. ^ Friend, David (14 November 2016). "k.d. lang 'nervous' singing Hallelujah for Leonard Cohen". The Hamilton Spectator. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: Metroland Media Group. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  23. ^ Friend, David (11 November 2016). "Powerful, essential, cliche: The complex life of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'". The Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia: Glacier Media. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  24. ^ Brooks, Xan (18 September 2022). "Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song review – a thorough, respectful documentary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 September 2022.
  25. ^ a b Okoro, Enuma (19 August 2022). "Hallelujah and Leonard Cohen's 'secret chord'". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. "The word itself, Hallelujah, composed of the two Hebrew words, hallel (praise) and yah (an abbreviated form of Yahweh, God), literally means to praise God."
  26. ^ a b "ARIA CHART WATCH #395". auspOp. 19 November 2016. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  27. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  28. ^ "Leonard Cohen Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  29. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 46. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  30. ^ "Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  31. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 46, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  32. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  33. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Leonard Cohen". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  34. ^ "Classifica settimanale WK 46" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  35. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  36. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  37. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  39. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 46. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  40. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  41. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  42. ^ "Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  43. ^ "Leonard Cohen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  44. ^ "Leonard Cohen Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  45. ^ "Danish single certifications – Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  46. ^ "British single certifications – Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  47. ^ Appleyard, Bryan (9 January 2005)."Hallelujah! — One Haunting Ballad Has Been the Soundtrack to Many Lives Recently. But Why? Bryan Appleyard on Leonard Cohen's Uber-Song". The Times. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  48. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (14 June 2008). "Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah!". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  49. ^ CanWest News Service (10 April 2009). "Leonard Cohen's Victory March: But Please, No More Hallelujahs". Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  50. ^ Ghomeshi, Jian (10 July 2009). "I'm blessed with a certain amnesia". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
  51. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (19 January 2012). "Leonard Cohen: 'All I've got to put in a song is my own experience'". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  52. ^ "Music from Scrubs - Original TV Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  53. ^ "Top Ten Music Moments on NBC's Scrubs - Staff Top 10". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  54. ^ "Hallelujah - Single by Jeff Buckley". 22 May 2007.
  55. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Josh Tyrangiel (12 December 2004). "Keeping Up the Ghost". Time. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  56. ^ "10 Most Perfect Songs Ever". Q (255): 50. October 2007. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010.
  57. ^ "Hottest 100 of All Time". Web list. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  58. ^ "100 Greatest Songs of All Time". Intobserver.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  59. ^ "Hallelujah, the 2013 National Recording Registry Reaches 400". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  60. ^ a b "Billboard Digital Song May 28, 2008". Billboard. 19 February 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  61. ^ a b Wilde, Jon (12 March 2008). "Which Hallelujah is the highest?". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  62. ^ "Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah' Becomes America's Number One Digital Song". PR Newswire. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  63. ^ "Gold & Platinum Search Results". RIAA. 22 April 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  64. ^ Brian Mansfield (26 May 2010). "'Before He Cheats' tops 3 million, and other 'Idol' download news". Idol Chatter. USA Today.
  65. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Murray, Nick (19 September 2016). "How Pop Culture Wore Out Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022.
  66. ^ "Ranking the Top 8 Uses of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"". Nerdist. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  67. ^ Belleze, Carolina; Manuela Aquino (23 August 2016). "Porque a minissérie "Justiça" será a nova "Verdades Secretas"". M de Mulher (in Portuguese). Editora Abril. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  68. ^ Mastrodonato, Jason. "Boston stronger: Sox pay tribute to victims". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  69. ^ "The ARIA Report – Week Commencing ~ 25 June 2012 ~ Issue #1165" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association / webarchive.nla.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  70. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  71. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  72. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles – Week of January 03, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  73. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah" (in French). Les classement single.
  74. ^ "Le Classement des téléchargements Single – Semaine du 15/03/2008" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 28 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  75. ^ "Jeff Buckley: Hallelujah" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  76. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Hallelujah". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  77. ^ "Classifiche – Top Digital – Classifica settimanale WK 15 del 2014". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (in Italian).
  78. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  79. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". Top 40 Singles.
  80. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". VG-lista.
  81. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". Singles Top 100.
  82. ^ "Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". Swiss Singles Chart.
  83. ^ "Artist Chart History – Jeff Buckley". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  84. ^ "Jeff Buckley Album & Song Chart History – Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  85. ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2008" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  86. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  87. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2013". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  88. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". Music Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  89. ^ "Danish single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  90. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Jeff Buckley; 'Hallelujah')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  91. ^ "Italian single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  92. ^ "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. 21 August 2011. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  93. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  94. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2009" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  95. ^ "British single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  96. ^ "American single certifications – Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  97. ^ "How Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' Became Everybody's 'Hallelujah'". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  98. ^ "Choir! Choir! Choir! / Rufus Wainwright + 1500 singers sing HALLELUJAH!". YouTube. 30 June 2016.
  99. ^ "Chart Archive – Rufus Wainwright – Hallelujah". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  100. ^ "Rufus Wainwright - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  101. ^ "Chart Search Results – Rock Digital Songs 2010-06-05". Billboard. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  102. ^ "K.D. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah". YouTube. 3 April 2007. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  103. ^ Nonesuch Journal (17 December 2008). "Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah,' a Highlight of K.D. Lang Performances, Hits the 'X Factor'. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  104. ^ "2006 Events," Archived 13 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  105. ^ Wears the Trousers Magazine. (8 July 2008). Anjani Thomas 'Sometimes you just get very lucky'." Archived 5 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  106. ^ "k.d. lang Performs 'Hallelujah' at Opening Ceremony of Vancouver Olympics". Nonesuch. 13 February 2010.
  107. ^ "Mariah Bell becomes oldest US women's figure skating champion since 1927". The Guardian. Associated Press. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  108. ^ "The Olympic Journey of Student Figure Skater Isadora Williams". Montclair State University. Montclair. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  109. ^ "Watch Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen on Wednesday, January 3 on CBC". CBC Arts, 29 December 2017.
  110. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  111. ^ "K.D. Lang Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  112. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". Tracklisten.
  113. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  114. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". VG-lista.
  115. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". Singles Top 100.
  116. ^ "K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". Swiss Singles Chart.
  117. ^ "K.D. Lang Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  118. ^ "Canadian single certifications – K.D. Lang – Hallelujah". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  119. ^ a b c Jamieson, Alastair (21 December 2008). "Hallelujah, the Leonard Cohen song recorded by X Factor television show winner Alexandra Burke, has become both the Christmas number one and number two best-selling single". The Daily Telegraph.
  120. ^ Hamilton, Sean. "Alexandra Burke: I hated Hallelujah when I first heard it". The Mirror. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  121. ^ "Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen fans unite on Facebook to keep reality show version of 'Hallelujah' off British chart". National Post. Retrieved 1 September 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  122. ^ "The Fight for a 'Hallelujah' Christmas Victory"[dead link‍]. The Times. 18 December 2008.
  123. ^ 'Hallelujah' Hits Number One and Two Slots in Christmas Charts[dead link‍]. The Times. 22 December 2008.
  124. ^ Lawson, Mark (19 December 2008). "Warring Hallelujahs". The Guardian.
  125. ^ a b Singh, Anita (15 December 2008). "X Factor Winner Alexandra Burke Sets New Chart Record with "Hallelujah"". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  126. ^ "Duffy and Burke Top 2008 Charts". BBC. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  127. ^ "Alexandra Burke's 'Hallelujah' Joins 'Million-Selling' Singles List". NME. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  128. ^ "Alexandra is first million-seller". BBC News. BBC Online. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  129. ^ Sedghi, Ami (26 August 2016). "The winner takes it all? The biggest selling X Factor winner's singles revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  130. ^ "Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  131. ^ "Alexandra Burke Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard.
  132. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 36. týden 2009 in the date selector.
  133. ^ "Chart Search Results – European Hot 100 Singles 2009-01-10". Billboard. Retrieved 20 September 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  134. ^ "Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah" (in French). Les classement single.
  135. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  136. ^ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  137. ^ "Alexandra Burke: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  138. ^ "2008 Year End Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  139. ^ "2008 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  140. ^ "Top 20 of All Time". IRMA. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  141. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alexandra Burke; 'Hallelujah')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  142. ^ "British single certifications – Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  143. ^ Peters, Mitchell (22 October 2016). "Pentatonix Cover Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' in Moving Video". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  144. ^ "Pentatonix - Hallelujah". TheLyricsTho. 29 December 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  145. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  146. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  147. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  148. ^ "Pentatonix Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  149. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 49. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  150. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 44, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  151. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  152. ^ "Pentatonix Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  153. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  154. ^ "Classifica settimanale WK 52" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  155. ^ "2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  156. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  157. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 22.12.2023–28.12.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  158. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 49. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  159. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  160. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52, 2023". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  161. ^ "Pentatonix – Hallelujah". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  162. ^ "Pentatonix Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  163. ^ "Pentatonix Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  164. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. 20 December 2019. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  165. ^ "Single Top 100 - eladási darabszám alapján - 2016". Mahasz. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  166. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  167. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  168. ^ "Danish single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  169. ^ "French single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  170. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pentatonix; 'Hallelujah')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  171. ^ "Italian single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  172. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Hallelujah')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  173. ^ "British single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  174. ^ "American single certifications – Pentatonix – Hallelujah". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  175. ^ Remnick, David (17 October 2016). "Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker". The New Yorker. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  176. ^ a b Bray, Elisa (5 December 2008). "Hallelujah – a song with a life of its own". The Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  177. ^ "The Outside Organisation – Clients – entertainment – Bon Jovi – Live At Madison Square Garden DVD and Blu-ray Released November 23rd". Outside-org.co.uk. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  178. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  179. ^ "Hallelujah by Espen Lind featuring Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm - Music Charts". Acharts.co. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  180. ^ "Hallelujah." Music Business in Norway, p. 15. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  181. ^ "Blog nicht gefunden". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  182. ^ Singer backs Welsh 'Hallelujah' BBC. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  183. ^ ""Hallelujah" for Idol". E!. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  184. ^ "Baffled King Regretting 'Hallelujah'" Archived 14 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Eurosavant. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  185. ^ Cashman, Greer Fay (16 March 2012). "Cantering Ahead". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2014 – via HighBeam Research.
  186. ^ "Ohad Moskowitz - Boi Kala (Hallelujah) (video)". YouTube. 25 February 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  187. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 February 13, 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  188. ^ A Chorus of Hits – Program Information Archived 26 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Edmonton Symphony Orchestra website. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  189. ^ Hesse, Monica (4 December 2010). "Harmony group's Hanukkah anthem lights a fire on Web". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  190. ^ "The Maccabeats: Making Jewish Music Fun". Arutz Sheva TV. 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  191. ^ Cormier, Brian (23 April 2014). "Sometimes it really pays off to just go with your instincts". Times & Transcript. p. D7.
  192. ^ a b c "Hallelujah for Kelley Mooney". Sisters in Song. 26 May 2014.
  193. ^ a b c "P.E.I. singer's Hallelujah closes in on 8 million views". CBC News. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  194. ^ "What's happening in Metro Moncton?". This Week Online. 20 November 2014. p. A3.
  195. ^ "An Anthem to Remember". CBC News Network, 27 August 2011.
  196. ^ "Kennedy Center Announces 9/11 Commemorative Event". NBC News. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  197. ^ "Leonard Cohen's music comes to life at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet", CBC News, 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  198. ^ Murray, Rheana (18 December 2012). "VIDEO: 'The Voice' opens with touching tribute to Newtown, Connecticut, shooting victims". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  199. ^ Light, Alan (13 December 2012). "Why Adam Sandler's 12-12-12 Parody of Leonard Cohens Hallelujah Was Long Overdue". Rolling Stone. New York City: Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  200. ^ Legaspi, Althea (18 September 2016). "Emmys 2016: Watch Tori Kelly's Touching 'Hallelujah' for 'In Memoriam'". Rolling Stone. New York City: Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  201. ^ Unterberger, Andrew (12 September 2017). "Justin Bieber Introduces 'Hand in Hand' Prayer, Tori Kelly & Luis Fonsi Perform 'Hallelujah'". Billboard. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  202. ^ Taysom, Joe (28 August 2020). "Leonard Cohen fans fuming after Donald Trump's speech is followed by 'Hallelujah' twice". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  203. ^ Hoffman, Jordan (29 August 2020). "Leonard Cohen's Estate May Sue Donald Trump for Unauthorized Use of 'Hallelujah'". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  204. ^ a b Moran, Lee (13 November 2016). "Kate McKinnon As Clinton Sings Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' On 'SNL'". The Huffington Post. New York City: Huffington Post Media Group. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019.
  205. ^ Yudelson, Larry (17 November 2016). "A new and very Yiddish 'Hallelujah'". Jewish Standard. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  206. ^ Shcherbakova, Liza (20 July 2017). "Hear Chester Bennington Sing 'Hallelujah' at Chris Cornell's Funeral". Billboard. New York City: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  207. ^ "Tommy Robinson 'encouraged vigilante action' with Facebook video outside court, judges say". The Independent. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  208. ^ "iTunesCharts.net: 'Free Tommy Robinson' by Owen Benjamin (British Songs iTunes Chart)". Itunescharts.net. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  209. ^ Leevant, Ezra (23 October 2018). "Indy100: Far-right activists re-write 'Hallelujah' to celebrate Tommy Robinson and sing it outside court. Yes, really". The Indy 100. London, England: Independent Print Ltd. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  210. ^ Grisar, PJ (20 January 2021). "Jews plead, once again: Listen to the lyrics of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'". The Forward. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  211. ^ a b c d Pastorino, Olivier (1 April 2017). "The 10 biggest rock titles used in movies and series". Le Mag du Ciné (in French). Archived from the original on 2 August 2021.
  212. ^ a b c d e f Gaughan, Liam (13 January 2021). "The Most Overused Songs in Movies and TV". Dallas Observer. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022.
  213. ^ Crawford, Blair (19 September 2022). "'The essence of equanimity': Ottawa ceremony honoured a Queen who reigned for nearly half of Canada's history". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on 19 September 2022.
  214. ^ Breznican, Anthony. "Justice League: The Shocking, Exhilarating, Heartbreaking True Story of #TheSnyderCut". Vanity Fair.
  215. ^ Friesen, Paul (13 February 2010). "Opening Ceremony timeline". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010.
  216. ^ a b Romano, Nick (11 November 2016). "Leonard Cohen dead: Hallelujah on TV, from The West Wing to The O.C. and more". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021.
  217. ^ "The Saint Ralph Soundtrack". Toronto Mike. 12 February 2007.
  218. ^ Vaziri, Aidin (4 November 2012), 'Hallelujah': Song of Leonard Cohen, San Francisco Chronicle, retrieved 6 November 2012
  219. ^ "Greatest Songs Ever: "Hallelujah". Blender Magazine. 22 January 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014.
  220. ^ "'Hallelujah' Set for Chart Trinity". BBC News. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  221. ^ "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Leonard Cohen Songs". Rolling Stone. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  222. ^ Taylor, Tom (7 November 2021). "Leonard Cohen's 10 greatest songs of all time". Far Out. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  223. ^ Patton, Alli (8 March 2023). "Top 10 Songs by Leonard Cohen". American Songwriter. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  224. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  225. ^ Peak positions on the Australian ARIA Singles chart:
  226. ^ Peak positions on the Ö3 Austria Top 40 chart:
  227. ^ Peak positions on the Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders chart:
  228. ^ Peak positions on the Belgian Ultratop 50 Wallonia chart:
  229. ^ Peak chart positions on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100:
  230. ^ Peak positions on the Danish Tracklisten:
  231. ^ Peak positions on the European Hot 100 Singles chart:
  232. ^ Peak positions on the French Singles Chart:
  233. ^ Peak chart positions on the Dutch Single Top 100:
  234. ^ Peak chart positions on the New Zealand Singles Chart:
  235. ^ Peak chart positions on the Swedish Singles Chart:
  236. ^ Peak positions on the Swiss Singles Chart:
  237. ^ Peak chart positions on the UK Singles Chart:
  238. ^ Peak chart positions on the US Billboard Hot 100:
  239. ^ "Les Disques d'Or / de Platine – 2010" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  240. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2012 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  241. ^ "Bastian Baker – Hallelujah". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 January 2013.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hallelujah_(Leonard_Cohen_song)&oldid=1258516466"