In 1984, Leonard Cohen recorded his song, Hallelujah, on his album, Various Positions. Ten years later it was virtually re-invented by the late Jeff Buckley. Mr. Buckley's version of the song is so powerful that most, if not all, of the covers of the song since his version in have used his version as the jumping-off point, rather than Mr. Cohen's, as if they think they are covering a Jeff Buckley song. This is not that remarkable in itself. Many songs are made popular by someone other than the songwriter and become associated with that person. Think Crazy, by Willie Nelson, forever a Patsy Cline song for those of us who have heard her version of it.
What is fascinating, though, is to listen to the message of the song between one version and the other. Mr. Cohen is a practicing Jew, as well as a longtime Buddhist, ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1996, and many of his lyrics reflect his interest in spirituality and religion, as well as how spirituality intersects with the relative world realities of sex and love and life. Hallelujah begins with reference to one of the great kings of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic world and mythos: 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 Second verse, Mr. Cohen moves his musings into the realm of love while continuing with the Biblical imagery of David and Bathsheba, and now Samson and Delilah: 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 So far, Mr. Buckley's version remains faithful to Mr. Cohen's, and this faithfulness continues through the next two verses, both of which deal with the fraility of love and memories of what once was, and always with the holy chorus repeating its praise of the Creator: Baby I have been here before I know this room, I've walked this floor I used to live alone before I knew you. 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 Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah There was a time you let me know What's really going on below But now you never show it to me, do you? And remember when I moved in you The holy dove was moving too And every breath we drew was Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah This is where it becomes interesting. This next verse also is shared by both Mr. Cohen and Mr. Buckley, but, aside from the repeating chorus ending the song (itself one of the most sublime croonings you ever will hear), this is Mr. Buckley's last word on the subject: Maybe there's a God above But all I've ever learned from love Was how to shot at someone who outdrew you. It's not a cry you can hear at night It's not somebody who has seen the light It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah Sad, despairing hopeless. Maybe there's a God (not that he'll ever do me any good), but love, that place I sought salvation here on the earth, love itself is darker and more full of despair even than my heart. This is the version so many have re-recorded. Ending here. How many? The song has been recorded more than 150 times. Mr. Cohen is now 76 years old. He's spent and continues to spend time and attention and energy examining the spiritual aspect of things. He knows it doesn't end there. Here's his next verse, after the fullness of his despair: 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 "There's a blaze of light in every word: In the beginning was the Word. God is in everything, the holy and the broken. It's all Hallelujah, all worthy of praise. There is nothing that is that is not God. And what do I, the humble poet, do, knowing this? Mr. Cohen's final verse: 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 Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah  Shadow on a Sidewalk, Studio City All material copyright Jeff Kober | 
