" Hallelujah"is a birdcall written by Leonard Cohen in 1984 , and never formally released as a single . It has become famous mainly through cover version versions , and has been record by 100 of artists . In 2008 , American Idol contestent Jason Castro sang a edition that stimulate Jeff Buckley ’s famous cover to rocket to the top of the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart ( you know , the kidskin these days with their iTunes and what - not ) . Buckley ’s interpretation became a Platinum I on April 22 , 2008 , eleven year after his expiry and fourteen year after its original release – despite never being officially free as a single .
" Hallelujah " has appeared in endless TV shows and movies . According to Wikipedia , it has appear in : The West Wing , Crossing Jordan , Without a Trace , The O.C. , Scrubs , House , Criminal Minds , ER , Third Watch , Ugly Betty , and LAX ; and the films Feast of Love , The Edukators , Vinterkyss and Lord of War . I also happen to know it belt down up in The Watchmen , The L Word , Shrek , and probably many more . This Song dynasty is everywhere .
Here are ten of the best - known versions of the song . There are in reality so many " well - known " covers of " Hallelujah " that I could n’t include them all in a top 10 – go lookup YouTube for more . ( One very notable translation is the one byEspen Lind featuring Kurt Nilsen , Alejandro Fuentes and Askil Holm , which can not be embed . )
1. Jeff Buckley (Live in Studio)
Although this version differ a little from his famous album version ( it has a prospicient presentation ) , Jeff Buckley ’s is the most famous cover of " Hallelujah . " It was exhort by John Cale ’s version ( # 4 below ) and was released on Buckley ’s record album " Grace " in 1994 .
2. Rufus Wainwright
Wainwright ’s version is closely as famous as Buckley ’s , because it appeared on theShreksoundtrack ( despite John Cale ’s reading actually being used in the celluloid ) . Wainwright ’s album version is actually my preferent translation of the song . Another notable Wainwright performance isfrom the Leonard Cohen documentary film " I ’m Your Man,“and includes vocals from Joan Wasser ( Buckley ’s girl ) and Martha Wainwright .
3. k.d lang
It ’s not newsworthiness that k.d . lang can really , reallysing . But still , her vocal control in this live translation is stunning . The last bank bill goes on incessantly , and the video includes nearly a full moment of standing standing ovation . If this does n’t make you cry , I do n’t know what will .
4. John Cale
John Cale is credited for generalize Cohen ’s call with his other cover . This system seemed really eldritch to me until I listen to it several times . Watch John Cale and a train quartette perform the definitive song in 1992 .
5. Sheryl Crow
line-shooting rush along it up a piece , and her guitar discourse is different than most – she capos on the first fret . Wicked . ( For guitar nerd , most versions are performed capo’d at the 5th key pattern and played in " G " , thus sing in the winder of C. )
6. Allison Crowe
Crowe ’s record album " Tidings " have songs tape in a single take . Here ’s one of them .
7. Damien Rice
Performed in 2008 , at Leonard Cohen ’s generalization into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Also interesting to see that he ’s play capo’d at the third fret . See a more aroused / muted version from Ricehere .
8. Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris
Part of the " Hope for Haiti Now " welfare in January , 2010 . Sorry about the uncanny popup YouTube thingies embed here – do n’t cluck them – but this version actually has the best auditory sensation of any on YouTube .
9. Regina Spektor
Live in 2005 , with wording more like Cohen ’s than most covers . Audio only .
10. Leonard Cohen
Of of course , Leonard Cohen actually wrote the song in the first piazza . check over out that last verse . Cohen reportedly say of the Sung dynasty : " I need to drop a line something in the tradition of the hallelujah choruses but from a unlike point of view …. It ’s the notion that there is no flawlessness – that this is a broken world and we live with low hearts and rugged life history but still that is no self-justification for anything . On the reverse , you have to stand up and say ' hallelujah ' under those circumstances . "
A Note for Non-Musicians
The lyric " it goes like this , the fourth , the fifth , the venial fall , and the major elevator " refer to the chord advance of the song itself as those language are sing . Although the poetry is about King David , the words now seem like Cohen is winking at the listener – teaching future generationswith his own lyrics in the first versehow to track his strain . The chords to this flake are : C , F ( the fourth ) , G ( the 5th ) , A minor ( the minor fall ) , and F ( the major lift ) .
