Monday, December 19, 2011

Song #54 of 9999 - Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley

Song #54 of 9999

Title: Hallelujah
Artist: Jeff Buckley
Year: 1994
Album: Grace


Among the YouTube comments for this Leonard Cohen cover is the following: "I forget everything.. for 6:54 mins, EVERY TIME." Seems about right. Many have covered this incredibly poignant and simple song, from John Cale (whose version inspired Buckley's cover) to k.d. lang, but I don't think any comes close to matching Buckley's fervent rendition which occupies a higher place for me than even the original. Buckley's guitar work is as mesmerizing as his voice and one cannot help but hear the song as a prescient lamentation to his untimely death, which makes it all the more plaintive. A beautiful interpretation of an extraordinary song.

2 comments:

  1. I massively disagree that this improves on the original. Both are wonderful, for different reasons. :p

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  2. Hey, that's cool. I like the original too. Just not as much. I hope I can offend you again tomorrow! ;)

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