Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

News about Leonard Cohen and his work, press, radio & TV programs etc.
gazatthebop
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by gazatthebop »

I prefer Cohen's original.
There are two common Cale versions, one live on "Fragments of a rainy season" released in 1992 the other a studio version. Cale recently put the live version on his myspace page so maybe he prefers that one of the two.
Cale was asked to contribute to a Jeff Buckley tribute album but turned the offer down...still sore that Buckley gets the credit for Cale's arrangement of Hallelujah.

Cale also recorded "Queen Victoria" re-titling it "The queen and me" giving co-credits to Cohen-Cale. It appeared on a sampler ep titled "More Fans" in France in the early 1990's with 3 other cover version by various artists.
Cale also covered "So Long Marianne" with suzanne vega.

Cale and Cohen are 'friends' as well as peers...anyone up for an album of duets?!
Last edited by gazatthebop on Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
osmachar
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by osmachar »

LC songs should be sung by the man himself. There are very few cover versions I like.

Severely dislike most cover version of Halleluja, as none of them 'get it' IMHO.
Rodin
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by Rodin »

It's a song about fucking and anyone who doesn't have that in mind ain't gonna nail the tune.
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charlotta
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by charlotta »

Hi all
I like the original version obviously, but also like the version sung by a Norwegain singer called Kurt Nilsen. Followed by the KD Lang version.
:)
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howthelightgetsin
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by howthelightgetsin »

I only like it when LC sings it personally, only he really knows how to emphasise the right words as it comes from his own emotion. Other versions like Rufus try to hard and the vocal is too OTT, whereas LC puts just the right amount of emotion in that is needed to bring to life his great lyrics.
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liverpoolken
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by liverpoolken »

Wot no mention of his Bobness!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-8Arvz8rHM

Ta Ken
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friscogrl
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by friscogrl »

It's good, I'll give you that, but the best in my opinion is
Leonard's concert version!

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Kush
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by Kush »

with all due respect if that wasnt the Holy Bob it would be a terrible version IMHO. If a 6 year old hears that he or she would start laughing hysterically. Or worse start crying. The Emperor has no clothes.
Its not that Bob cannot do great covers though, his albums of traditional music World Gone Wrong is very good and Good as I Been to You is outstanding.

p.s. but say this he recognized the greatness of the song long before it became famous. He was one of the first to cover it if not the very first. Just wish he wasn't stoned when he did it....
charlotta
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Re: Which Hallelujah is the Highest (The Guardian article)

Post by charlotta »

liverpoolken wrote:Wot no mention of his Bobness!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-8Arvz8rHM

Ta Ken
Sorry Ken, I love Dylan and his work but think this version is not a good one. I still think Lens version is the best yet.
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