Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Ask and answer questions about Leonard Cohen, his work, this forum and the websites!
User avatar
mnkyface
Posts: 1979
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:16 pm
Location: California

Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by mnkyface »

"News" is the wrong section but I don't know where to put it... the 80s Hallelujah video from German TV is back on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Tb6Yx_iWg
This was the video that had millions of hits and years of comments (often lively debate about Hallelujah versions, among other LC topics) only to be suddenly deleted by YouTube (or Sony?) some months ago. I think it was the most-viewed LC video on YouTube. The version that was uploaded before had a split second portion with a German TV (ZDF) host announcing "LAY-OH-NAHD Cohen!" This new upload has cut that portion out but all the LC lip-syncing goodness is there. Let's not even talk about the background "singers"... :lol: (No, actually, let's. Rejects from St Elmo's Fire? And how about the guy who peers around the pillar before he's supposed to? And then steps out too late?? Niiiiice. :lol: )
I LOVE this video. It has such significance for me because it was the first time I saw LC... and let's face it, 80s LC is not fair play. Irresistable! I had heard In My Secret Life (just audio) ...loved the song and decided to look up who this Leonard Cohen guy was. Landed on this video. And the rest is, as they say, is history. Like those historic looking columns and arches in that stunning set. :lol:
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
________________________________________________________________
Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
ladydi
Posts: 2325
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:14 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by ladydi »

.
Last edited by ladydi on Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
somewhat_nifty
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:23 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by somewhat_nifty »

There is a documentary, 'Halleluja in Moll' that shows the 'making of' this legendary performance, it's really interesting, it shows Leonard behind the scenes preparing for it, practising etc - it's all in German though so sadly I can't understand a word of the commentary! I highly recommend any German speakers track it down though (and maybe you could translate for me ;-) ). Some interesting interviews too.
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
ladydi
Posts: 2325
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:14 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by ladydi »

.
Last edited by ladydi on Sat Aug 04, 2012 3:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
ladydi
Posts: 2325
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:14 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by ladydi »

This may not be the one you meant but it's delightful, showing Leonard, Anjani, Dominique and very playful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SWBnHZD73Y

Diana

ps..thanks to Messalina79 for providing these videos on YouTube.
Last edited by ladydi on Thu Sep 10, 2009 5:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ladydi
Posts: 2325
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:14 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by ladydi »

These are awesome! Wish I could find the whole documentary! Just LOOK at Anjani! How gorgeous. And Leonard isn't too bad himself ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc7rkR9PtOM

ps..I love the cleaning women washing the floor while they practice!
User avatar
mnkyface
Posts: 1979
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:16 pm
Location: California

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by mnkyface »

Yes, Diana, the heel swivel! And I thought I was the only one... 8) :lol:

nifty, I had no idea this was part of the "Moll" documentary. Thanks for this info!
"In this world of shallow, he is the abyss."~ YouTube commenter greg450318
________________________________________________________________
Lyon, July 2008 / Oakland x2, April 2009 / San Jose, November 2009 / Oakland, December 2010 / San Jose, November 2012 / Oakland, March 2013
MaryB
Posts: 4017
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:40 am
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by MaryB »

ladydi wrote: ps..I love the cleaning women washing the floor while they practice!
I would have gladly cleaned that floor and for free - heck, I would have paid them. But no schmatta on my head :lol: .
1993 Detroit 2008 Kitchener June 2-Hamilton June 3 & 4-Vienna Sept 24 & 25-London RAH Nov 17 2009 NYC Feb 19-Grand Prairie Apr 3-Phoenix Apr 5-Columbia May 11-Red Rocks Jun 4-Barcelona Sept 21-Columbus Oct 27-Las Vegas Nov 12-San Jose Nov 13 2010 Sligo Jul 31 & Aug 1-LV Dec 10 & 11 2012 Paris Sept 30-London Dec 11-Boston Dec 16 2013 Louisville Mar 30-Amsterdam Sept 20
User avatar
bridger15
Posts: 2068
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:49 pm
Location: Los Angeles - ex Toronto
Contact:

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by bridger15 »

MaryB wrote: But no schmatta on my head :lol: .
I can't stop laughing. That is soooooooooooooo funny!
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland

Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
User avatar
somewhat_nifty
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:23 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by somewhat_nifty »

I think the Hallelujah performance itself is from a German chatshow or something, but the documentary is following Leonard around for a while in 1985 and covers when he's making this appearance.

Those clips ladydi has linked to above are from the same documentary and are on my YouTube channel - I may put up some more, but it was hard to find bits without lots of narration, which kind of spoils the atmosphere (well for me anyway, as I don't know what's going on!). There are several interview segments too, but they are spoken over in German so it's difficult to hear what Leonard's saying - quite frustrating! But it's all still interesting to watch.

I love the clip with Leonard and Anjani - very sweet :lol:
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
Matthias1234
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:55 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by Matthias1234 »

This documentary was made by Georg Stefan Troller, a quite famous writer and director from austria, so this could be interesting. Just the great scene with the cleaning women with "if it be your will" in the background (that gave me a complete new view on that song) ! But, I speak german and watched the short parts on youtube, I have to say, you don't miss very much if you don't understand the conversation. The only sentence I found interesting was Leonards answer to the question, if they are drinking now (short before they will enter the stage, and obviously they are drinking, so the question seems not very necessary). Anyway, Leonard is answering: "I'm only drinking for professional reasons". So, maybe the whole documentary is a little bit more surprising. I will ask at the tv station (zdf) if the plan to broadcoast it again. Matthias
User avatar
somewhat_nifty
Posts: 688
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:23 am
Location: London, UK

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by somewhat_nifty »

Matthias1234 wrote:This documentary was made by Georg Stefan Troller, a quite famous writer and director from austria, so this could be interesting. Just the great scene with the cleaning women with "if it be your will" in the background (that gave me a complete new view on that song) ! But, I speak german and watched the short parts on youtube, I have to say, you don't miss very much if you don't understand the conversation. The only sentence I found interesting was Leonards answer to the question, if they are drinking now (short before they will enter the stage, and obviously they are drinking, so the question seems not very necessary). Anyway, Leonard is answering: "I'm only drinking for professional reasons". So, maybe the whole documentary is a little bit more surprising. I will ask at the tv station (zdf) if the plan to broadcoast it again. Matthias
Yes, there is a lot more of interest in it than those little bits obviously, but for a non-German speaker it's hard to work out what's happening :lol: For example there's some rehearsal scenes that look like they're in a studio, but whether they're for the tour or the album I can't tell.
I'm chained to the old masquerade...
2008: London O2 14th Nov, RAH 18th Nov; 2009: NY RCMH 16th May, Weybridge MBW 11th July, Barcelona 21st Sept; 2010: Sligo 31st July, Lille 25th Sept, Las Vegas 11th Dec; 2012: Wembley Arena 8th Sept, Dublin 11th Sept 2013: London O2 21st June, London O2 14th Sept
suburban.hornbag
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:31 am
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by suburban.hornbag »

Thanks for sharing the clip it's fantastic.

It's an absolute classic for all the right reasons and is a stand out for all the wrong reasons!

Totally love the guy peeking around the pillar "are we on yet"?

..................oh and did somebody mention fashion :o

Hallelujah!
AvidCohenFan
Posts: 58
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 7:48 pm

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by AvidCohenFan »

Glad the German Hallelujah is back; equally glad it's not one of the first Cohen videos you see when you look for him on YouTube.
Florian
Posts: 112
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:59 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Hallelujah! It's back!!!!

Post by Florian »

I'm glad that this video was not my introduction to LC, saw it mutch later and, sorry, teribble is the first word that comes to mind.
I think this video gives a total wrong impression about Leonard and his work.

The performance was part of the german "Wetten Dass...?" show from 15, december 1984 in Bremen
"Wetten Dass..?" (Wanna Bet..?) is the most popular saturday evening show in Germany: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetten,_dass..%3F
Post Reply

Return to “Comments & Questions”