Hallelujah

C · Post by C » Fri Jan 03, 2003 2:02 am

Hello!
First post and I'd like to ask a question that's been bugging me for quite some time. It should be added that I just recently discovered LC's great music, although my dad played it for me when I was little.
Anyway, my question conserns the song Hallelujah. It seems that there are different versions of this...
It seems that the shrek version one, and also the live one has the third and later parts changed from the regular one. Does the song actually have different versions or what is the deal?
Thankful for any enlightenment on this issue.

/C

linmag · Post by **linmag** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 4:54 am

Hello C and welcome

Halleluja is not the only one of Leonard's songs to have more than one version. He often 'tinkers around' with them after the initial recording. In live performances he will often change the odd word or line or add an extra verse or two to make a song more relevant to a particular audience. Some songs (like A Thousand Kisses Deep) came from poems that originally had many more verses. Bird on the Wire has had several versions over the years. Apparently, Leonard feels that he never quite 'nailed' that one

I hope this helps.

C · Post by C » Fri Jan 03, 2003 1:49 pm

Thx for clearing this up. He's kinda like Pink Floyd with all their different versions of songs, although they conveniently gave their songs names like part 1

Guess it shows how devoted the old bands were to their music, and not like many of today's songs that are just released for money-sake.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 2:50 pm

Hi C,
Hallelujah Version One - studio version on Various Positions, 1984
Hallelujah Version Two - tours 1988 and 1993, released on Cohen Live (1994) in performance from Austin City Limits 1988.

+ Hallelujah Version One - live versions during tour of 1985 included 2 or 3 extra verses.

John Cale (which performance from I'm Your Fan is actually played in Shrek itself), Rufus Wainwright (which version is on Shrek's soundtrack), and Jeff Buckley (Grace, and live recordings) - they all sung all verses from both version as one song. I guess that Cale was first and the others follow him.
Hi,
Tom

Fiji · Post by **Fiji** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 3:13 am

What do you think about Rufus's version of 'Hallelujah' from Shrek soundtrack?

C · Post by C » Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:05 pm

I like the whole idea with just having the paino playing the melody. Sounds like he's voice is failing sometimes thou. Also confusing that different versions are on the soundtrack and in the movie.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 9:02 pm

[quote]Hallelujah Version One - live versions during tour of 1985 included 2 or 3 extra verses.[/quote]
WRONG! It was actually "The Law". "Hallelujah" was performed with lyrics from studio version... As Kenny's mother, you can wear T-shirt "I'm with stupid" while you're talking to me...

About different vesrions in shrek - maybe it has something with copyrights? Anyway, I think Cale's version is better, and Rufus is doing it obviously in such way that people think it's Cale as in the movie...
I still like Leonard's most...
t.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 9:03 pm

And I obviously don't know how to quote:-(

jurica · Post by **jurica** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 4:57 pm

i think they made Rufus sing another version because they needed it shorter (he doesn't sing all lyrics from both versions like Cale), and because they needed some lyrics out, so it would be sutable for kids ('remember when i moved in you and holy dove was moving too' for example).

constantsorrow · Post by **constantsorrow** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 8:24 pm

I think they choosed the Rufus Wainwright's version because of the record company: Rufus is with DREAMWORKS RECORDS and the movie was also from dreamworks compagny, so I'll go with Tom and the copyrights arrangement.

tomsakic · Post by **tomsakic** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 9:08 pm

This was just guessing...

About Jurica's point, I remember there were some talks when the movie came out about censorship, that they cutt off lines "There's maybe God above..." And this Rufus' version is really more suitable for children, without all those lines:-)
If I get that correctly, Rufus is son of LC's old friend Loudon Wainwright III - Constantsorrow is Canadian/Quebecian (?), he will know better - at least Amazon says "people which buys this item usually buys also this one", and there's always Loudon for LC... And he's known, I mean Rufus also:) Friend of mine was a year ago in Canada for 2 months, and her very young cousin adored Shrek and Rufus' song. To do something, my friend put some LC's records, and the girl said, when she heard LC's Hallelujah from Austin City, what's with his voice...

Lovely story, I will never forget that...

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 10:50 pm

Rufus is also good friends with Leonard's daughter Lorca (as is his sister Martha) which may have something to do with his involvement in this project.

Richard

C · Post by C » Thu Jan 09, 2003 1:22 am

Okay!
Thanks for all the answers.
Maybe they were fighting about who should get to perform the in the movie and one of them got the movie and the other the soundtrack?

Partisan · Post by **Partisan** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 2:21 am

Maybe it was a cynical plan by Sony to part Cohen completists with their cash. They would already have the Cale version on 'I'm Your Fan'. This way the have to get the Shrek soundtrack too. But I am just being cynical. It's not like Sony would do something like that, or release a Greatest Hits with 2 new songs on.

p.