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Does anyone know if all of the (published) versions have ever been recorded? I know that would be a long version, but, well, I've got time.

Firstly, I'm new so if I have done wrong, be kind. Then, My brother in law has come to enjoy LC's music and as an exceptional scientist and theologian, has expressed his reflections on Hallelujah - found below. I post this as an introduction and to see readers reaction - if favourable, can post more. Thanks.


Meditations on Hallelujah (Praise the Lord) by Leonard Cohen
(Based on the 4 verse version of the song although the 5 and 6 verse versions are equally profound).
In many ways this song has similarities to Ps 51 of ‘David my transgressions are continually before me’. It begins with Leonard Cohen being aware of his brokenness and finishes with the amazing words ‘even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand before the Lord of song with nothing on my tongue but praise the Lord (hallelujah)’.
I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don’t really care for music do you? It goes like this the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall the major lift, the battle king composing hallelujah.
Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya. She tied you to her kitchen chair, she broke your throne and she cut your hair and from your lips she drew the hallelujah.
You say I took the name in vain, I don’t even know the name but if I did, well really what’s it to ya? There is a blaze of light in every word, it does not matter which you heard, the broken and the holy, hallelujah.
I did my best it wasn’t much, I couldn’t feel so I tried to touch, I’ve told the truth, I did not come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong, I’ll stand before the Lord of song with nothing on my tongue but hallelujah.
At the beginning Leonard Cohen likens his own life to that of David. Both committed adultery and LC owns up to this and his many other transgressions in several of his songs.
In the first verse, LC likens both his and David’s life to a piece of music, as will be made clear later, it is like a song. What is the secret chord that pleased the Lord? It is not a music chord as there is no such chord that will please the Lord. The secret chord was probably, several things. David learned to trust God through his experiences as a youth when he killed both a bear and a lion. He no doubt realised that these killings were beyond his strength and ability and so when he met Goliath, he was confident in God. He did not have faith in the sense of it existing on its own, but faith in God. The chord was also David’s repentance when his sin with Bathsheba was pointed out to him by the prophet Nathaniel. His humility before God and men was shown on many occasions during David’s life. For example, after he had been anointed king, he did not fight with Saul for the throne, but respected God’s anointed and was patient until God took Saul out of the way. David had a heart after God and to some extent also had God’s heart. However, some of us humans do not really care for God’s musical script for our lives do we? Our lives proceed note after note (the fourth, the fifth), the minor fall (with Bathsheba), the major lift (God’s restoration following David’s repentance), the battle king composing hallelujah. David was not only writing or singing hallelujah but composing hallelujah with his life. He was the battle king and for that reason was not allowed to build the temple. Too much blood was on his hands. Through the various experiences of his life David was composing his song which became one long hallelujah or ‘praise the Lord’.
Second verse, David had a strong faith as he grew up. He had killed a lion and a bear while a shepherd. While still a youth he had killed Goliath and in all of those actions he had relied on God’s strength and intervention. Like all of us LC points out that it would be nice to have some scientific proof and not to have to rely so much on faith. Then David saw Bathsheba bathing from the roof and
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew him. As we experience various intensities of temptation we may never know at what point we could fall. We were warned, “do not think that you stand in case you fall”. It may be relatively easy to resist the temptation to steal when not hungry or resist lying when not under pressure to do so. It may be not the simply the basic temptation that makes us fall but also the other circumstances that come with it. David may have been able to resist Bathsheba’s beauty but not her beauty plus the moonlight (accompanying circumstances). For example, the temptation to steal may be resistible but less so when accompanied by poverty. Or the temptation to commit adultery may be resistible but not when together with a poor self-image that is constantly looking for approval.
The negative consequences of David’s transgression then played out. LC uses imagery from Samson and Delilah to convey the effects of David’s adultery in his life. It was as though David had been tied to the kitchen chair, his throne (moral leadership) had been broken, his strength removed and his relationship to God, his family and the husband of Bathsheba destroyed. The cutting of David’s hair was like what happened to Samson when his strength was taken from him when his hair was cut by Delilah. The effect of his sin was that the ability of David to say ‘praise the Lord’ (hallelujah) was removed from his mouth.
In the third verse LC says that he has been accused of sinning against God (taking ‘the name’ in vain), but he points out that he does not even know ‘the name’. Even if LC, did who are we to condemn him. This is another way of saying, please do not judge me because my sins are different from yours. Christ taught us the same thing. Do not judge that you be not judged, or that we tend to see a splinter in our brother’s eye but not the wooden beam in our own.
We are all made in God’s image and so seek Him who is the light. For example in John 1 v 5, this is the message that Jesus came to bring, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Our words are often a cry as we search after the light (God) irrespective of from whom we hear them, the broken or the holy. Even the holy are made holy in Christ and are not holy in themselves. Holiness has only one source and that is God (why call me holy only God is holy) and therefore all holiness is derived-holiness and from that one source.
In the last verse LC admits that all that he tried to do in life (so far) does not amount to much. He was groping around in the dark, not being able to feel but trying to touch. This is reminiscent of the speech by Paul to the Athenians on Mars hill (Areopagus). He says that God determines the times and places where people should live (Acts 17 v 26-28) so that we should seek after him and reach out for and find Him. It is as though we were blind and feeling for God. Yet Paul says that God is not far from each one of us for in Him we live and move and have our being. Almost as though if we reach for God we are stretching too far. He surrounds us and we have our being in Him. LC says this is the truth, he did not come to deceive us.
Even though his life all went wrong, LC recognises that one day he will stand before the Lord of song (of his life). On that day he will have nothing to offer, except that which is on his tongue which is praise the Lord, hallelujah.
May God bless all of us humans as we find ourselves in a similar condition.

I am also searching. When John Cale asked for the lyrics to the song for his 1991 cover, Cohen faxed him 15 pages of verses (probably handwritten) and from them Cale took what is now known as parts 5, 6 and 7 of what is now the canon lyrics. There is no recording of the 70+ verses of the "complete poem", and I am guessing, many of us want to at least read them.

Thank you! I thought I was going crazy... But "someone" just doesn't ring true like "somebody" who outdrew you...

JadedN8tive wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 8:39 am Thank you! I thought I was going crazy... But "someone" just doesn't ring true like "somebody" who outdrew you...

Me too!

Many Christians rejoiced when they heard “Hallelujah” played on Shrek (2001 Movie - https://bit.ly/3EtU3Te) as they thought it was a beautiful hymn. It was sung when Shrek became downcast as Lord Farquaad was going to marry Princess Fiona, whom Shrek really loved. Lord Farquaad didn’t love Fiona but he could only be crowned King if he married a princess. Consequently, “Hallelujah” was presented in the movie from Shrek’s perspective of disillusionment at the situation, bitterness at being outwitted by Farquaad and sadness at losing Fiona, rather than from happiness or in praise to God (even though “Hallelujah” means “Praise God”).

“Hallelujah” might also have been written from the same perspective of disillusionment by Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, who was a general in King David’s army. Despite his dedication and faithfulness to King David, the king purposely sent General Uriah to the battlefield’s frontline to be killed (2 Sam 11), so that David could marry Bathsheba. This was despite David having other wives – 7 in total, as well as many concubines.

Some say that Leonard Cohen, who wrote the original “Hallelujah” song, may have become similarly disillusioned with his Jewish heritage or by his perception of hypocrisy among those who declare their faith, as he became an ordained Buddhist Priest.

The first verse of Shrek’s “Hallelujah” describes how David composed music that please God (eg. in the Psalms and other songs he composed which calmed King Saul’s tormented/ “baffled” mind in 1 Sam 16:23). However, Leonard Cohen asks the confused King Saul “But you don't really care for music, do you?”. Some say that he was really questioning if Saul, in his baffled mind, really knew what he was singing when he sang “Hallelujah” to David’s music (eg. worshipping and praising God).

The second verse describes how King David tried to prove that his faith was strong, but in fact proved that he did not did not have much faith at all (“Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you”). As a result of his attraction to the Bathsheba’s beauty, the mighty King became so weak that he was easily captured and tied up (“She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne, she cut your hair”).

David lost the legacy of his crown and throne when his son through Bathsheba (King Solomon) followed his father’s example and married 700 wives with 300 concubines. David could have chosen any of his many sons, but he chose Bathsheba’s son to be his successor. As a result, David’s great nation that was admired by the rest of the known world quickly crumbled, was divided into Israel & Judah and was subsequently conquered by other nations after Solomon’s death. Bathsheba through her son, broke David’s line of succession and overthrew his descendant’s’ reign.

David lost his power and strength (“she cut your hair”) just as Samson lost his strength when his hair was cut. And instead of singing “Hallelujah” to praise God, the song suggests that David’s “Hallelujah” was a result of making love to Bathsheba (“And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah”).

Consequently, instead of praising God by singing the Hallelujah refrain, the unusual words in the verses appear to twist the normally expected intention of the Hallelujah chorus. Some say that the song may rather be interpreted to mock those who sing the “Hallelujah” chorus by saying that some are “baffled” like King Saul and don’t really know what they are singing. It suggests that people may sing it just because the (“secret”) musical chords sound nice, or it makes them feel good (such as when making love like David), rather than because they are really praising God from a grateful and righteous heart.

The final verse clearly outlines Leonard Cohen’s non-Christian perspective to his song when he wrote “Maybe there's a God above” (Buddhists do not believe that God exists). He tells us that he is not singing to God as he does not know if God exists. He also says that his “Hallelujah” does not come from feelings of love - “It's not a cry you can hear at night”. Instead, he tells us that the “Hallelujah” he sings is “cold” (unemotional without feelings towards God) and “broken” (ie. not really or truly praising God).

The verses point to King Saul singing Hallelujah, not because he was praising God but because he was baffled/ confused and tormented. The verses suggest that David on the other hand, composed the Hallelujah music only because the chords sounded nice, and said “Hallelujah” in the second chorus only from making love to Bathsheba. Just like Saul and David, some mention that Leonard appears to also mock those who sing Hallelujah by suggesting that they don’t know what they are singing and declaring that he too can sing the (third) Hallelujah chorus, even though he has not seen the light as a Christian (“It's not somebody who's seen the light”).

Others mention that Leonard seems to suggest that this song with a cleverly hidden double-meaning, was his way of getting revenge at Jews/ Christians who attacked him even though he might have loved them, when he wrote “And all I ever learned from love, was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you”. He wrote and sung 60+ verses with various combinations for this one song, with many having similar repeating themes such as “You say I took the name in vain, I don't even know the name, but if I did, well really, what's it to you?, It's no complaint you hear tonight, It's not some pilgrim who's seen the light, it's a cold and it's a lonely Hallelujah.”

While Leonard might have despised the Saul’s confusion, David’s hypocrisy and questioned the King David’s righteousness and integrity through his “Hallelujah” song, he appears to have overlooked the David’s contrition and repentance, seeking forgiveness on realizing his mistake, and God’s faithfulness and love for all who humble themselves and turn from their own ways. For “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Hallelujah lyrics–
“I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah (x4 chorus)

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah (x4 chorus)

Maybe there's a God above
And all I ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It's not a cry you can hear at night, It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and its a broken Hallelujah”

That's cant be right is it that two of the verses have the same (very similar) last lines?:

love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

It's not some pilgrim who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Seems wrong ! Or am I wrong (which I hope).

steve62384@gmail.com wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 5:56 pm That's cant be right is it that two of the verses have the same (very similar) last lines?:

love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

It's not some pilgrim who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
...

On "Live in London" and also "Songs from the Road" (live in Coachella), and perhaps in most/all performances of Hallelujah that Leonard did during the last world tour, he sang:

"Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a very lonely Hallelujah."

The pilgrim verse is as it is usually sung by Leonard.

One can easily find out what lyrics Leonard Cohen actually sang simply by listening to different versions of Hallelujah (or any of his songs) readily available on YouTube and other music streaming services. And, be sure to listen to Leonard Cohen singing the song, and not somebody else. It is always best to go to the original source for information, and, in this case, you'll get to hear some great music!

When it comes to other people's versions of Hallelujah (of which there must be millions), or random lyrics websites, results may vary -- other people change the words or get them wrong, compared to what Leonard Cohen actually wrote and sang. Of course, even Leonard Cohen changed the words slightly from time to time in live performances (deliberately or otherwise!).