Author Topic: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song  (Read 16586 times)

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Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2014, 08:59:44 PM »

Offline Beat LA

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This to me is the best cover to the song there is. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zEqWw4IQWA

I love the fact that she didn't try to do too much with the song.  She sang it straight with a lot of feelings and her great voice.  She picked her spots in the song and I love the feeling of hopelessness she displayed in the song, in her voice, and her facial expression and body language.

I listened to it, and, although she does have a great voice, I still prefer the voice of the person about whom I made a thread, in which you commented.  I realize that, yes, this is all subjective in terms of preference, but I was wondering if you could elaborate, to the untrained and unqualified in this arena (read: me), as to the difference(s) between these two gifted artists.  I'm not trying to start an argument here, I'm simply curious.  I did get chills, though.  Her voice was simply...WOW :o  It was another instrument in that cover. 
« Last Edit: July 23, 2014, 10:46:45 PM by Beat LA »

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2014, 09:03:10 PM »

Offline DraftSmart33

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Buckley killed it....end of story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2014, 09:13:21 PM »

Offline Mazingerz

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Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2014, 11:22:08 PM »

Offline Clench123

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This to me is the best cover to the song there is. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zEqWw4IQWA

I love the fact that she didn't try to do too much with the song.  She sang it straight with a lot of feelings and her great voice.  She picked her spots in the song and I love the feeling of hopelessness she displayed in the song, in her voice, and her facial expression and body language.

I listened to it, and, although she does have a great voice, I still prefer the voice of the person about whom I made a thread, in which you commented.  I realize that, yes, this is all subjective in terms of preference, but I was wondering if you could elaborate, to the untrained and unqualified in this arena (read: me), as to the difference(s) between these two gifted artists.  I'm not trying to start an argument here, I'm simply curious.  I did get chills, though.  Her voice was simply...WOW :o  It was another instrument in that cover.

Your girl have pitch problems when she sings, meaning she sings out of tune.  This girl singing hallelujah has perfect pitch all through.  Your girl just sings all through her songs, this girl has progression and picks her spots (such as 4:07, 4:30, 5:47, 6:06).  This girl's vocal strength is through the roof.  I don't need to have her sing at a higher note to know that she can hit it just from her vocal strength and her performance in this song.  I can bet my money your girl would have problems with higher notes.  Then there are intangibles like the feel...which usually has a lot to do with melody of a song or connection with it (mind you, song choice is very important as well), how you attack each verse, mouth to mic ratio when you go high (this is a fundamental any good singer should know), connection with audience (if you have one), how you begin and end it (this girl did great).

On a side note, you must really like the girl in question.  Thing is...no singer is perfect.  The closest to perfection in my honest opinion is Celine Dion and Whitney Houston with Christina Aguilera been a close third (because of her  prowess in chest belting among other things she's great at).  They had to learn and get better and that comes with years of singing, practicing, and honing one's skill.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2014, 11:39:24 PM by Clench123 »

I always said when I left the Celtics, I could not go to heaven, because that would
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Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2014, 11:27:07 PM »

Offline AidaCelt

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Jeff Buckley, end argument.

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Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #20 on: July 23, 2014, 11:39:08 PM »

Offline dwjones195460

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A vastly underrated version and in my opinion second only to Buckley's rendition is the one by Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfxScuK3Qy4&index=84&list=LLwEik8kDzqE4bDAmrrhEV_g

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #21 on: July 23, 2014, 11:43:44 PM »

Offline Clench123

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Before hearing this girl sing it, this was it for me...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdyTXBT5CQE

I always said when I left the Celtics, I could not go to heaven, because that would
 be a step down. I am pure 100 percent Celtic. I think if you slashed my wrists, my
 blood would’ve been green.  -  Bill "Greatest of All Time" Russell

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #22 on: July 23, 2014, 11:49:04 PM »

Offline kiwiceltic

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let me introduce you to Jeff Buckley..

This is all that matters here.

Totally agree. Nothing else will ever come close to his version

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #23 on: July 23, 2014, 11:49:50 PM »

Offline Clench123

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A vastly underrated version and in my opinion second only to Buckley's rendition is the one by Pain of Salvation's Daniel Gildenlöw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfxScuK3Qy4&index=84&list=LLwEik8kDzqE4bDAmrrhEV_g

Wow.  With the drum and the rock feel, it's different but I like it.  Its quite good.

I always said when I left the Celtics, I could not go to heaven, because that would
 be a step down. I am pure 100 percent Celtic. I think if you slashed my wrists, my
 blood would’ve been green.  -  Bill "Greatest of All Time" Russell

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #24 on: July 24, 2014, 12:48:13 AM »

Offline Beat LA

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This to me is the best cover to the song there is. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zEqWw4IQWA

I love the fact that she didn't try to do too much with the song.  She sang it straight with a lot of feelings and her great voice.  She picked her spots in the song and I love the feeling of hopelessness she displayed in the song, in her voice, and her facial expression and body language.

I listened to it, and, although she does have a great voice, I still prefer the voice of the person about whom I made a thread, in which you commented.  I realize that, yes, this is all subjective in terms of preference, but I was wondering if you could elaborate, to the untrained and unqualified in this arena (read: me), as to the difference(s) between these two gifted artists.  I'm not trying to start an argument here, I'm simply curious.  I did get chills, though.  Her voice was simply...WOW :o  It was another instrument in that cover.

Your girl have pitch problems when she sings, meaning she sings out of tune.  This girl singing hallelujah has perfect pitch all through.  Your girl just sings all through her songs, this girl has progression and picks her spots (such as 4:07, 4:30, 5:47, 6:06).  This girl's vocal strength is through the roof.  I don't need to have her sing at a higher note to know that she can hit it just from her vocal strength and her performance in this song.  I can bet my money your girl would have problems with higher notes.  Then there are intangibles like the feel...which usually has a lot to do with melody of a song or connection with it (mind you, song choice is very important as well), how you attack each verse, mouth to mic ratio when you go high (this is a fundamental any good singer should know), connection with audience (if you have one), how you begin and end it (this girl did great).

On a side note, you must really like the girl in question.  Thing is...no singer is perfect.  The closest to perfection in my honest opinion is Celine Dion and Whitney Houston with Christina Aguilera been a close third (because of her  prowess in chest belting among other things she's great at).  They had to learn and get better and that comes with years of singing, practicing, and honing one's skill.

Oh yeah, Christina Aguilera is phenomenal.  Easily the best voice of her generation, but I can see how it's a definite tossup between her and Whitney Houston.  Titanic aside, I've never listened to Celine Dion, or Whitney Houston, or Christina, for that matter, as theirs just isn't my kind of music.  The latter two of the three keep showing up on the radio and such, however, so it's kind of hard to avoid them, unfortunately.

Thank you for the analysis and explanation, btw.  I'm surprised that I actually even knew some of the most basic components of singing and feel for the the song, etc, that you described, haha.  However, and I realize that this was likely not intentional on your part, but please stop saying, "my girl."  I don't know her, nor do I own her.  She's a human being, not a trophy or a piece of property.  I don't think that that's what you were trying to say, but that's how it came across to me.

Last thing about the girl in the hallelujah video - how would you describe her voice?  Combined with her body language and facial expressions, I'd say it was deep, vulnerable, and at times, hauntingly intoxicating.  How awful is that assessment, haha?

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #25 on: July 24, 2014, 01:12:43 AM »

Offline Clench123

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This to me is the best cover to the song there is. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zEqWw4IQWA

I love the fact that she didn't try to do too much with the song.  She sang it straight with a lot of feelings and her great voice.  She picked her spots in the song and I love the feeling of hopelessness she displayed in the song, in her voice, and her facial expression and body language.

I listened to it, and, although she does have a great voice, I still prefer the voice of the person about whom I made a thread, in which you commented.  I realize that, yes, this is all subjective in terms of preference, but I was wondering if you could elaborate, to the untrained and unqualified in this arena (read: me), as to the difference(s) between these two gifted artists.  I'm not trying to start an argument here, I'm simply curious.  I did get chills, though.  Her voice was simply...WOW :o  It was another instrument in that cover.

Your girl have pitch problems when she sings, meaning she sings out of tune.  This girl singing hallelujah has perfect pitch all through.  Your girl just sings all through her songs, this girl has progression and picks her spots (such as 4:07, 4:30, 5:47, 6:06).  This girl's vocal strength is through the roof.  I don't need to have her sing at a higher note to know that she can hit it just from her vocal strength and her performance in this song.  I can bet my money your girl would have problems with higher notes.  Then there are intangibles like the feel...which usually has a lot to do with melody of a song or connection with it (mind you, song choice is very important as well), how you attack each verse, mouth to mic ratio when you go high (this is a fundamental any good singer should know), connection with audience (if you have one), how you begin and end it (this girl did great).

On a side note, you must really like the girl in question.  Thing is...no singer is perfect.  The closest to perfection in my honest opinion is Celine Dion and Whitney Houston with Christina Aguilera been a close third (because of her  prowess in chest belting among other things she's great at).  They had to learn and get better and that comes with years of singing, practicing, and honing one's skill.

Oh yeah, Christina Aguilera is phenomenal.  Easily the best voice of her generation, but I can see how it's a definite tossup between her and Whitney Houston.  Titanic aside, I've never listened to Celine Dion, or Whitney Houston, or Christina, for that matter, as theirs just isn't my kind of music.  The latter two of the three keep showing up on the radio and such, however, so it's kind of hard to avoid them, unfortunately.

Thank you for the analysis and explanation, btw.  I'm surprised that I actually even knew some of the most basic components of singing and feel for the the song, etc, that you described, haha.  However, and I realize that this was likely not intentional on your part, but please stop saying, "my girl."  I don't know her, nor do I own her.  She's a human being, not a trophy or a piece of property.  I don't think that that's what you were trying to say, but that's how it came across to me.

Last thing about the girl in the hallelujah video - how would you describe her voice?  Combined with her body language and facial expressions, I'd say it was deep, vulnerable, and at times, hauntingly intoxicating.  How awful is that assessment, haha?

Lol.  I apologize for assuming that you knew her or even liked her (I was going by how persistent you are about her in particular).  However, I don't see how saying "your girl" mean I'm refering to her being your property.  I won't indulge in this politically correctness just to pander to society's increasing oversensitivity to things like this.  Just like how females usually say "he's my man."  It's just a term of endearment.

This girl singing hallelujah, I don't know the story of her life but I would guess she sang that song from a place of hurt or pain which is the message of the song.  Besides the ocassional stare she gave the guitar player (which is a needed cue for duo who hasn't been together for long), she stares dead into space and looks down like she's recalling events in her life.  Now this may be me reading too much into it but I doubt it because it translates into how great the song turned out
« Last Edit: July 24, 2014, 01:32:00 AM by Clench123 »

I always said when I left the Celtics, I could not go to heaven, because that would
 be a step down. I am pure 100 percent Celtic. I think if you slashed my wrists, my
 blood would’ve been green.  -  Bill "Greatest of All Time" Russell

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #26 on: July 24, 2014, 02:50:28 AM »

Offline Nef-Oracle

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Buckley killed it....end of story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4
Nah. It's not better than Brandi Carlile's version. Believe me she'll make you cry.

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #27 on: July 24, 2014, 09:11:53 AM »

Online Roy H.

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She's not for everyone, but one of my favorite versions of this song is from Lexington's own Amanda Palmer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT2kTbw70Q4



I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #28 on: July 24, 2014, 09:29:12 AM »

Offline D.o.s.

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As long as no one's arguing for the original, all is right with the world.

Beautiful song, but I hate Leonard Cohen.

Lol.  Hate is a strong word, my friend.  Why?

The production, the songs, and the vocals. He has a great voice, but ew.
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: Best version of Leonard Cohen Hallelujah song
« Reply #29 on: July 24, 2014, 11:25:06 AM »

Offline feckless

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Great summer discussion diversion!

I agree with the majority when I think of covers of Hallelujah --I think of Jeff Buckley and sadly his drowning adds to the feeling, honestly makes me listen to the song less often to avoid the sad emotion.
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