Original v Cover: Hallelujah

[Blade]

While this song has been done by many artists, like Rufus Wainwright, John Cale and that X Factor bitch. But there are 2 versions that many believe are the 2 defining versions. I'm talking about the original by Leonard Cohen and of course, Jeff Buckley.
Leonard Cohen's version is alot more solemn, a song coming from painful experiences. Buckley's is more passionate, energetic and it has hope within the way he sings it.

Here's the original:
[YOUTUBE]WJTiXoMCppw[/YOUTUBE]


And Buckley's cover
[YOUTUBE]HKnxmkOAj88&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

Personally I have to go for Buckley's version as Cohen's version is just too dark for my taste.
What do you guys think?

 

[SK]

I'll take Buckley everytime. This song was made for Buckley and he sang it so well with so much passion, he was really an underrated singer and this is certainly one of his best songs.

Cohen's original is good and nice to listen to, but I much prefer Buckley's.

 

[X]

John Cale owns this song, and it's not even close if you ask me. Puts Buckley and even Cohen to shame with his rendition.

But between these two choices here, I'd go with Buckley's version as well. Cohen is great and a true legend, but Buckley simply evokes more emotion with the song than Cohen does if you ask me.

 

[Mr. TM]

Hmm, it looks like a song I was going to do has been done... And I would actually give it to the original. Cohen presents this masterpiece for our ears and our soul. I recently listened to a radio interview with Cohen on CBC where he talks about the song, and I must say, his discription sent shivers down my spine.

Buckley's however I feel is the better version from a pop perspective. As a sad pop song it does great.

 

[Nitafrong]

Its strange- but I was never a huge fan of Hallelujah, even when I was being wowed by Grace. I think it was always one of my least favourite tracks on that album. Buckley for all his ability to draw you into his songs and set your heart a flutter with his emotional outpouring, seems more constrained here than with some of his origonal songs. Maybe its the overall theme of the song, that almost defeated refrain, the regret which has moved from a punching hole, to a dull pain.

I still prefer it to the origonal though. I am afriad I have never been able to get into Leonard Cowen as a singer. The music always makes me think of cover bands in bars during weddings playing yet another Neil Diamond song, and I can't really take his voice that seriously. Its a shame because he is an artist I would really like to like. His songcraft and writing styles can be so darkly humourous sometimes and I love that poetic style of songwriting, rich in metaphors. I just havn't succeeding in liking him sing his songs though I am afriad. It has to go to Jeff Buckley this time from me.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

John Cale owns this song, and it's not even close if you ask me. Puts Buckley and even Cohen to shame with his rendition.

But between these two choices here, I'd go with Buckley's version as well. Cohen is great and a true legend, but Buckley simply evokes more emotion with the song than Cohen does if you ask me.

Once again, X has hit it right one the noggin. The way John cale sings this song, it just evokes so many emotions. This is already a great song lyrically, but now you have somebody who can actually sing it the way it was meant to be sung. Nobody matches up with John Cale on this song. Cohen may have wrote it, but John Cale perfected it.

[youtube]ckbdLVX736U[/youtube]

 

[Billie Jean]

Id say lenord Cohan, it hink that he has a more unique kind of voice for this. I think that it suits him better. I think her thjat won X factor wasnt too bad at it either, i would have too pick one of these two, there are too many of them.

 

[Loveless]

John Cale owns this song, and it's not even close if you ask me. Puts Buckley and even Cohen to shame with his rendition

Damn right, Cale pawns both of these with ease. I'm not a fan of the original but even Buckley's version is massively overrated. It's pretty but boring and I hate that he's taken it away from it's natural home on the piano.

 

[Alex]

Alexandra Burke's version FTW

Seriously though I prefer Jeff Buckley's however Leonard Cohen's is extremely close, I just felt the way Buckley did it was slightly better (playing on the guitar as opposed to the piano) I just felt he put a little more emotion in it than Cohen's (Cohen's is great though)