Living In Rhythm

Anyone who denies this is a lovely song, well, there's something wrong with them. Many attempt to cover it. Most fail. I can't say that it's one of those songs that should be left alone; it's too beautiful, too spectacular for that. It just needs to be said that not anyone with a guitar should just up and cover this song.

This whole post is born from a little tirade I went on today when a coworker wrongly attributed the song as Jeff Buckley's. I love Jeff Buckley, I do. He's one of my favourites, and an incredible musician who we'll never know just how brilliant he was. But this is not his song. It's Leonard Cohen's song. While I've never been a huge fan of his, specifically, there's no denying that he's a brilliant songwriter and poet. His songs have been covered by everyone (really, everyone).

And he's Canadian, which is fantastic.

Hallelujah is part hymn, part poem, part lullaby, part love song. The lyrics are beautiful, haunting, and a story being told. And I get a kick out of him naming the chord progression in the lyrics. No one does that. It's brilliant. Perhaps solely because it fits with the theme of the song, but I digress.

So, since this song has been covered a million and one times, I'm going to give a list of my favourites, in order.

1: Jeff Buckley. No surprise. Haunting, beautiful, almost depressing at times. It's beautiful, and his voice is so beautiful, there's no denying that. All of his songs showcase his vocal talent. This one, perhaps, is in the top two. And maybe it's just that little bit more touching when you think of what happened after...

2: Justin Timberlake. I know, I know. Maybe it's too early to call this a favourite. But it is. This version is transcendent. That is a big word, too heavy, maybe, but it's true. I teared up when I watched him perform this, and I get goosebumps every single time I hear him sing the third verse. Justin goes to another place here, sings with more emotion than maybe he ever has. This will go down as one of my favourite performances of Justin's.

3: John Cale. Best known as "That song from Shrek". And in this particular performance, the strings are absolutely gorgeous. His voice suits the song well. There's a part of me that wishes his cover wasn't turned into just a little bit of a 'gimmick' for being used in such a blockbuster film. Cale seems like he just gets it; he understands the song. Much like the aforementioned two.

4: K.D. Lang. As a rule, I am not a fan of hers. But she sings this song marvelously, and she brings an emotion to it that I've always found lacking from her music. I'm not really sure why that is, but I'm thankful for it, because hers is definitely a rendition worth listening to.

5: Damien Rice. If you want someone to sing a song in a way that makes you want to rip your heart out, Damien Rice is always a good bet. The guy could sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow and make it sound like the most depressing music ever written. There's something about the dynamics of Damien's playing that make him perfectly suited for a song like this, where the 'hook' isn't supposed to be the climax. If anything, it takes a back seat to the verses. Damien interprets that beautifully.

Notable absences: Leonard Cohen (odd, I know). Rufus Wainwright (can't pinpoint why I don't like it). Allison Crowe (she makes it too sexual [yes, really], which I think detracts from the message). Kate Voegele (just...no). Bob Dylan (this is not a rock song).

So perhaps this is a self-indulgent post, just me venting in some kind of productive way after venting in a not-so-productive way this afternoon. But regardless the reason, this song needs to be done justice when it's covered. And if one can't do it justice, they should leave it alone.

This post is archived under damien rice, jeff buckley, john cale, justin timberlake, k.d. lang, leonard cohen