I’ll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah,” released as a single in December 1984, has by now become an icon of our culture, and, with over 300 documented versions sung in a variety of languages, one of the most covered songs of all time.
Interestingly, the song was not a success when it was released. As Richard Brooks noted in The Guardian some years later, reflecting on the song’s initial rejection by his label, Columbia, Cohen related that the suits told him “We know you are great, but don’t know if you are any good.”
The song’s inclusion in the animated feature film Shrek brought it to a wider audience in 2001. And it experienced renewed interest following Cohen’s death in November 2016, when it entered the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first time.
“Hallelujah” has now become ubiquitous on television talent competitions, and in TV shows from The West Wing to One Tree Hill. It’s emotional and it allows great musicians to show off their vocal chops. It’s also a consequential work that is laden with significance, which helps showcase a performer’s depth and self-awareness.
Some culture critics have called for a moratorium on performances of “Hallelujah,” but Cohen himself went on record supporting its continued interpretation: “…once or twice I’ve felt maybe I should lend my voice to silencing it, but on second thought no, I’m very happy that it’s being sung.”
Still, with a million-six versions from which to choose, I strived to avoid including versions related to TV talent competitions. I’ve attempted to ascribe a bit of the history of the song in this list, as well as to highlight the brilliance of the composition.
Bob Dylan
live at Forum de Montréal – July 1988
No surprise that Dylan was on this song before anyone. Allegedly, he’s only performed it live twice – this version from Montreal in 1988, and also that year in Hollywood. This version emphasizes the chord progression, and makes it feel almost like a teen-death anthem.
John Cale
from the animated feature film Shrek – 2001
The history of “Hallelujah” took a fortuitous turn when John Cale covered it for the 1991 Cohen tribute album I’m Your Fan. Cale included lyrics Cohen had written, but weren’t included on the songwriter’s 1984 recording. Subsequently, the producers of Shrek selected Cale’s version for the film. The song adds a tension unique to animation at the time, as the ogre Shrek’s love interest, Fiona, prepares to marry Lord Farquaad, a cruel man she doesn’t love. The film became a surprise hit, and most subsequent versions are based on Cale’s rendition. Cover song expert Ray Padgett discussed the significance of Cale’s version in an interview with 360°Sound.
Rufus Wainwright
live at the Fillmore – San Francisco, 2005
In an odd twist, record companies began releasing soundtrack albums containing music “inspired by the film,” not just music included in the film. In the case of “Hallelujah,” this new trend led to Rufus Wainwright’s version ending up on the official Shrek soundtrack, instead of Cale’s. Rufus’s version, while inspired by Cale’s, is more passionate and less foreboding.
Jeff Buckley
live at Cabaret Metro – Chicago, May 1995
Long before Shrek, singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley, son of noted folk musician Tim Buckley, recorded “Hallelujah” for his 1994 debut album Grace. Buckley’s met with as little success as Cohen’s own version – the song wasn’t even released as a single at the time. But the power of Buckley’s version, along with the singer’s untimely drowning at age 30 in a tributary of the Mississippi River near Memphis, elevated the song to legendary status. However, his version didn’t chart until 2006, long after his death in 1997. It was finally released as a single in 2007, and was eventually certified 2x platinum (for sales of 2 million).
KD Lang
unidentified television appearance
In an interview shortly after Cohen’s death, Lang shared that she considers the song to be about “the struggle between having human desire and searching for spiritual wisdom. It’s being caught between those two places.” Lang famously sang “Hallelujah” at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver to a reported audience of 3 billion viewers. This tender version is typical of Lang’s intimate interpretation of the song.
Brandi Carlisle with The Colorado Symphony
live at Red Rocks – Colorado, 2024
After listening to as many versions of “Hallelujah” as I now have, I was grateful to be profoundly moved by Brandi Carlisle’s rendition. The poetry and melody simply ache to be released from her heart, as members of the Colorado Symphony provide moral support. [So glad we were treated to Brandi as the opener when we saw P!nk’s never-ending tour recently.]
Sheku Kanneh-Mason
in studio – 2017
British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason won the 2016 BBC Young Musician award, and performed “Hallelujah” at the BAFTAs in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Here he plays a version filmed in the studio, an instrumental interpretation that highlights the power of the song’s simple melody.
Sarah McLachlan
Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen (Blue Note) – 2022
Godammit Sarah, must you be such a deft interpreter of great songs? McLachlan’s voice and style are well-suited to this mournful hymn, and the production moves nicely through the verses to an emotional peak. They keep it interesting, as Sarah and the band build to the really moving bits. It’s Blue Note, so the playing is outstanding and the sonics are rich and satisfying, even on a YouTube video.
Willie Nelson
from his 2006 album Songbird
Less a matter of Willie covering this song, and more like the song getting squeezed through a Willie Nelson filter. Willie can’t help but be his authentic self, which strips the whole affair of any pretense.
Tori Kelly
as teenage elephant Meena in the animated 2016 feature film Sing
Given the significant impact that animated film has had on this legendary song, it seems appropriate to include another notable animated appearance. In this scene from 2016’s Sing, producer Buster Moon’s Hollywood theater has been destroyed, and the shy teenage elephant Meena, voiced by Tori Kelly, expresses her grief with an impassioned “Hallelujah.” (I worked around Kelly’s American Idol status, since to my knowledge Meena never competed on an animated TV talent show.)
BONUS coverage! – The man himself
Leonard Cohen
live in London – 2009
Nice try, all ye who dare approach this sacred piece of our culture. Let’s listen to the man himself tell it like it is, from his extensive 2008-09 tour. I can’t say that I have any deeper insights on the song’s meaning after all my listening, but when Leonard performs it the damn thing makes perfect sense.
It was difficult to pare this list down to ten renditions. (I did my best, it wasn’t much) A person can go cross-eared wading through the myriad tepid versions, by everyone from Jon Bon Jovi to your neighbor’s kid on TikTok. But it’s worth a deep dive into this intriguing composition.
“Hallelujah” took Cohen five years to write, and he’s said to have written 150 draft versions of the lyrics. Lines like, “You don’t really care for music, do you” have baffled this king for decades, and merit extensive contemplation. Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s 2022 documentary film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is well worth a look for those interested in exploring the depth and breadth of this cultural treasure.
