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Hallelujah - Just A Song, Not A Sacred Cow

The X Factor won't have Jeff Buckley rolling in his grave...

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On Saturday evening Alexandra Burke won X Factor 2008. Her immediate reward is to release a single, available this week, and no doubt have the Christmas number one. Last year Leon Jackson won the contest and released ‘When You Believe’ a cover of a Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey song, the year before that Leona Lewis hit the number one spot with Kelly Clarkson’s ‘A Moment Like This’. This years song choice has caused controversy however as the winners single is ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen.

This news has outraged the stuffy elitists out there who believe ‘Hallelujah’ is the most beautiful song ever written and that some scummy reality show winner has no right to even touch this most hallowed of musical ground. What they don’t seem to realise is that this song has been around more times than Pete Burns on a record player. Inevitably a Facebook group has been created for these people to gather their thoughts. The wall posts on there are misguided indie snobbery at its worst. For example, “Jeff Buckley will be spinning in his grave” and “This is poetry sung by a poet. What will happen is that we will inevitably have our ears filled with the false sentiment and fake posturing of the talent search winners. Let's force others to remember Buckley's version or even make it top the charts so that the teenagers who know no better can be educated in true talent.”, “Let’s force others to remember Buckley’s version.” What a haunting image, I must have missed the memo saying great music is that which is blasted down your ears by a sweaty internet geek while you’re handcuffed to a radiator.

According to Wikipedia ‘Hallelujah’ has 170 official covers, so really what difference is one more going to make? There is no chastity belt on this song, Leonard Cohen has been pimping it out for decades. The fact Cohen is behind this might shock some of the people whinging too. See Jeff Buckley didn’t actually write this song. He just covered it. It’s essentially karaoke. Sure, he did it nicely but he didn’t put an end to the songs life.

If people cared that much about this song they should have got on the bandwagon years ago when it became the byword in T.V slush moments. To date the song has sound tracked weddings, funerals and births on shows ranging from The O.C and Hollyoaks through to Ugly Betty and ER. Where were the hordes of fans ‘reclaiming’ it then? I don’t think Jeff Buckley would have given a shit about Seth and Summer being together quite frankly.

I think everyone who downloads ‘the original’ (give me a break) to try and counter act the X Factors unstoppable march to the top is missing the point. It’s a cover version, who cares who’s doing it now? Everyone from kd Lang to American nu-metallers Alter Bridge have had a stab at it. Alexandra is a worthy winner (her duet with Beyonce was amazing) and has an incredible voice. For a song that is essentially a hymn her gospel style is perfect. Her version will earn a classic songwriter a very nice Christmas present and kick start a very promising career for a 20 year old girl. Stop being pompous and uppity and go listen to ‘Grace’. Alone.

Record sleeves of Hallelujah:

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  • Agreed, I was almost gagging while reading some of my friends facebook updates on Saturday night!!

    ~ by Subversive 12/15/2008

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  • couldn't agree more! Good blog.

    ~ by Melissa 12/15/2008

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  • ha! as if her duet with beyonce was "amazing". it was embarassing. and no, if all the members of the facebook group you mention are as geeky as you make out i'm sure they're aware that the Jeff Buckley version is not the origional, it's just better.

    ~ by Sarah 12/15/2008

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  • Bullshit! That song should be pure and true, not churned out to give simon cowell his christmas bonus.

    ~ by Nicky 12/15/2008

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  • Blah, Blah. No-ones elitist. Just sick of Simon Cowell and his blatant disregard of songs that mean something to people, who don't want some nobody version being overplayed on the radio. It's called PASSION.

    ~ by Jen 12/15/2008

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  • The only reason why Jeff Buckley is eulogised so much is because he's dead!!

    ~ by Mike E 12/15/2008

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  • Twat

    ~ by Al 12/15/2008

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  • Yawn. You've missed the point - yes there have been many covers of it - go to the group and they're talked about. John Cale, Rufus Wainwright, KD Lang, all brilliant versions. What we don't want or need is a shouty, warbly, Mariah Scarey-esque version of it. Vocal gymnastics just ruin the song. It'd be nice to see someone other than an X-Factor winner get Xmas no #1, and this is from an X-Factor fan!

    ~ by Tash 12/15/2008

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  • We're not eulogising Jeff Buckley. We're not even talking about him. We're talking about the song.

    ~ by Sarah 12/15/2008

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  • You obviously haven't heard about the attempt to get Rick Roll to Number 1 then...

    ~ by Ben 12/15/2008

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  • The point is that everyone is sick of X Factor having the Christmas number one. I love that people are banding together in a campaign like this.

    ~ by Dez 12/15/2008

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  • What a pile of sh*t. Are you five years old? No, Buckleys version wasn't the original. It's fine to cover something you like. What Alexandra's version was is just mass consumerism. There's only really one KoK artist here and that's the whole of X-factor.

    ~ by Dip 12/15/2008

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  • I absolutely agree that Alexandra covering this song will not defile it. But surely you can't deny that it's a teensy bit annoying that , once again, the Christmas number one has been predetermined by X Factor. If variety is the spice of life, X Factor is an entire bottle of ketchup dumped all over your meal.

    ~ by James 12/15/2008

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  • i havnt laughed so much reading such a crappy blog, the people on facebook know that jeffs version is not the original it is just better, the reason for it is because first of all that xfactor is true bollocks and doesnt deserve to be #1, alexandra has a wonderful voice but this is not a song that should be covered by her, yes maybe someone else could do it it just doesnt suit her voice and the way they did the song was horrible.

    ~ by tom 12/15/2008

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  • "a song that is essentially a hymn her gospel style is perfect" what? you have no idea do you? firstly all the trills and warbling is hardly gospel. secondly it's bitter song about lost love and sex. having it sung like some empowering, christmas power ballad totally misses the point of it, it's almost laughable. Nothing against alexandra, but for her to be given this song and have to sing it like that it ridiculous.

    ~ by matt 12/15/2008

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  • Some people would like to see true and real talent not some talentless bunch of individulas churning one poor effort of a cover to another. I am sure all Jeff Buckley's fans know that he didnt write it, how very ignorant of you to assume that we are snobs and also so incredibly dumb.

    ~ by Sam 12/15/2008

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  • If you'd actually even read the Facebook group, you'd see that it's not about being elitist. We're just as annoyed that Alexandra didn't get to choose her own song as we are that she's covering Hallelujah. The group exists to show people like Simon Cowell that the amazing medium of music deserves a bit of respect - that you can't just force a beautiful song on someone who hasn't got the right voice for it. Music means more than that.

    ~ by Chantelle 12/15/2008

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  • A gospel song???? Have you actually bothered to read the words of the verse that was carefully cut out of the XFactor version??? Dear blogger you are missing the point; this is not to support Buckley, but to stand against the XFactor culture with its overused, formulaic approach that will sanitise such a song to then sell it to the young masses.

    ~ by Luciftian 12/15/2008

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  • Hmm.. this is all getting a bit much. I personally would like to see Buckley's get a number one slot which, I believe, is long due in the UK. Basically I'm a Buckley fan who thinks that the song should be number one rather than another artist's version of it. Is that so wrong? Ps. It was a Ryan and Marissa scene that Buckley was used for.

    ~ by Simon 12/15/2008

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  • This guy is a moron, and probably on Cowells pay roll. It could be any song, i just think people have realised, that as a group we can do anything. Including an end to shite music. Alexandra has a good voice (nothing we havent seem before) but she isnt special. Forget Alexandra, X factor, Cowell and all this manufactured fake rubbish. Its about the music not the money, stop lining Cowells pockets!!! - Listen to Jeff Buckley's version and judge for yourself. IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND!

    ~ by Ben 12/15/2008

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    • its about the music not the money? Ha Ha... its called POP you twat...

      ~ by Pee 12/16/2008

  • Read all the wall posts? No? didn't think so. This here blog is pompous and the very essence of poor writing. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you can make people who know no better snigger along with your self-righteous slap-on-back sentiments. But what you say is unstainable cherry-picking music journalism at its worst. I think the fury is less that Alex is singing it, than the fact it was decided what the song would be weeks ago. Imagine Eoghan (sp?), or diana getting free

    ~ by Loaf 12/15/2008

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  • I see what you're saying it's not the fact that she's covered it that's annoying, it's the fact that it will inevitably be number 1 in the charts and as a result will be overplayed and killed on the radio which is a shame because it is an amazing song covered by Jeff Buckley amongst others even though as everyone does know! it was by Cohen originally

    ~ by Joe 12/15/2008

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  • I think the point is the song is only now going to be associated with the x factor winner as it such a massively popular programme! As for "Leonard Cohen has been pimping it out for decades" Sony bought the rights to it YEARS ago!

    ~ by K 12/15/2008

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  • ... and then there is the fact that they dont even know what there singing about. We don't want such an amazing song only being associated with x factor winner forever more is disgraceful! Although it would be nice and ironic to have a Cohen song make #1

    ~ by k 12/15/2008

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  • Its not elitist at all but I'd rather be that than a chavvy sheep with no brain of my own. The music is predetermined from the start - it wouldn't have made a difference who won Fix-Factor it was always going to be number 1 and will be year after year. I used to love listening in to teh Xmas number 1 but Cowell followers have destroyed - they have KILLED music!

    ~ by Go on run along sheep! 12/15/2008

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  • The title of this blog proves how little value the author places on music and therefore how unqualified he is to comment. You're welcome to soulless cynicism mate.

    ~ by Hosh 12/15/2008

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  • Whislt I agree with what you're saying, and I'm sure that the winner is a very talented singer who has every right to sing whatever she wishes. What i don't agree with is X-factor's financially orientated stance. Music should have nothing to do with lining Simon Cowell's wallet.

    ~ by Jack 12/15/2008

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  • Yep, it's a Sony song, Jeff Buckley covered it beautifully and now it'll become a Christmas song, sang by another X Factor winner, therefore everyone will be talking about it. It would have happend to any other song. Remember that Buckley's version only went to number one until someone sang it in American Idol. It's a shame that X Factor is using its meaning wrongly, but no one should slag Alexandra off, it's not her fault, good luck to her anyway. And let be peace

    ~ by wdr 12/15/2008

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  • Ooh, you've pissed off the Facebookers, they've come out in droves, run for the hills! It's not elitist as such, just petty, misguided, blinkered, and simply lame. I agree with your overall point, even if I could pick a few holes in your blog, I won't.

    ~ by Bucklberry 12/16/2008

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  • Didnt realise anyone gave a shit about Christmas no. 1's anymore and so what if it is an X-Factor effort... its all entertainment and thank you Cowell for getting everyone talking about a great song again and bringing it to people who never knew it existed... Christmas No.1... better than that feed the world bollocks

    ~ by tim 12/16/2008

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  • A song that is essentially a hymn????? LMAO Have you ever LISTENED to it?

    ~ by JJ 12/16/2008

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  • Christmas numbers ones are always bloody crap! I've just looked it up and apparantly Mr Blobby didn't write his number one single. Hang on, Bob the Builder didn't either!!!! But yeah, X factor is killing music or something. Either that or there is loads of good music about and what is number one in the singles chart has never mattered in the slightest

    ~ by JohnG 12/17/2008

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  • Am I the only person who thinks it's a song a with serious sexual undertones and is not suitable for kids to buy after seeing on the X factor? Also inappropriate for radio air play in my opinion, although it seems anything is fair game these days, as people listen to, or heed lyrics less and less."Tied to a kitchen chair...etc"-hello?!

    ~ by CP80 12/17/2008

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    • Seems to me it's a story from the bible, king David perving on Bathsheba bathing on the roof. So if the bible is too pervy for kids and the radio then we should ban that too!

      ~ by Andy 12/26/2008

  • its a bad cover though she turns a song that should be soft and passionate into a warbling siren song. her voice is too powerful for the song and that detracts from the speciality of the song

    ~ by Alex 12/19/2008

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