I think it’s time again for a little Leonard Cohen Hallelujah action … it’s been just about 8 months since I posted Allison Crowe’s version of the song, and about 17 months since I posted the lyrics I’ve been able to determine from various different versions.

John Cale, who performed the song on the Basquiat soundtrack, did say that he got something like 15 pages (or at least 15 verses) from Leonard Cohen when he asked for a copy … I’d really love to see the other verses that I’ve not been able to gather.

In any case, Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright both do wonderful versions of the song, although I have to admit, I find Jeff Buckley’s rendition to be far more powerful.

JEFF BUCKLEY - HALLELUJAH
 
 

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - HALLELUJAH

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - GOING TO A TOWN

I’m going to a town that has already been burnt down
I’m going to a place that has already been disgraced
I’m gonna see some folks who have already been let down
I’m so tired of America

I’m gonna make it up for all of The Sunday Times
I’m gonna make it up for all of the nursery rhymes
They never really seem to want to tell the truth
I’m so tired of you, America

Making my own way home, ain’t gonna be alone
I’ve got a life to lead, America
I’ve got a life to lead

Tell me, do you really think you go to hell for having loved?
Tell me, enough of thinking everything that you’ve done is good
I really need to know, after soaking the body of Jesus Christ in blood
I’m so tired of America

I really need to know
I may just never see you again, or might as well
You took advantage of a world that loved you well
I’m going to a town that has already been burnt down
I’m so tired of you, America

Making my own way home, ain’t gonna be alone
I’ve got a life to lead, America
I’ve got a life to lead
I got a soul to feed
I got a dream to heed
And that’s all I need

Making my own way home, ain’t gonna be alone
I’m going to a town
That has already been burnt down

I find this inspirational. I’ve heard it described as both religious and anti-religious, but it’s Leonard Cohen, so who cares? It’s still brilliant.

Hallelujah

Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord,
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift,
The baffled king composing Hallelujah.

Your faith was strong but you needed proof,
You saw her bathing on the roof,
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.
She tied you to a kitchen chair,
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair,
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah.

You say I took the name in vain,
I didn’t even know the name,
But if I did, well really, what’s it to you?
There’s a blaze of light in every word,
It doesn’t matter which you heard,
The holy or the broken Hallelujah.

Baby, I’ve been here before,
I know this room, I’ve walked this floor,
I used to live alone before I knew you.
Yeah I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch,
But listen, love is not some kind of victory march,
No it’s a cold and it’s a very broken Hallelujah.

There was a time you let me know,
What’s really going on below,
Ah but now you never show it to me, do you?
Yeah but I remember, yeah when I moved in you,
And the holy dove, she was moving too,
Yes every single breath that we drew was Hallelujah.

Maybe there’s a God above,
As for me, all I’ve ever seemed to learn from love,
Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew you.
Yeah but it’s not a complaint that you hear tonight,
It’s not the laughter of someone who claims to have seen the light,
No it’s a cold and it’s a very lonely Hallelujah.

I did my best, it wasn’t much,
I couldn’t feel, so I learned to touch.
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come all this way to fool you.
Yeah, even though it all went wrong,
I’ll stand right here before the Lord of Song,
With nothing on my lips but Hallelujah.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

  — Leonard Cohen (b. 1934), Canadian poet, novelist and singer-songwriter.

This song has been covered by John Cale (of the Velvet Underground), Jeff Buckley, k.d. lang, Rufus Wainwright, and I don’t know how many other people, each with a slightly different set of lyrics. The above is my interpretation of all the different lyrics I’ve heard.

In an interview with John Cale, apparently there were some 15 verses, but Cale redacted down to a “definitive” 5 verses. I dunno … I want to read the whole fucking thing, and this is as close as I can get.