U2 frontman Bono has called Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' the "most perfect song in the world", reports NME.
Bono makes the claim in a new book by Alan Light, called The Holy Or The Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, And The Unlikely Ascent Of 'Hallelujah'.
Other artists make their love of the track known in the book, with Regina Spektor saying: "This song is pretty much indestructible."Patrick Stump of the Fall Out Boy adds of the oft-covered track: "The song keeps coming up, and every time it's like it's brand new. It sounds new every time you hear it."
"I attempt to explore the unprecedented path of this song - a protracted snowball effect that, over the course of several decades, has turned 'Hallelujah' into one of the most loved, most performed, and most misunderstood compositions of all time."
He adds: "Cohen's simple, indelible melody and striking, ambiguous words - a mesmerizing synthesis of prayer and sexuality - combined with the irresistible force of that universal, one-word chorus add up to a song that is able to serve as a celebration and a lament, a versatile symbol of triumph and sorrow, heartbreak and wisdom."
Earlier this year, Cohen said that people have asked him for a moratorium on the usage of covers of his classic song, 'Hallelujah'.
The track, from his 1984 album 'Various Positions', has been covered by a host of artists including the late Jeff Buckley (his version of the song also happens to be one of the most popular tabs here on Ultimate Guitar), Bono, Willie Nelson, Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang and The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.
"There's been a couple of times when other people have said can we have a moratorium please on 'Hallelujah'? Must we have it at the end of every single drama and every single Idol? And 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."
Do you agree with Bono's words? Can 'Halleluja' not be topped? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Not very intelligent, are you? That would be like saying Queen are bad because a lot of modern pop artists of questionable quality say that they were influenced by them.
Well, when someone is dumb enough to put the word "Megadeth" in their username, I'm not surprised in the least that they spout off with idiotic comments about things they know nothing about.
I love the actual song, I love his voice but Cohen's style of singing is so god damn bland. It sounds like he's out of breath when singing. Just listen to the "It goes like this, a fourth, a fifth." part.
i used to love this song. but it's been used in so many things now it's not special. and a lot of the covers suck. Buckley's cover is great but I'm even sick of that.
Yeah, but being overplayed doesn't make the song any better/worse. "Tom Sawyer" or "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are still awesome, even if I could probably go without listening to them ever again...
lyrically, it's not. Cohen's original recording and many of his live versions have a more interesting set of verses. Buckley's make it seem like not much more than a basic love song on superficial listens.
Easiest song to ruin. Cohen and Buckley did it very well, as did a few others. Most covers I hear don't appreciate the true significance of the song; 'It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah'. Not a triumphant Hallelujah, as many seem to sing it. It really is one of the greatest songs ever written, though, and Bono's is a statement hard to argue with.
before every nobody covered this song it used to be really great (the original still is but with a bitter aftertaste). now just about every other jerk comes to any tv based singing show a pulls out his or her "own" usually totally embarrassing all over the place-version of hallelujah.
