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dhorasoo
I tend to refrain from using comparatives and superlatives with regard to any quantifier of any piece of art, attempting to seek its objective artistic merit (failing mostly). while I enjoyed Buckley's rendition back in the day, especially the arrangement, now I hardly ever listen to it. it no longer does it for me. for Cohen's versions to be relatively enjoyed, original and re-recorded live thereafter - one of them truly abhorrent - one would have to cut through too many layers of cheese. it's unbelievable how at times an author is able to ruin his/her creation through poor execution of the original idea. Cale's for the win. it's simple, concise, and straight to the point. while notoriously heart-wrenching on paper, here it is dry, disillusioned, and honest.
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fastlane01
I must have seen him singing it, but at the time I didn't know the song. Makes one think..
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ForestFloor
I think I heard Patti Smith say once that John Cale's voice is like poetry. There's just something so honest in it.
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Bucketpolaris
Comparing John Cale's "Hallelujah" with others' would be a bit unfair. Cale has the huge advantage of his natural voice, Patti Smith once described his voice as "poems coming from his lips", so it's easy to see why no other singer could come close to his masterpiece, no matter how hard they try.
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silversurfer250
The song is about love which has soured and gone stale. Cohen used a lot of religious imagery, including references to some of the more notorious women in the bible. Here's some lyrical analysis: "You saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you" - Bathsheba, who tempted the king to kill her husband so he could have her. "She tied you to her kitchen chair, she broke your throne and she cut your hair" - Delilah, who cut off Sampson's locks that held his superhuman strength. "But remember when I moved in you and the holy dove was moving too" - This could be a reference to the divine conception and Mary. The lines referring to the immaculate conception can also be interpreted as having a sexual connotation: "And every breath we drew was hallelujah." http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2504
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bernlin2000
@lisbravo185 Yeah, I like Cale's the best too, it's simply a great vocal performance and a simple arrangement, which is all this song needs
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lisbravo185
i love Buckley's version of the song ALOT. but I must say that Cale's version has a certain gritty ness to it that Buckley's lack's, which makes the song a bit more real to me. as far as technical skills, Buckley's voice is conventionally better, but I love a voice, such as Cale's which do not have those conventional signing technicalities.
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surrendertoalex
I think those who don’t get this version have to put it the right context. As far as I’m aware, Cale was the first person (or at least one of the very first people) to cover Hallelujah. As much as I love Cohen, Cale’s version is an improvement. Pretty much all subsequent versions have been based on Cale’s arrangement.
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