Hallelujuah - A History of

It all started in 1984 when Leonard Cohen the Canadian singer song writer released the song on his album Various Positions. The song took over a year for Cohen to write and at the time he wrote 80 verses before finally cutting it down to the final version.

Since 1984 the song has been covered over 170 times. What is it about this song that has proved to be so appealing to so many people. Is it the powerful lyrics that inspire and resonate of spritualism and symbolism.

Cohen's Version



In 1994 Jeff Buckley released his cover version. What is now seen as the most definitive version screams of depth and passion and embodies the original version with a real soul. Buckley's version has been voted as one of the best songs ever by Rolling Stone magazine at 259 in its ranking of 500.
Buckley recorded 20 versions of the song in the studio before he was satisifed , eventually 3 different versions were used together.

Buckley posthumously achieved his first number one when his version of "Hallelujah " reached the top of the charts in March 2008.





Another recognisable version is that of Rufus Wainwright, brought to the publics attention after being used in the film Shrek in 2001.




This version features Askil Holm, Espen Lind and Alejandro Fuentes and Kurt Nilsen, winner of World Idol beating out more favoured rivals Kelly Clarkson and Will Young.



In 2008 The X Factor selected Hallelujah as its winner's song. In the Final Boyband JLS and Alexandra Burke both sang versions in a bid to claim the final votes of the public.

JLS



Alexandra




Alexandra won the public vote and her version was released on digital downloads at midnight on the 13/12/08. It has already become the fastest selling download song and is set to become number 1 for the prestigious christmas number 1. The release of The X Factor winner song has sparked interest in the previous versions. With the midweek chart reports showing Buckley's version at number 3 and Leonard Cohen's original also in the top 40. There is a strong possibility that Burke and Buckley could be number 1 and 2 at the weekend.

X Factor Bores me to "Tears."

I've finally had enough of the X Factor, and its no suprise that it's coincided with the departure of Diana Vickers. Last nights show was bland, predictable, boring, and full of vomit enducing close ups of peoples salty tears as they explained how much they "wanted it," and just how hard they'd "worked," to get here.

The judges bleet about how this is a "talent" contest, but when it boils down to it, the public are more interested in who can shed the most tears and act like the biggest muppet. First there was the inexplicable success of Daniel Evans, who, although seemingly a throuougly nice guy, couldn't sing for his supper, yet was kept on week after week. We can only imagine because of his 'hearbreaking' tale of love lost.

Next theres Alexandra (Leona Lewis) her mum needs a kindey op don't you know! She is a great singer, but haven't we been here before? What does she offer the market that Leona doesn't already own. Her songs bore the life out of me, and when i see the judges giving her a standing O' i want to launch my fish supper at the tele.

Next theres the living foetus Oweighn Quigges, who looks like an adorable high school kid who's been smacked in the face with a spade and then had his hair tied to a ceeling fan... oh... and he can't sing!

JLS seem to be totally genuine guys, but their vocals are terribly weak, having said that i hope they win, just so i can see Louis Walsh wet himself.

Granted Diana was poor the last couple of weeks, and looking back at her best bits last night i couldnt believe just how far she's fallen since her excellent performances in boot camp; the pressure got to her, and Cheryl Cole tried to Iron any sort of quirk she had flat by dressing her up as Avil Lavigne.

The final is going to be a drab affair full of Alex's "big voice" EOughing's "big fun" and JLS's "Big Performances. Excuse me while i fall asleep.

Anyone remember this guy? No me neither, apparently he appeared for a few weeks on X factor and was compared to someone called Ricky Gervai, who, apart from in Louis Walsh’s mind isn’t actually a real person. So in essence he offered this “bloke” neither a criticism nor a compliment, he actually might as well have said “you remind me of someone who doesn’t exist.” So… a Ghost? That’s right Daniel Evans (I remember him now the one with the wife… who died) was the first X factor contestant compared to a ghost.

I’m becoming increasingly concerned for the sanity of Louis Walsh, first their was the Ricky Gervai debacle, then he reduced Dannii minogue to a blubbering wreck off camera, meaning for the rest of last weeks show she couldn’t actually talk (thank god) Then as I sat, surprisingly bored by Kirsty Alsop’s appearance on Gordon Ramsey’s’ cook along live I spotted him sitting staring blankly into a camera while rotund DJ Chris Moyle’s served him prawn cocktail; Also have you noticed he claps like monkey.

X Factor tonight, and I’m going to happily predict a bottom two of JLS and Ruth Lorenzo.