Doug C Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 From NPR. Basically, it is a New Year's resolution request of singers/musicians to stop with the 'Hallelujah' already. Bon Jovi?! http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/01/05/132667008/make-a-resolution-for-2011-leave-hallelujah-alone Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I propose a compromise: musicians can keep doing the Hallelujah stuff if Bon Jovi stops touring and recording altogether, apologizes for his entire career, and promises never to do it again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 I propose a compromise: musicians can keep doing the Hallelujah stuff if Bon Jovi stops touring and recording altogether, apologizes for his entire career, and promises never to do it again.I fully support your modest proposal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 k.d. Lang does it justice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 its become something of a standard so unfortunately I don't think we can stop people. And besides I am sure Leonard Cohen is more than happy to have folks sing his songs. Wasn't he in some financial deep water a couple years back? Folks singing this song help with his retirement. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 its become something of a standard so unfortunately I don't think we can stop people. Did you think it was actually a serious request? That being said, I've never cared for the song in any carnation. It just sounds like a song that thought too much of itself right out of the box. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Did you think it was actually a serious request? That being said, I've never cared for the song in any carnation. It just sounds like a song that thought too much of itself right out of the box. I thought it was a serious request, in that the writer would be legitimately happy if people gave this song a break for a while. The writer thought about it, wrote about it and attached numerous links. I don't know what's UNserious about that. I've only heard a few versions of this song, and I very rarely watch singing shows, but if I heard all the versions the writer claims to have heard* I'd be pretty sick of it, too. Having said all that, maybe the writer would be better off if he simply quit wathcing shitty tv shows and movies. *And having said all that, I'd bet a years pay the writer had only heard a few versions, and thought to himself "I'll bet I can dig up dozens more examples on Youtube to bolster my argument." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I don't know what's UNserious about that. I doubt the writer had a serious expectation that his request would be honored; that was my point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 ... And besides I am sure Leonard Cohen is more than happy to have folks sing his songs. Wasn't he in some financial deep water a couple years back? Folks singing this song help with his retirement. LouieB http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/natpost032009.html The above link was in the NPRticle. Here is the pertinent section, from April 10, 2009:Q: Let me ask you about Hallelujah for a moment because it's been an interesting year for Hallelujah. If it hadn't been a song Canadians and people around the world have been singing versions by Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang, it took on a whole new energy - a song that you wrote in 1984. This past Christmas it appeared, number one and number two on the U.K. bestseller charts... These were cover versions and your own version was also on the top 40 from 1984. What did you make of that? A: Well I was happy that the song was being used of course. There were certain ironic and amusing side bars, you know, because the record that it came from which was called Various Positions - that record Sony didn't wouldn't put out. They didn't think it was good enough... It had songs like Dancing to the End of Love, Hallelujah, If it be Your Will. But it wasn't considered good enough for the American market and it wasn't put out. So there was a certain sense of a mild sense of revenge that arose in my heart. But I don't, you know, I was happy about it but it's I was just reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it and the reviewer said - ``Can we please have a moratorium on Hallelujah in movies and television shows?'' And I kind of feel the same way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 john cale's version is my favorite, hands down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I prefer the Cale/Buckley versions. It was one of my favorite songs when I first heard it on Grace when I was in high school, but I don't find myself compelled to listen to any version of it all that often these days. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Anal Cunt needs to cover this song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Anal Cunt needs to cover this song.They will. It is on their forthcoming album "Taint the perineum". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Anal Cunt needs to cover this song. I'd like an unreleased GG Allin cover version (recorded before he passed on) to appear myself. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Clearly, Norm MacDonald needs to do a spoken word version and then that would be the last one.Then everyone would rejoice "Hallelujah" and Leonard Cohen would sue for royalties.First, he'd take Manhattan, then he'd take Berlin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I doubt the writer had a serious expectation that his request would be honored; that was my point. He probably doesn't, but that doesn't mean his request isn't serious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Never been a big fan of the song,nor Mr. Cohen, but anytime people are giving attention to something a little more thoughtful and though provoking than Lady Gaga or whoever is the current thing of the moment, than I support that. I would have not been introduced to Nick Drake if it wasn't for the VW commerical being played 1000 times. I think any exposure of the actual music is a good thing, especially for reputable artists. For every die hard fan that may feel alienated, 1000 more people will be introduced to the music. Sure it gets tedious when you are watching American Idol (which I do) and you hear "Halleluah"for the 10th time in 10 seasons, but I'd take it over someone belting out a freaking Alicia Keys song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Never been a big fan of the song,nor Mr. Cohen, but anytime people are giving attention to something a little more thoughtful and though provoking than Lady Gaga or whoever is the current thing of the moment, than I support that. I would have not been introduced to Nick Drake if it wasn't for the VW commerical being played 1000 times. I think any exposure of the actual music is a good thing, especially for reputable artists. For every die hard fan that may feel alienated, 1000 more people will be introduced to the music. Sure it gets tedious when you are watching American Idol (which I do) and you hear "Halleluah"for the 10th time in 10 seasons, but I'd take it over someone belting out a freaking Alicia Keys song. All good points. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Never been a big fan of the song,nor Mr. Cohen, but anytime people are giving attention to something a little more thoughtful and though provoking than Lady Gaga or whoever is the current thing of the moment, than I support that. I would have not been introduced to Nick Drake if it wasn't for the VW commerical being played 1000 times. I think any exposure of the actual music is a good thing, especially for reputable artists. For every die hard fan that may feel alienated, 1000 more people will be introduced to the music. Sure it gets tedious when you are watching American Idol (which I do) and you hear "Halleluah"for the 10th time in 10 seasons, but I'd take it over someone belting out a freaking Alicia Keys song. An annoying song by an important person is not any better than an annoying song by someone you think is annoying. Someone who loves Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake does not objectively have better taste than someone who prefers Alicia Keys or Lady Gaga. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I haven't heard much about Lady Gaga these days...I'm sure she's plotting her next move. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 An annoying song by an important person is not any better than an annoying song by someone you think is annoying. Someone who loves Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake does not objectively have better taste than someone who prefers Alicia Keys or Lady Gaga. Yeah I lost my point I think. I shouldn't have thrown in the "reputable" judgement. I guess my point is that people like Lady Gaga aren't hurting for exposure. People like Leonard Cohen maybe need some help in terms of a more diverse audience being aware of their work. So yeah "Shiny Happy People" will drive you nuts, but if gets people checking into REM then that is a good thing. I always like to think that all those frat boys at the early Son Volt concerts yelling for "Drown" went on to buy Sebastopol. Not that "Drown" was annoying. It is an awesome song. I can dream. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I guess my point is that people like Lady Gaga aren't hurting for exposure. People like Leonard Cohen maybe need some help in terms of a more diverse audience being aware of their work. I think with Hallelujah, Cohen is equal in exposure to Gaga at this point. That more people haven't sought out his work is not an indicator of whether he is recognizible or not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 An annoying song by an important person is not any better than an annoying song by someone you think is annoying. Someone who loves Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake does not objectively have better taste than someone who prefers Alicia Keys or Lady Gaga. I couldn't agree more with with your first sentence. I'm sure Dylan has written a lot of songs that are worse, and more annoying, than "I'm Too Sexy For My Pants." One could make the argument that being exposed to the music of Leonard Cohen or Nick Drake is more likely to be a gateway towards critically acclaimed music* than being exposed to the music of Alicia Keys or Lady Gaga. In that sense, I'm ok with music by artists I respect being used in commercials. *Critically acclaimed music is sometimes quite awful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Aerosmith was my gateway to popular music. If it gets you listening, that's fine. The idea that one should only listen to inherently 'good' music - that it is somehow 'better' for you - is crap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Aerosmith was my gateway to popular music. If it gets you listening, that's fine. The idea that one should only listen to inherently 'good' music - that it is somehow 'better' for you - is crap. Hey Aerosmith kicks ass (or did at one time, anyway). For me, it was Casey Casem's American Top 40, circa early '80s. I specifically remember liking Hall & Oates and John Fogerty. I had a lot of Kiss records before that, but I think I thought of them more as toys than music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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