Hallelujah

“Hallelujah” was originally written and composed over the course of a year, and is said to have been a frustrating and difficult process for Cohen.^[1] Cohen says he wrote at least eighty verses, discarding most of them in the process of crafting the song. Cohen is quoted as saying:

“

I filled two notebooks and I remember being in the Royalton Hotel [in New York], on the carpet in my underwear, banging my head on the floor and saying, ‘I can’t finish this song.’[2]

”

Cohen first recorded the song at Quadrasonic Sound, New York in June 1984, working with producer John Lissauer. The next recording of this song by Leonard Cohen was captured live in Austin, Texas on October 31, 1988 with production by Leanne Ungar and Bob Metzger.

Buy Leonard Cohen Various Positions HERE

The original recording is noted for containing biblical references in the lyrics, alluding to David‘s harp-playing used to soothe King Saul (I Sam 16:23), and his later affair with Bathsheba after watching her bathe from his roof (2 Sam 11:2). The line “she broke your throne and she cut your hair” is a reference to the source of Samson‘s strength from the Book of Judges chapter 16. The third verse mentions “the name” (Tetragrammaton). In these instances, the lyrics are overtly sexual. Jeff Buckley called his own rendition of the song a homage to “the hallelujah of the orgasm“.^[4]

In 1994, Cohen released a substantially different version on the 1994 live album Cohen Live, retaining only the final verse from the original recording. In this version, the lyrics became more sexual, and the song’s structure was slightly reworked. Since his original studio album version, live performances by Leonard Cohen almost invariably include the final song verses not performed by Cale and many others. Many cover artists mix lyrics from both versions, and occasionally make direct lyric changes such as Rufus Wainwright singing “holy dark” and Allison Crowe singing “Holy Ghost” rather than “holy dove”. Although individual words do change among various versions, apart from such examples of clear revision by interpreters, any variation may be due to selection from Cohen’s complete lyrics rather than alterations by the cover artist.

Buy Jeff Buckley “Grace” HERE

Buy Katherine Jenkins “Sacred Arias” HERE

Creation

Scottish music industry mogul Alan McGee called time on his illustrious career last month – via a Facebook status update.

Speaking to BBC 6 Music this week, McGee said: “It was on my Facebook. My status said: ‘Glad I’m not a manager any more, I really recommend it.'”

McGee, who spent 25 years in the music business, running Creation Records and working with the likes of Oasis, the Libertines and the Charlatans, revealed his reasons for bowing out: “I stopped doing the record company about a year or two ago because I think they’re pointless things, like dinosaurs or trams or something. I think I’m a man of the times, kind of like Tony Wilson really. We don’t really have a place in the music industry anymore because we actually like music.”

McGee added: “I think the prerequisite for being in the music industry is not liking music and playing the corporate game, agreeing with your boss.”

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Source www.uncut.co.uk

Alan McGee was best known as the founder of Creation Records. Named after his favourite band The Creation it was his second tip of the hat to the band having already named his earlier own band after one of their songs “Biff Bang Pow”

Buy music by The Creation HERE

Here they are on German TV with the brilliant “Making Time”

Cover Story – To Love Somebody

“To Love Somebody” was the second single from The Bee Gees third album Bee Gees’ 1st released in 1967 the album is I believe presently unavailable on CD.

This track is without doubt my favourite B Gibb/R Gibb composition which is perhaps not surprising given that their manager Robert Stigwood asked them to come up with a song for Otis Redding who died in a plane crash before he could record it.

Covered by hundreds of artists, most notably Nina Simone (1969 single and album To Love Somebody), Janis Joplin (on the 1969 album I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!), Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, The Animals, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Billy Corgan, Bonnie Tyler, Ace Of Base, Jimmy Somerville (UK #8), Tom Jones, Simply Red, Blue Rodeo, Jimmy Barnes, Michael Bolton ( Billboard #11 pop, #1 adult contemporary), Slobberbone, Gallon Drunk and Silver Ginger 5, it has become one of the most famous Gibb compositions.

Here is a super live version from Ray LaMontagne

To Love Somebody – Ray LaMontagne MP3

Here are the Bee Gees