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Alexander Burke - Hallelujah - Christmas Number 1

Leonard Cohen - Poet - Writer of Hallelujah

Hallelujah Number 1, 2 and 36 in the UK Singles Charts 2008 – Hallelujah Alexander Burke - Jeff Buckley - John Cale - Leonard Cohen Youtube – Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah dominates the Top 40

Hallelujah dominates the Top 40

The Alexander Burke X-Factor version of the Leonard Cohen song Hallelujah has grabbed the Christmas number 1 slot in the UK singles charts. Second Place has been taken by the great Jeff Buckley cover of Hallelujah and the writers version by Leonard Cohen has crept in at number 36. All that was missing was John Cale’s truly amazing version of this song to complete the picture.

A somewhat predictable out-come, as Alexander was the winner of this year’s X-Factor, TV talent show. That makes it 4 years in a row that the winner’s single from X-Factor has stolen the coveted Christmas number 1 spot.

1# Shayne Ward: “That’s My Goal”. - 2# Leona Lewis: “A Moment Like This”. -
3# Leon Jackson: “When You Believe”. - 4# Alexander Burke: “Hallelujah”.

Which makes it seemingly appear, that marketability wins over spontaneity in the yearly race to the Christmas number one spot for top single, ever since the X-Factor programme burst onto our screens.

This year’s song, Hallelujah was written by poetic legend, Leonard Cohen and the high profile exposure highlights the songs pure brilliance. Hallelujah is an affirmation of life, love, the craft of the musician and the song itself.

Originally 80 verses long, Hallelujah took Leonard Cohen almost 5 years to complete and whittle down to an acceptable recording length. Hallelujah has also been covered by Bob Dylan which is true homage to the universal importance and power of this song.

All of Cohen’s ardent fans were well aware of the poignancy of Hallelujah, but being the chosen song as single release from this years X-Factor, has catapulted the cult like status of Cohen’s poetic genius into the mainstream audience.

Hallelujah is a stunning song, mixing the spiritual with the sensual, and the lyrics can be interpreted as both, or either. The lyrics have strong sexual connotations and also great religious imagery and a sense of higher love. It is a truly powerful and highly emotional song which rouses the senses. Sounding Gospel in it’s roots, Hallelujah is a perfect Christmas song and one that I’m sure will feature year after year from this day forth.

It is HMV’s fastest selling download ever and the fastest selling song ever by a female UK artist. That’s down to the amazing song mainly, combined with the massive exposure that X-Factor has given it. Hallelujah sees it’s writer, Leonard Cohen, sitting at number 36 in this weeks single charts; Jeff Buckley at number 2 and Alexander Burke at the number 1 Christmas spot with the very, same song, Hallelujah.

This highly unusual occurrence speaks for itself and highlights the writings of Leonard Cohen and has given them the major recognition that they so rightly deserve.-

Alexander Burke - Hallelujah

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

Leonard Cohen writer of Hallelujah

John Cale - Hallelujah

Lyrics - Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen

Now, I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain
I don’t even know the name
But if I did, well really, what’s it to you?
There’s a blaze of light in every word
It doesn’t matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

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