Leonard Cohen song to be Christmas No. 1?

To be fair Mike, she has a fair attempt at it. And Len needs the money, so good news all round really!

I think there is no doubt it will be No 1 at Christmas. I watched the final last night with my kids and I have to say I think the public voted a real star (within the context of the programme) as the winner. If she is well managed and picks good songs I think she will go onto to be a world superstar.

And yes good money for Len, which makes it all the nicer. And it is a great song with a seasonal feel.

I think for the last 3-4 weeks she has really moved up a gear and agree she is superstar material. She was the only one IMO that had talent. Thought she was superb with Beyonce and held her ground well. In the earlier parts of the series she danced well and sang well but didn't show emotion and was quite wooden, she certainly isn't now.

Great family programme

The whole X factor machine to pick someone who's mum was in Soul II Soul and is best mates with Joss Stone allegedly.

Can't fault her for those facts and she is undoubtedly talented but surely with those connections and that talent she was halfway to success already. Is'nt it all a bit predictable?

This idea that some unheard of hidden talent can be plucked from obscurity....Bring back the 'clapometer'....(or does that mean something different these days?.

Hrrumph!

Graeme

If a modern day Leonard Cohen entered an X-factor type competition, would he stand any chance of winning?
Matt.

quote:

If a modern day Leonard Cohen entered an X-factor type competition, would he stand any chance of winning?

Possibly not - mainly on the grounds of being too talented & creative I'd imagine ?

Simon and the gang are after the usual production line clone of some teen who scrubs up well , says the right things and who can be manufactured & packaged to sell to general public who only has the brain capacity to cope with 'here today & gone tomorrow'

Saying that the lass that won could at least sing and I don't particularly see Simon Cowell as some kind of musical anti-christ - he's doing what he does best.

The public gets what the public .... {you know the rest}

Seems to me that TV really does have ability to ruin whatever it gets its fangs into, including the Christamas week Number One.

Personally I think the song is utterly depressing as well. It has been brodcast far too much already, and I find it hard to believe that it is the work of a musical genius.

George

George

This won't necessarily change your mind, but it's a much better verson than the X Factor one (and, arguably, better than Leonard Cohen's original):

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

Also, I like the words - Cohen was a published poet and novelist before he got into the music business:

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

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was 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

Finally, I'm glad this will make "Laughing Lenny" a bob or two - he got screwed by his agent a few years ago, and lost a lot of money.

Regards
Nigel

Dear Nigel,

That is the version being plugged on Virgin/Absolute [crap] Radio at the mo, and is what I have to put up with when I fail to get the cricket commentary put on!

And unfortunately it does not convince me.

If the Christmas number one has to be a depressing, bitingly ironic, and dark, then at least add in the humour that the Pogues brought to it!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff3aoSyYOVs

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by manicatel:
If a modern day Leonard Cohen entered an X-factor type competition, would he stand any chance of winning?
Matt.

I saw LC ( twice ) a couple of weeks ago; he was simply superb. Both gigs coincided with hay fever attacks.

Ahem.

quote:

Dear Nigel,

That is the version being plugged on Virgin/Absolute [crap] Radio at the mo, and is what I have to put up with when I fail to get the cricket commentary put on!

And unfortunately it does not convince me.

Fair enough George - just wanted to be sure you'd heard the song at it's best. Would this be a good time to admit that I've never liked the Besatles?!

Regards
Nigel

The X factor one is crap. So is Buckley's. I didn't know Leonard Cohen suffered from hayfever and Wogan will be the Xmas number 1.

Dear Nigel,

The Beatles were around when I was a little kid, and so seem part of my childhood, but looking back, I can't find the excitement over them that many do! I love some of the songs, mostly based on the memories that suround them ...

I am equally fond of Frankie Howard singing Three Little Fishes, for exactly the same reason!

Mostly I don't have the patience with popular music that I once did, and it is a good thing that I heard Alleujah before realising it was a by the legendary Cohen. It freed my perception from the expectation that it ought to please me! I have otherwise never knowingly listened to Cohen the composer or Cohen the performer, so really I would go on reputation of greatness.

I live and learn.

ATB from George

Bob

The hay fever attacks where suffered by me; when he played eg. The Partisan, FBR, Suzanne, Gypsy Wife ( sheer bliss )

quote:

Originally posted by droodzilla:
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah.....

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

What a great, great song ... Cohen is a master.

But what the hell has this song got to do with Christmas?!

For that matter, why are people always asking for it at memorial services? I guess the tone is a little more appropriate for that than Xmas, but don't people ever read the lyric?

Cohen has written some brilliant songs. As a performer he is decidedly an acquired taste, but for me the best Cohen is his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, with The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, Winter Lady,, Suzanne, and Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye, the first three of which were featured in one of my all time favorite films, Robert Altman's McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

The amazing thing about that is that although the songs were not composed for the film, they fit the film better than most songs composed specifically for a film. And I find Cohen's droll performance absolutely perfect, matching the sad and wistful snow covered Pacific Northwest setting, not to mention the muted pastel colors of the film (due to cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond's experimental "flashing" to reduce color saturation).

Altman and Cohen ... it doesn't get much better than that.

All best,
Fred

quote:

hay fever attacks

Ah yes! I am prone to those at moments of extreme emotion too. I may be allergic to salt.

My favourite version of Hallelujah is by K.D.Lang. Stunningly beautiful rendition live this year as well.

KD Langs version & the x-craptor version both make me cry.
For totally opposite reasons.
Matt.

quote:

Its the fastest selling and highest selling download of all time.
She has the Christmas No1 already in the bag.
And with the CD out tomorrow even more sales to come.

Depressing isn't it?

Nope

For sure it is all a by product of the x factor machine BUT this xmas we have a girl with a great voice and a lot of emotion singing a Cohen song for xmas No1. A whole lot better than 80% of the list below IMO. Have a look at how much crap we love at xmas over the years!!!

69 Rolf Harris "Two Little Boys"
1970 Dave Edmunds "I Hear You Knocking" 6
1971 Benny Hill "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)"
1972 Little Jimmy Osmond "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool"
1973 Slade "Merry Xmas Everybody"
1974 Mud "Lonely This Christmas"
1975 Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1976 Johnny Mathis "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)"
1977 Wings "Mull of Kintyre"
1978 Boney M "Mary's Boy Child" / "Oh My Lord"
1979 Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall
1980 St Winifred's School Choir "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma"
1981 The Human League "Don't You Want Me"
1982 Renée and Renato "Save Your Love"
1983 The Flying Pickets "Only You"
1984 Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1985 Shakin' Stevens "Merry Christmas Everyone"
1986 Jackie Wilson "Reet Petite"
1987 Pet Shop Boys "Always on My Mind"
1988 Cliff Richard "Mistletoe and Wine"
1989 Band Aid II "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990 Cliff Richard "Saviour's Day" 1
1991 Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1992 Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You"
1993 Mr Blobby "Mr Blobby"
1994 East 17 "Stay Another Day"
1995 Michael Jackson "Earth Song"
1996 Spice Girls "2 Become 1"
1997 Spice Girls "Too Much"
1998 Spice Girls "Goodbye"
1999 Westlife "I Have A Dream"
2000 Bob The Builder "Can We Fix It?"
2001 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman "Somethin' Stupid"
2002 Girls Aloud "Sound Of The Underground"
2003 Michael Andrews & Gary Jules "Mad World"
2004 Band Aid 20 "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005 Shayne Ward "That's My Goal"
2006 Leona Lewis "A Moment Like This"
2007 Leon Jackson "When You Believe"

quote:

Originally posted by Simon Matthews:
For sure it is all a by product of the x factor machine BUT this xmas we have a girl with a great voice and a lot of emotion singing a Cohen song for xmas No1. A whole lot better than 80% of the list below IMO.

Simon I agree with you.

Not my favourite but I'd say it was higher than 80%

quote:

Originally posted by Simon Matthews:

1969 Rolf Harris "Two Little Boys"
1970 Dave Edmunds "I Hear You Knocking" 6
1971 Benny Hill "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)"
1972 Little Jimmy Osmond "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool"
1973 Slade "Merry Xmas Everybody"
1974 Mud "Lonely This Christmas"
1975 Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1976 Johnny Mathis "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)"
1977 Wings "Mull of Kintyre"
1978 Boney M "Mary's Boy Child" / "Oh My Lord"
1979 Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall
1980 St Winifred's School Choir "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma"
1981 The Human League "Don't You Want Me"
1982 Renée and Renato "Save Your Love"
1983 The Flying Pickets "Only You"
1984 Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1985 Shakin' Stevens "Merry Christmas Everyone"
1986 Jackie Wilson "Reet Petite"
1987 Pet Shop Boys "Always on My Mind"
1988 Cliff Richard "Mistletoe and Wine"
1989 Band Aid II "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990 Cliff Richard "Saviour's Day" 1
1991 Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1992 Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You"
1993 Mr Blobby "Mr Blobby"
1994 East 17 "Stay Another Day"
1995 Michael Jackson "Earth Song"
1996 Spice Girls "2 Become 1"
1997 Spice Girls "Too Much"
1998 Spice Girls "Goodbye"
1999 Westlife "I Have A Dream"
2000 Bob The Builder "Can We Fix It?"
2001 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman "Somethin' Stupid"
2002 Girls Aloud "Sound Of The Underground"
2003 Michael Andrews & Gary Jules "Mad World"
2004 Band Aid 20 "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005 Shayne Ward "That's My Goal"
2006 Leona Lewis "A Moment Like This"
2007 Leon Jackson "When You Believe"

Some great records in that list - didn't know Christmas was so rocking. The first three are absolute gems and perhaps set a standard too high to maintain.

BigH47

After a more detail appraisal and with some deeper statistical analysis I would say that the track is mathematically proveable to being better than 87.2% of the tracks listed.