Leonard Cohen’s official video for his live performance of Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen, the legendary Canadian singer, poet and songwriter best known for his song “Hallelujah” as well as for his rumbling bass voice and dark, introspective lyrics that gave subtle insight into a range of profound feelings.
During a career that began in the 1950s and spanned more than more than five decades, Cohen wielded an inestimable influence on subsequent generations of artists. Compared in impact to the likes of Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, Cohen’s lyrics were a daring counterpoint to the normal range of pop music topics, often touching on subjects such as religion, politics, loneliness, sexuality, the horrors of war, and personal relationships. One of his particular gifts as a poet was the ability to write in such a way that his words could remain open to vast interpretation, helping Cohen to defy categorization while remaining the object of obsession for fans as distinct as goths, folk music lovers, rock completists, and more.
Cohen was also notable for the impact his songs had on film and television. Robert Altman gave the singer/songwriter his first major film exposure in the 1971 McCabe & Mrs. Miller, whose soundtrack included “Sisters Of Mercy,” “The Stranger Song” and “Winter Lady.” Cohen’s best known song in that regard is “Hallelujah,” a darkly romantic ballad from his 1984 album “Various Positions.” Subject to numerous interpretations, it has been covered by more than 300 artists, notably Jeff Buckley on his 1994 album “Grace,” generally regarded as the definitive version of the song after Cohen’s original.
Click the link below to download Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah Video: