I know, this song has been covered forty jillion times. But you know what I’d never heard before now? Leonard Cohen’s original version. Here it is:
Different from what you’re used to, right? Here’s a live version that’s a bit more like what you’ve heard before. There was a great article on the interwebs a few years ago that I’ve linked to before that discussed this song’s journey and how everyone is really covering Jeff Buckley, but it’s been moved around and I didn’t feel like hunting for it. This Atlantic story will give you a good historic overview if you want it. Anyway, speaking of Jeff Buckley, here’s his iconic version:
Rest in peace, Jeff. Here’s John Cale, whose version is what you heard in the movie Shrek:
They also included a Rufus Wainwright cover on the soundtrack, and off it went into pop music history. You got a few hours to kill, climb down the YouTube rabbit hole for Hallelujah covers.
(Out of order again. I’ll be back where I should have been next week.)