Why Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” Endures as the Perfect Christmas Song
“Hallelujah” was written in 1984 by Leonard Cohen. The version written by John Cale achieved more commercial success. A version by Jeff Buckley in 2004 was ranked number 259 in the Rolling Stone top 500 Christmas songs of all time. However, “Hallelujah” is the perfect song for Christmas. Think of it this way: the King of the Universe was born in a smelly stable. Do you think it is?
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
“Hallelujah” is so popular that it was in the 2001 movie, “Shrek,” that propelled the song to international fame. In all, the song has been recorded more than 300 times. It achieved a bump in popularity after Leonard Cohen’s death in November 2016, when it entered the Billboard Hot One Hundred for the first time.
Cohen is supposed to have written between 80 and 180 drafts of the song. Cohen claimed to have written 150 versions of “Hallelujah,” and it took him five years to write the final version of the song. In one famous writing session in New York’s Royalton Hotel. Cohen was said to be sitting on the floor in his underwear, surrounded by notebooks, while banging his head on the floor.
Unlike other famous songs, “Hallelujah” was not initially popular. In fact, it did not gain popularity until the John Cale cover in 1991, and the song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 until Cohen died in 2016. According to The Guardian, Columbia Records reportedly told Cohen, “We know you are great, but don’t know if you are any good yet.”
Once “Hallelujah” got some acclaim, it got a lot of acclaim. In 2008, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the song, the BBC had an hour-long special detailing the many versions of the song. The song was named one of the top ten songs of all time by the British magazine Q, and Rolling Stone named it one of the top 500 songs of all time, ranking 74th in 2011. In 2005, “Hallelujah” was ranked in the top ten Canadian songs of all time.
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen was born on September 21, 1934, and he died on November 7, 2016. He was a Canadian songwriter, poet, and novelist. He has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters and Music Halls of Fame, and he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, Rolling Stone named him the 103rd greatest artist of all time.
Cohen tried to be a poet (internal link) and a Novelist in the 1950s. He did not begin his music career until 1966. Before 1979, he wrote four albums, the last of which was with Phil Spector. “Hallelujah “ was a song on Cohen’s seventh album, released in 1984, called Various Positions. His fifteenth and final album was released posthumously in 2019.
Cohen had leukemia, but the proximate cause of his death was a fall. He died in his sleep that night. The following day, there were numerous tributes, including on Saturday Night Live, where “Hallelujah” was performed.
Conclusion
“Hallelujah” is unusual among great songs in that it was initially not that popular. The story of his tortured writing of the song is ironic, given that the song was so popular. Cohen was an experienced songwriter by the time the song was released in 1984. This song was far from his only hit. The song is perfect for Christmas.
