Alan Light

I may never have gotten to sleep with Leonard Cohen (a life goal) but I did get to see him interviewed live in a small venue in Toronto. It was the highlight of my month. Never have I seen a person with so much talent be so incredibly humble--and that made him sexier than 99% of men. This book is a sociological/anthroplogical analysis of the song Hallelujah accessible and engaging to anyone whose ever been moved by the piece. Bypassing musical jargon and not allowing itself to get bogged down in technical details, this is about the humanity behind the man, the song and those who love it. Leonard Cohen you will be missed.… (altro)

Excellent book about the development and history of Leonard Cohen's incredible song, Hallelujah." The many versions of the song which have been done and its undying popularity around the world are chronicled, including commentary by some who have recorded the song. Many groups, singers and bands from across several genre of music have used this song and include it in their regular concerts, yet it was ignored and pretty much lay dormant for several years after its creation and Cohen himself has continuously tinkered with it throughout its history.
The artist, Jeff Buckley included his cover of John Cale's version on his debut (and only) album, and the book includes the story of Buckley and of his rendition's impact on the song.
I have read Alan Light's books and articles in the past and find him a knowledgable and passionate music critic whose judgments are dependable and accurate, and this book was just another example of his fine scholarship and work.… (altro)

Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is one of a handful of modern day songs that has a history worthy of a 200 page book. The painstaking toil Cohen put into the lyrical precision of every verse, the song's obscure beginnings on a Cohen album all but destined to be ignored, John Cale and Jeff Buckley creating their own arrangements that nudged the song into the limelight, and the years that followed as the song became one of the most revered and covered songs in popular music (everyone from kd lang and Neil Diamond to Justin Timberlake and Bon Jovi. Susan Boyle seems to be the one responsible for completely missing the boat as far as interpreting the song is concerned.)

All of that is here, and then some. Light does a fine job of capturing the stories that align with the song, as well as the lives of Cohen and Buckley. It's fascinating to watch how the song's reemergence opened it up to an international audience. It's frustrating to read about the scores of people - audiences and artists alike - who assumed it was Buckley's composition. And it's a bit of a letdown at the end of the book to read about the song's over saturation, and the "American Idolization" of the song. The song, perhaps, needs a rest, so that it can retain its power as one of the dozen or so best songs of contemporary music.

A quick read, a must-read for Cohen fans. Most of all, it makes one want to listen to the very best versions of the song. For me, that's Cohen's live interpretation (try the 2012 Live in London version) and Jeff Buckley.… (altro)