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All lyrics to Cohen's Hallelujah?

poq — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:47:26 -0800

What are all the 15 verses of Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah? Here's a new question on a song that's been asked about before.

The Wikipedia article on this wondrous song quotes John Cale:

"After I saw [Cohen] perform at the Beacon I asked if I could have the lyrics to "Hallelujah". When I got home one night there were fax paper rolls everywhere because Leonard had insisted on supplying all 15 verses."

What are all 15 verses of the song? Even the many covers of the song (blog post, not my blog) seem to adhere mostly to Cale's chosen verses.

Bonus points if there's some canonical order to them!

How is "yeomanry" used in this context?

zorro astor — Sat, 06 May 2006 12:57:31 -0800

Can someone explain a WF Buckley use of the word "yeomanry"? Here is an excerpt from Buckley's review of Galbraith's The Culture of Contentment:

"It is fortunate for Professor Galbraith that he was born with singular gifts as a writer. It is a pity he hasn't used these skills in other ways than to try year after year to bail out his sinking ships. Granted, one can take satisfaction from his anti-historical exertions, and wholesome pleasure from his yeomanry as a sump-pumper. Indeed, his rhythm and grace recall the skills we remember having been developed by Ben-Hur, the model galley slave, whose only request of the quartermaster was that he be allowed every month to move to the other side of the boat, to ensure a parallel development in the musculature of his arms and legs."

I know what a yeoman is. And I am familiar with Yeoman Regiments. But I just don't get the nuance.

Leonard Cohen Hallelujah meaning

Dag Maggot — Fri, 22 Apr 2005 05:53:41 -0800

I really enjoy the song "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, both the original and the Rufus Wainwright remake. I'm planning on playing it at a gig, but can you help me with some lyric interpretation in case someone asks "what the hell was all that about?" It reminds of something from the Da Vinci code. Any idea what the "secret chord" would be? And what's up with that bondage verse?

Here are the lyrics:

I heard there was a secret chord
That david played and it pleased the lord
But you don't really care for music, do you
Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Well 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 her kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Baby i've been here before
I've seen this room and i've walked this floor
I used to live alone before i knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
But love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you
But remember when i moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah

Well, maybe there's a god above
But all i've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
It's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah