When Leonard Cohen wrote “Hallelujah” back in 1984, the world didn’t take immediate notice. And the song only began its journey toward becoming a classic when it was later recorded by John Cale and Jeff Buckley. Now, it’s one of the more widely covered songs out there. Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang, Bono, Willie Nelson, Alexandra Burke — they’ve all paid homage to the song. So have lesser-known musicians too, like this street musician, Petr Spatina, who recorded a version with crystal glass. Be sure to watch it all the way through.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletter, please find it here.
If you would like to support the mission of Open Culture, consider making a donation to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your contributions will help us continue providing the best free cultural and educational materials to learners everywhere. You can contribute through PayPal, Patreon, and Venmo (@openculture). Thanks!
via @Pogue
Related Leonard Cohen Material:
Leonard Cohen Recounts “How I Got My Song,” or When His Love Affair with Music Began
Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen, a 1965 Documentary
Leonard Cohen Reads “The Future” (Not Safe for Work)
Watch Lian Lunson’s 2005 documentary, Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man
Actually, he has a name: Petr Spatina
why “nameless”?
The song first appeared on Various Positions, released in 1984; it was not released in 1964.
love your site. i think hallelujeah was written around 1984 not 1964
that is beautiful. a stunning version.
i had the song sung at my wedding and am always saying it a Leonard Cohen song not a Jeff Buckley one.
a few years ago it was used as winner’s single in britain’s x-factor and so became popular again over here. two weeks later our choir sang it at christmas mass, in gaelic (irish national language)it was stunning also.
if this were true then this guy would be a genius
Truly awe-inspiring! I love Leonard Cohen, I love the song, and I have never heard such beautiful sounds until now. Are you going to remain a street artist, or do you have other plans? Thank you SO much for sharing!
I devour the information you present. Thank you!
soleful.
How could anyone forget K.D. Lang’s version of this classic! The best!!!!!
Amused. This is a dark erotic song lately adopted by a lot of staid people who never read the lyrics or think past the title or its steady churchy pacing. Is it really religious as people suppose? Perhaps, but it’s certainly not churchy any more than the Kama Sutra is a catalog.