{"id":506,"date":"2018-06-06T04:12:45","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T22:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivanigreppi.wordpress.com\/?p=506"},"modified":"2022-09-16T02:54:41","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T02:54:41","slug":"the-sentimental-irony-of-the-song-hallelujah-spiritual-or-secular-holy-or-profane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/2018\/06\/06\/the-sentimental-irony-of-the-song-hallelujah-spiritual-or-secular-holy-or-profane\/","title":{"rendered":"THE SENTIMENTAL IRONY OF THE SONG HALLELUJAH: SPIRITUAL OR SECULAR? HOLY OR PROFANE?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"cohen\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s praised in secular and religious circles alike. Sung at weddings and funerals. It\u2019s a song on the movie Shrek\u2019s<\/em> soundtrack.<\/p>\n

\"shrek<\/p>\n

Catholic Cardinals tweet out lines from this song. Protestants sing it in sanctuaries.<\/p>\n

It was even used as an emotional tribute on Saturday Night Live to Hilary Clinton after her presidential candidacy loss.<\/p>\n

\"kate-mckinnon-hallelujah-snl1\"<\/p>\n

The original song was written and performed by Leonard Cohen on the album \u201cVarious Positions<\/em>\u201d over thirty years ago. Since its inception, there are multiple versions and recordings of Hallelujah<\/em> available today. Some Christian artists even swap the lyrics for \u201cworship\u201d purposes.<\/p>\n

\"220px-Various_Positions\"<\/p>\n

WHO WAS LEONARD COHEN?<\/strong>
\nCohen was a Canadian singer-songwriter inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame<\/em> in 2008. He was ordained as a Buddhist Zen monk, but continued to consider himself Jewish. An article in the Vancouver Sun<\/em> describes Cohen as a \u201cmischievous spiritual pragmatist, drawn to whatever enlivened him.\u201d Cohen once said, \u201cAnything, Roman Catholicism, Buddhism, LSD, I\u2019m for anything that works.\u201d Cohen died at the age of 82 in 2016.<\/p>\n

HALLELUJAH<\/strong>
\nHallelujah was first released in 1984 with limited success. It gained popularity in the 1990\u2019s cover by John Cale, and later Jeff Buckley. Hallelujah has been performed by almost 200 artists in various languages. It is the subject of the book \u201cThe Holy or the<\/em> Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and the Unlikely Ascent of \u2018Hallelujah<\/em>\u2019, written by Alan Light.<\/p>\n

\"holy<\/p>\n

Cohen wrote 80 draft verses for this song where at one writing session \u201che was reduced to sitting on the floor in his underwear, banging his head on the floor.\u201d The song was praised in a New York Times<\/em> review by critic Janet Maslin: \u201cCohen spent years struggling with his song Hallelujah<\/em> which became one of the most oft-performed songs in American musical history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like so many, I was wooed by this beautiful musical composition. Captivated by the Hallelujah chorus, I barely paid any attention to the lyrics. Sure, I picked up a word here or there: \u201cDavid, pleased the Lord, faith was strong, God above<\/em>\u201d. But what fascinated me most was the popularity of a song praising God in secular culture. After all, doesn\u2019t Hallelujah mean \u201cGod be praised\u201d?<\/p>\n

The question of why this song appealed to such contrasting demographics made me pay attention to the lyrics.<\/p>\n

Hallelujah<\/em> by Leonard Cohen:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I’ve heard there was a secret chord
\nThat David played, and it pleased the Lord
\nBut you don’t really care for music, do you?
\nIt goes like this, the fourth, the fifth<\/p>\n

The minor fall, the major lift
\nThe baffled king composing Hallelujah<\/p>\n

Hallelujah<\/p>\n

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
\nYou saw her bathing on the roof
\nHer beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
\nShe tied you to a kitchen chair
\nShe broke your throne, and she cut your hair
\nAnd from your lips she drew the Hallelujah<\/p>\n

Hallelujah<\/p>\n

You say I took the name in vain
\nI don’t even know the name
\nBut if I did, well really, what’s it to you?
\nThere’s a blaze of light in every word
\nIt doesn’t matter which you heard
\nThe holy or the broken Hallelujah<\/p>\n

Hallelujah<\/p>\n

I did my best, it wasn’t much
\nI couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
\nI’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you
\nAnd even though it all went wrong
\nI’ll stand before the lord of song
\nWith nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah<\/p>\n

Hallelujah\u201d<\/p>\n

A Rolling Stone<\/em> article titled \u201cHow Leonard Cohen\u2019s Hallelujah Brilliantly Mingled Sex<\/em>, Religion<\/em>\u201d explains how Cohen\u2019s career had reached a low point when he wrote this song. After Bob Dylan, John Cale, and Jeff Buckley\u2019s renditions, \u201ccreated a huge cult around this song, it\u2019s since been covered by everybody from Bono to Bon Jovi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cohen is quoted in this article regarding the religious element of the song: \u201cIt had references to the Bible in it, although these references became more and more remote as the song went from the beginning to the end. Finally, I understood that it was not necessary to refer to the Bible anymore. And I rewrote this song; this is the \u2018secular\u2019 Hallelujah<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolling Stone\u2019s<\/em> description of the song\u2019s \u201csignature prayer-like incantation,\u201d explains its alluring spell on most listeners.<\/p>\n

The Biblical imagery is powerful, first referring to David\u2019s musical gifts and spiritual power in 1 Samuel 16:23 (KJV): \u201cAnd it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"david<\/p>\n

But on the next line, Cohen, reminds his listener that \u201cyou don\u2019t really care for music, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour faith was strong but you needed proof.\u201d David\u2019s lust for Bathsheba found in 2 Samuel 11:2 comes up next, \u201cAnd it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: And from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"30211-bathsheba.800w.tn\"<\/p>\n

Sexual imagery climaxes when Cohen changes to the story of Samson and Delilah: \u201cShe tied you to a kitchen chair; she broke your throne, she cut your hair; and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"samson-and-delilah-jose-echenagusia\"<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say I took the Name in vain; I don\u2019t even know the name. But if I did, well really, what’s it to you?\u201d This line gave me pause. Is Cohen talking to God here? \u201cI did my best; it wasn\u2019t much; I\u2019ve told the truth, I didn\u2019t come to fool you.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Cohen\u2019s acceptance speech into the Songwriters Hall of Fame<\/em>, he said, \u201cI wanted to push the Hallelujah<\/em> deep into the secular world, into the ordinary world. The Hallelujah<\/em>, the David’s Hallelujah<\/em>, was still a religious song. So, I wanted to indicate that Hallelujah can come out of things that have nothing to do with religion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cohen once said, \u201cBut there are moments when we can transcend the dualistic system and reconcile and embrace the whole mess, and that\u2019s what I mean by Hallelujah<\/em>. The only moment that you can live here comfortably in these absolutely irreconcilable conflicts is in the moment when you embrace it all and you say, \u2018Look, I don\u2019t understand a [expletive] thing at all\u2014Hallelujah!\u2019 That\u2019s the only moment that we live here fully as human beings.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a \u201cThink Christian\u201d article, \u201cThe Generic Genius of Leonard Cohen\u2019s Hallelujah<\/em>\u201d, John J. Thompson discusses Alan Light\u2019s book \u201cThe Holy or the Broken<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Alan Light, describes in his book this \u201cmost influential and misunderstood secular hymn\u201d. Light explains that Cohen, \u201cExplores the juxtaposition of Biblical images (David, Saul, Bathsheba, Samson and Delilah) with shockingly crude sexual references sliding between those universally sing-able choruses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thompson excellently summarizes Hallelujah\u2019s conflicting message in his article: \u201cWe sure seem to love songs and stories that can tickle our spiritual longings without demanding anything of us. Hallelujah doesn\u2019t ask us to believe anything or to respond in any particular way. We can sing the tune, feel something emotional and then move along our own path as if there is no God and no instructions for living and loving in His world. That may not be what Cohen intended, but if Bon Jovi is singing a song about sex and loneliness at a memorial service, that\u2019s what\u2019s happening. On one hand, I\u2019m encouraged that maybe the popularity and universality of a song like Hallelujah points to humanity\u2019s continued hunger for God. However, that that hunger seems to be placated by a song so disconnected from the Gospel is frustrating. No doubt the universality of the song is part of its genius, but I\u2019m not sure that it\u2019s actually praising the Lord if by \u201cpraise\u201d we simply mean \u201csing\u201d and by \u201cLord\u201d we really mean \u201csomething comforting that may or may not really be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cohen is right, \u201cthere\u2019s a blaze of light in every word\u201d. Does it matter than which we hear, \u201cthe holy or the broken hallelujah\u201d? It doesn’t as far as Cohen is concerned.<\/p>\n

\"brokenBut as Christians, we must ask for God’s discernment in our walk even when listening to beautiful sounding songs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.\u00a0Romans 12:2 (ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n

REFERENCES:<\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/vancouversun.com\/opinion\/columnists\/douglas-todd-leonard-cohen-jewish-buddhist-and-christian-too<\/p>\n

https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Leonard_Cohen<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/news\/exclusive-book-excerpt-leonard-cohen-writes-Hallelujah-in-the-holy-or-the-broken-20121203<\/p>\n

https:\/\/thinkchristian.reframemedia.com\/the-generic-genius-of-leonard-cohens-Hallelujah<\/p>\n

~~~<\/strong>0~~~ <\/strong><\/p>\n

Many thanks for taking time to read or even share the above post. For similar posts and more about myself and friends, please see the below links! God bless you! Ivani Greppi.<\/p>\n

LINKS FOR IVANI GREPPI:<\/p>\n

Blog <\/a>
\nYouTube Channel<\/a>
\nFacebook<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018\u2026 write the vision; make it clear.\u2019 Habakkuk 2:2<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"Ivani<\/div>\n

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During Cohen\u2019s acceptance speech into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he said, \u201cI wanted to push the Hallelujah deep into the secular world, into the ordinary world. The Hallelujah, the David’s Hallelujah, was still a religious song. So, I wanted to indicate that Hallelujah can come out of things that have nothing to do with religion.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1,173],"tags":[200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=506"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1391,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506\/revisions\/1391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ivanigreppi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}