(Jewish Group) A new documentary gives 'Hallelujah' back to Leonard Cohen, and to Judaism
Leonard Cohen wrote around 150 verses to “Hallelujah,” or so the scholars claim.
The beloved Canadian folk singer, who fused Jewish mysticism with pop mythology for a global audience, wrote several hit songs over his 50-year career, including many, such as “Who By Fire” and “You Want It Darker,” that are unmistakably Jewish in content. But none of them were as successful, or as pored-over, as “Hallelujah,” which has been covered around 300 times and played at weddings, funerals, church services and every possible occasion in between.
With its allusions to King David and Samson and Delilah, questioning of a higher purpose and obscure but tantalizing lyrics, few works by a Jewish artist have been subject to so much scrutiny and interpretation — much to the bafflement of its composer.
The new documentary “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” does not recount all 150 verses, despite how fervently some of Cohen’s more devout acolytes may long to hear their minor falls and major lifts. But it does play “Hallelujah” many, many times, and allows some of the artists who have covered it, including Brandi Carlile and Rufus Wainwright, to explain what the song has meant to them.
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