Notes for 4/12/07
- I have a piece in Flagpole this week on Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! It's working similar themes as the article I linked in the post above, but maybe makes the negative points a bit more clearly and specifically. The comments I've gotten so far seem to be missing the point, which is essentially the 4th paragraph.- The likihood of there not being a post next week is fairly high, as I will be preparing for my EMP presentation. If you're going to be in Seattle next weekend, say hi!
posted by Mike B. @ 12:14 PM
5 Comments:
Hi,
I just read your abstract for the EMP conference and I must say you've picked an interesting topic. The influence of Buckley's version is especially strong here in Norway. Not only does buying his Grace album seem to have become some kind of rite of passage for the average Univerity student, it also seems to be the one record that every non-record buying person owns.
Last year, a group consisting of two ex-Norwegian Idol contestants (one of them the only World Idol winner to date: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Idol), a one-time Prince-wannabe turned producer, and a fourth guy recorded a live version of "Hallelujah" based on Buckley's - taking turns singing the verses. The subsequent record (http://www.platekompaniet.no/cdproduct.asp?id=82876865672) named after the song went on the become the biggest selling album in Norway last year - almost solely on the strength of "Hallelujah".
Norwegians seem to have a panchant for melancholy and sadness in music (I have some theories as to why, one being that most Norwegians are to such a large degree economically and socially secure that expressions of lost or unrequited love is one of a few, for lack of a better word, grievances they can relate to). Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" appears to have struck a chord with this inclination for expressions of sadness, while Cohen's version remains almost unrecognized, even in a country where Cohen is very popular.
I'm sorry about this rather long comment, but what I mean to ask you is do you have any plans to post a version of your presentation on the web? I'd be very interested in reading what you have to say.
Best,
Chris
Thanks! That's really helpful, actually. I would love to be able to have the resources to do a survey where you asked people who originally performed the song--I've heard lots of anecdotal evidence that people think it's Buckley.
Also, in going through and cataloguing all the different cover versions of the song, there's lots of them where I look at the artist name and have really no idea who it is. (There are a lot of jazz covers.) I think the one you're talking about fell into that category, so that's good to know.
I hope to post it once it's been presented.
I hope your presentation and visit to Seattle proved to be a wonderful time.
I have the joy of serving as manager to an independent artist whose recorded and live version of "Hallelujah" has reached many people, and causes me to hear much about the song from folks all 'round the globe.
The song itself is glorious. And while it's not nearly the most covered of Leonard Cohen's songs - Hallelujah is the song of his which seems to resonate most loudly today with a broad audience.
The marketing of songs by the modern recording and music publishing industries is a fascinating trail - and, methinks, the "sad sack" status which you cite is formed of less natural, and more ephemeral, substance than is the song itself.
The version I hear most often has been described as "a radiant, rousing, celebratory rendition" - fitting in its own way for a song Leonard Cohen has described as "rather joyous".
Please do post what you can. I'm very interested in what you have to say, esp as that Buckley version grates on my damn nerves.
...and, please do post a recording of your version, if you can; reclaiming "Hallelujah" from its "sad-sack" status sounds great!
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