God help us.
December 14, 2008 10:55 AM Subscribe
So, the Christmas cash machine that is the X Factor (UK version) has, thankfully, finished. But this year, they have outdone themselves. Hallelujah, the beautiful song written by laughing Len, and made famous by Jeff Buckley [ live version | studio version ] has been destroyed and desecrated recorded by all of the X Factor finalists, with the eventual winner having it released as a UK Christmas single. How about the diva-vocal-gymnastics-with-no-soul version by Alexandra? And, just when it can't get any worse, the boy-band-vocal-gymnastics-with-no-soul-or-tune version by JLS? For the last few years, this is the number one single at Christmas in the UK - but this year they have gone too far. There is a movement (well, Facebook group) to get people to buy the Buckley version at the same time that the X Factor's shocking piece of drivel single is released. Indeed, the Jeff Buckley version is already at no. 43 in the UK single charts (as of Dec 14th). Come on UK Mefites, great music is for life not JUST for Simon Cowell's bank balance Christmas, and on December 15th it's only 89p to stop this travesty (DRM free, as well).
Lyrical highlight - "You don't really care for music, do ya?". Shit sandwich. {Pssst: KD Lang gets it right.}
Lyrical highlight - "You don't really care for music, do ya?". Shit sandwich. {Pssst: KD Lang gets it right.}
This post was deleted for the following reason: Over the top presentation of non-story regarding song we've talked about at ridiculous length previously, with bonus "everybody go buy this thing" exhortation: not really a good post. -- cortex
Bah, sorry for the snark. I just find the whole thing a little bizarre. My apologies.
posted by Manhasset at 11:07 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by Manhasset at 11:07 AM on December 14, 2008
Can somebody tell me why the Buckley version is performed more often?
It seems to me that the Cohen has the actual redemptive line "And even though it all went wrong/I'll stand before the Lord of Song/With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah" compared with the Buckley "How to shoot somebody who outdrew ya" This has bothered me for years.
posted by khaibit at 11:07 AM on December 14, 2008
It seems to me that the Cohen has the actual redemptive line "And even though it all went wrong/I'll stand before the Lord of Song/With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah" compared with the Buckley "How to shoot somebody who outdrew ya" This has bothered me for years.
posted by khaibit at 11:07 AM on December 14, 2008
But this year, they have outdone themselves. Hallelujah, the beautiful song written by laughing Len, and made famous brought to a wider audience by Jeff Buckley...
Fixed that for you. My heartfelt apologies to all laughing Len fans. {group hug}
Unfortunately, buying the LC version tomorrow may make you feel better, but it will NOT get this shite from number one in the UK charts. So, all LC fans, dig deep, grin and bear it. Surely Buckley's version is better thn the dross linked to above, eh?
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:12 AM on December 14, 2008
Fixed that for you. My heartfelt apologies to all laughing Len fans. {group hug}
Unfortunately, buying the LC version tomorrow may make you feel better, but it will NOT get this shite from number one in the UK charts. So, all LC fans, dig deep, grin and bear it. Surely Buckley's version is better thn the dross linked to above, eh?
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:12 AM on December 14, 2008
No problem Manhasset (hey - this is MetaSnark, isn't it?), but I do think that the JB version has genuinely popularised this song wider and further than LC. Sorry.
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:14 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:14 AM on December 14, 2008
We have talked about the many covers and uses of this song here before.
posted by rongorongo at 11:14 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by rongorongo at 11:14 AM on December 14, 2008
I thought FPPs were supposed to be light on the whole.. editorializing.
posted by kbanas at 11:15 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by kbanas at 11:15 AM on December 14, 2008
oh, no, what a sad karaoke-eske arrangement of the song. Alexandra has a majestic voice, and sadly the thing about this arrangement is that it hints at what would happen if a real gospel choir actually did sing it.
posted by By The Grace of God at 11:16 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by By The Grace of God at 11:16 AM on December 14, 2008
It could be worse. It could be a front page post about Strictly Come Dancing.
posted by srboisvert at 11:18 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by srboisvert at 11:18 AM on December 14, 2008
the boy-band-vocal-gymnastics-with-no-soul-or-tune version by JLS
Painful and worse singing than Sanjaya.
posted by ericb at 11:19 AM on December 14, 2008
Painful and worse singing than Sanjaya.
posted by ericb at 11:19 AM on December 14, 2008
Can somebody tell me why the Buckley version is performed more often?
Because it's overwrought and many performers apparently mistake shmaltzy ham for emotional depth?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:19 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]
Because it's overwrought and many performers apparently mistake shmaltzy ham for emotional depth?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:19 AM on December 14, 2008 [1 favorite]
I prefer John Cale's excellent version myself (studio) (live).
posted by benzenedream at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by benzenedream at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
Those singers, Alexandra and JLS, could have been singing lines out of the phone book for all the meaning they gave to the lyrics. I love Hallelujah - its the starting song on my Pandora App - but I've never understood what this song has to do with Christmas.
posted by enjoytroy at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by enjoytroy at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
The notice on the Facebook group talks about not purchasing the song until tomorrow - December 15th - if it is to count against the all important Christmas charts.
posted by rongorongo at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by rongorongo at 11:20 AM on December 14, 2008
It seems to me that the Cohen has the actual redemptive line "And even though it all went wrong/I'll stand before the Lord of Song/With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah" compared with the Buckley "How to shoot somebody who outdrew ya" This has bothered me for years.
Cohen wrote both lyrics. He's written many verses for the song and only recorded some of them.
And yes, I agree with Alvy Ampersand that Buckley's is more popular because it's overwrought (and, well, because he's a suicide).
posted by Manhasset at 11:24 AM on December 14, 2008
Cohen wrote both lyrics. He's written many verses for the song and only recorded some of them.
And yes, I agree with Alvy Ampersand that Buckley's is more popular because it's overwrought (and, well, because he's a suicide).
posted by Manhasset at 11:24 AM on December 14, 2008
Oh, and the "outdrew ya" line appears on Cohen's version on Leonard Cohen Live in Concert.
posted by Manhasset at 11:28 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by Manhasset at 11:28 AM on December 14, 2008
Years ago, The Gong Show had an episode where every contestant sang Feelings.
In researching this comment I found out that Gene Gene, the Dancing Machine sadly lost both legs to diabetes.
posted by Tacodog at 11:30 AM on December 14, 2008
In researching this comment I found out that Gene Gene, the Dancing Machine sadly lost both legs to diabetes.
posted by Tacodog at 11:30 AM on December 14, 2008
i'm going to form a new facebook group dedicated to getting this post deleted.
posted by bhnyc at 11:41 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by bhnyc at 11:41 AM on December 14, 2008
AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!
I post a Richard Dawkins/Derren Brown interview on cold reading and it becomes a huge theologist debate, and I post about the X Factor and it becomes a debate about LC vs. JB's versions of Hallelujah.
Note to caterpillar-self: Single link YouTube videos only from now on.
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:41 AM on December 14, 2008
I post a Richard Dawkins/Derren Brown interview on cold reading and it becomes a huge theologist debate, and I post about the X Factor and it becomes a debate about LC vs. JB's versions of Hallelujah.
Note to caterpillar-self: Single link YouTube videos only from now on.
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:41 AM on December 14, 2008
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What planet are you on? "Made famous by"?
Good Christ, why would people give Buckley's drowned corpse cash when they can buy the superior Cohen version and feed a living writer?
posted by Manhasset at 11:00 AM on December 14, 2008 [2 favorites]