go to http://www.allmusic.com/ and search under songs |
Jennifer Warnes. The album is all Cohen covers by Warnes: "Famous Blue
Raincoat"
Marco |
John Cale does a version of this song on the soundtrack to the movie "Basquait". This soundtrack features various songs by different artists and is my favorite soundtrack of all time. Great movie too. |
KD Lang on Hymns Of The 49th Parallel. |
Also on Jeff Buckley's Grace LP. Not a female vocalist, but a haunting rendition. Def. worth the cost of admission.
Hat |
I second the version by John Cale. It is the best version I have heard and I have the ones Jennifer Warnes and Jeff Buckley.
The Buckley sounds like it was influenced by the Cale version or vice versa.
Richard Bischoff |
Qdrone - I agree, Basquait is a great film, and Jeffrey Wright's performance is superb and uncanny. If you liked Jeffrey Wright in that, see Jim Jarmusch's latest film where he plays Bill Murray's armchair detective neighbor. He and Murray have great chemistry in that film. Very subtle and also a great movie.
Marco |
The John Cale version of "Hallelujah" is on his album "Paris 1919" |
Oops! It's not on "Paris 1919". Got it confused with "Andalucia". |
Lvk47: What a great resource. I found what I was looking for. Patricia O'Callaghan, Real Emotional Girl. I knew I owned this song sung by a female vocalist, but couldn't find it. She's not exactly mainstream.
Marco: I have Famous Blue Raincoat--one of my favorite albums by Jennifer Warnes. This was the first album I checked. I checked it several times--even played it to make sure there wasn't an extra cut that wasn't on the label. While it is Leonard Cohen songs--that particular song is not on there--unless I've somehow missed something.
Might have to check out some of these other versions. But it was driving me crazy knowing I had this in my collection but couldn't find it. |
Since we are so off the original topic ... one more great male version:
Rufus Wainwright - It appears in both the first "THE L WORD" "soundtrack" cd and the "SHREK" soundtrack
Interestingly enough, ALL MUSIC GUIDE suggested that John Cale's version actually is used in the Shrek film ... but that RW's version was used on the soundtrack album??
Does anyone know if this is true? |
ummm, my copy of "Famous Blue Raincoat" doesn't have it either. I sure wish it did. I heard Jeff Buckley's version on "West Wing" (or some other TV show) and spent a week trying to track down who it was. It's a great song, and Buckley's take on it is fantastic, as is the rest of his album. |
I was floored when I heard the beginning of that song in Shrek. |
While it is Leonard Cohen songs--that particular song is not on there--unless I've somehow missed something. Ah, you must not know about the Audiophile secret track on the Famous Blue Raincoat CD, that is actuated by the simultaneous use of a Magic Brick, Brilliant Pebbles, a Clever Li'l Clock, and one of those green blocker pens judiciously applied to the trimmed down edges of the CD which has been demagnetized on both sides by the Furutech device: Only when all are used properly at the same time will you actually hear Warnes singing "Hallelujah" on FBR! It is the illusive Track 10. I've never actually heard it myself, but I have faith that it is there if I ever need to. I'm sure it sounds really good too (jaws dropping, and all that). Marco |
Freejazz I believe the Cale/Wainwright info to be correct.
Buckley's version is flawless. |
Thanks very much Ben
I always loved Cohen's version ... of which, including some bootlegs, there are now many ... and found it interesting to compare and contrast.
It was then the Buckley version that captivated me ... until I heard the version (Cale's) in the movie. Then, finally, following up after hearing it in the movie, the accidental discovery of Wainright's version captured my imagination.
A transcendent song that somehow, at once, captures both the best of Cohen's writing ... and the creativity of each of its interpreters.
A reminder that it was music like this that first attracted me to this hobby! |
Marco:
I'm pretty sure you have to play it backwards to hear the lyrics. |
And as we stray even farther, Leonard Cohen is one the greatest songwriters ever...period. |
I'm pretty sure you have to play it backwards to hear the lyrics. I had a feeling you knew the last key to revealing the holy grail of track 10. I just didn't want to give it ALL away! Marco PS Beautiful system, BTW. Now there's an SS system I'd like to hear! It strikes back to a similar combination that I found unforgettable from having heard it in late 80's (powerful, clean, bi-amped SS driving large MLs). Raised the hairs on the back of my neck. |
one more suggestion, though a tad obscure: The Dresden Dolls, with Amanda Palmer on vocals. Extradordinary, achingly sad. you can probably pick it up on the net, on their website. or i can send it to you as an attachment. quite amazing. |
Allison Crowe, a Canadian singer/songwriter, does a great version on her album Tidings. You can listen to it on her web site at http://www.allisoncrowe.com/ . |
Marco:
Thanks--my doors are open you are welcome to listen the next time you are in Iowa city (I should be safe--who goes to Iowa City?) Seriously though, I'm always happy to have a listening session with fellow audiophiles. |
you are welcome to listen the next time you are in Iowa city (I should be safe--who goes to Iowa City?) Damn, and I was just recently in Des Moines shooting for a book project! No, seriously, I'm not kidding! Marco |
Actually, if you are into literature Iowa City is one of the capitols of our country in that respect. |
I don't know if she has recorded this song yet, but I heard Brandi (I think the spelling is right) sing this when she opened for Jamie Collum on March 12th here in St. Paul, Minnesota. I had not heard her before, and I understand she is from the Seattle area. It was so hauntingly good I ran out and bought a copy of Jeff Buckley's GRACE the following week. |
Since this thread started I picked up the "Basquiat" soundtrack, and several other John Cale cd's. Like them all. I also have KD Lang "Hymns of the 49th Parallel" - which has many excellent covers. The Cale and Lang versions are great, but I prefer Buckley's version by a mile - it's loaded with emotion. |
I heard Brandi Carlile sing Hallelujah, in St. Paul too. She was closer to the Jeff Buckley version than either the Cale or Wainwright versions. I loved it! Her website only shows one self titled album and one "Unplugged." Neither list Hallelujah. I guess we'll have to wait and listen! |
YOU MUST LISTEN TO JEFF BUCKLEY'S VERSION!!! |
A version of the Hallelujah chorus is sung by the Roche sisters on KEEP ON DOING. |
I have a sealed LP copy of the Brandi Carlile LP for sale @ $18 if anyone is interested. |
The Willie Nelson version of this song is aggressively forgettable. |
I heard Brandi Carlile for the first time a couple of nights ago. Wow! Her and a cellist. Opened with Elton John's 60 Years On. Three song encore, the second of which was a duet with Shawn Colvin on Jane Siberry's marvelous Calling All Angels. Then she closed solo with Hallelujah. Wow, wow, wow. |
