Is Rufus Wainwright "Halleluja" heavenly or devilish?

Question

"And remember when I moved in you
the holy dark was moving too..."

(king David) "Your faith was strong but you needed proof.
You saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you"
"She tied you up the kitchen chair.
She brake your trone she cut your hair,
and from your lips she drew the halleluja".

oppss was it DOVE and not Dark?

Answer 1

Leonard Cohen wrote that song, and its original lyrics were "and the Holy Ghost was moving, too".

It is sublime. But best performed by Jeff Buckley. Not sure what God thinks about it theologically, but it can't be argued with from a songwriting perspective.

Edit to add: The songwriter, Cohen, is a Jew who has become a Buddhist. He wrote a *lot* of songs having to do with Old Testament patriarchs/prophets, etc. He is considered one of the greatest songwriters living today. Many people have covered his work, and it's a great way to get exposed to him. May I recommend his "Best of", it is *fabulous*

Answer 2

Rufus Wainwright. If he's not the Jonas Brothers than he's worth a try. Besides anyone has more talent than the Jonas Brothers, they're just teenyboppers looking for their 15 minutes of fame. Just watch, in 5 years you'll look back and be like "What was the mediocre band I was obsessed with in 6th grade?"

Answer 3

Wainwright s version is neither heavenly nor devilish. It s not bad, but it s marred by his decision to change "holy dove" to "holy dark" for no apparent reason.

By the way, Alan Light s book "The Holy or the Broken" is a great read for anyone interested in the history, interpretations, cultural significance, and various opinions of the song.

Answer 4

It's mostly awesome. Leonard Cohen is not a believer, but he's very religious. In many of his songs combine romantic and theological issues, to him they are essentially the same. Suzanne does this in a very obviously divided way, but some others, like "That don't make it junk", one of my favorites, are far less clear in this division. A part of that song:

How come you call me here tonight?
And how come you bother with my heart at all?
You lift me up in grace
Then you leave me in a place
Where I must fall

Cohen is sacrilegious and divine at the same time: he is sacrilegious because he is divine and vice versa. Or, as he puts it himself in Hallelujah:

You say I used the name in vain
But I don't even know the name
And if I did, well really, what's it to ya?
There's a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken hallelujah

Answer 5

That's my favorite line, actually.

"And remember when I moved in you,
The holy dove was moving too,
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah."

Beautiful. And no, it's not devilish. Two people coming together in love is a very spiritual thing. By the way, that song is not really about religion at all though it contains many religious allusions. Listen to the words, it's about love, sacrifice, and other emotions.

Answer 6

Holy Dark

Answer 7

kl --

Leonard Cohen did write the song, but in neither version he recorded do the lyrics include "holy ghost".

In the original, there is not even a similar verse. Later, in his live album, the verse does appear, and the lyrics are "holy dove."

Answer 8

I've heard there was a secret chord that David played and pleased the Lord.

I dig it. I like it better than Cohen's original. So, since I'm an atheist, it must be devilishly good.

Answer 9

Neither....He has presented a Truth.....Holy Light....Holy Dark....The Balance...or as Mick & Keith sang in "Sympathy for the Devil" ....Every Cop is a Criminal....Every Sinner a Saint......or...I could be wrong...but I don't think so... peace & blessings, g

Answer 10

Rufus didnt write the song,so I don't think it should be considered anything but a cover in his name.(Although it is an amazing cover;the best version in my opinion)

It's a Rufus song so,of coarse it's amazing!