Hallelujah
Rufus Wainwright Lyrics
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That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
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 to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Maybe I've been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you'd let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me do you?
And remember when I moved in you?
The holy dark was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Maybe there's a God above
And all I ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It's not a cry you can hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and its a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Rufus Wainwright's "Hallelujah" is a poignant and haunting song that reflects on the complexity of love, faith, and loss. The opening verse references David, the biblical king and musician, who was said to have composed songs that pleased God. Wainwright muses that despite the power of music, it may not be enough for everyone, as he sings "But you don't really care for music, do you?" The song then goes on to describe a romantic and sexual encounter ("you saw her bathing on the roof"), which ends in betrayal ("she broke your throne, she cut your hair"), but ends with the chorus, "Hallelujah," which seems to evoke both praise and resignation.
The middle verses of the song shift to a more personal narrative, as Wainwright reflects on a past relationship that has ended. He sings of the loss of intimacy and understanding in the relationship, and of the sense of loneliness that comes with it. The final verse brings the song full circle, as Wainwright returns to the idea of a distant God and the human struggle to find meaning and connection in a broken world. Overall, "Hallelujah" is a meditation on the complexity and ambiguity of human experience, and the power of music and art to give voice to our deepest emotions and longings.
Line by Line Meaning
I've heard there was a secret chord
There is an elusive musical sound that only a select few can unlock
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
David once masterfully played this sound and it brought joy to a higher being
But you don't really care for music, do you?
You lack appreciation for the beauty of this sound
It goes like this
The sound is composed of a simple progression of notes
The fourth, the fifth
The notes in the progression are the fourth and the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The progression contains both minor and major chords
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
The sound has inspired even royalty to create music of their own
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise and joy is expressed
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
Although you have a strong faith, you still require tangible evidence
You saw her bathing on the roof
You witnessed a woman bathing and were captivated by her beauty
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
Her beauty, coupled with the moonlight, overwhelmed your senses
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She took control of you and tied you up
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
She took away your power and made physical changes to you
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
She inspired you to make the sound and express praise
Maybe I've been here before
It's possible that I have experienced this before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I am familiar with this space as I have been here previously
I used to live alone before I knew you
I was once independent before I became connected with you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
I recognize your symbol of power and authority
Love is not a victory march
Being in love is not the same as winning a battle
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Love can be painful and the sound is not fully expressed
There was a time you'd let me know
You used to communicate openly with me
What's real and going on below
You once shared your true feelings and thoughts with me
But now you never show it to me do you?
You no longer reveal what is truly happening beneath the surface
And remember when I moved in you?
I recall a time when I was fully connected with you
The holy dark was moving too
The powerful feeling of the connected moment moved both of us
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
The sound was a natural part of our time together
Maybe there's a God above
It could be that there exists a higher being
And all I ever learned from love
My main takeaway from love experiences
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
Is that love can lead to competition and harmful actions
It's not a cry you can hear at night
The sound is not a literal expression of sadness or pain
It's not somebody who's seen the light
The sound is not an expression of enlightenment or understanding
It's a cold and its a broken Hallelujah
The sound is an incomplete expression of praise and joy
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise and joy is expressed
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise and joy is expressed
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise and joy is expressed
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise and joy is expressed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Leonard Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nett
I don't care what anybody says, Rufus' version is the best. It has the most emotion and it just is 😂
Oswald M
Facts
YerinDubs
You said it right xDD
Thomas walenciej
Id have to give it a tie with tori kelly
Luke Williams
while I agree with what you said at first, you used the wrong emoji.
Erik Finkel
Autotune isn't emotions
Molly T
With the greatest respect to both Leonard Cohen who wrote this song and also Jeff Buckley who created an amazing cover of this beautiful song, I have to admit that for me personally, something about Rufus Wainwright's version just really resonates with me above the rest.. Well done.
Ashlynn Kae
Agreed. I’ve always felt the same
oldcougar65
As much as I admire Rufus Wainwright, who does this song very well, Jeff Buckley's version was transcendental.
B. Shireen
Molly Turner something about his dark chocolatey voice...