Vintage Rock: Lovers of Real Music

"Hallelujah" is the first song I heard by Buckley, and immediatly I was hooked. I remember sitting in my friend's basement bedroom, completely confused about who I wanted to be and if I was destined to be alone forever. I know I was only 17, but hopeless romantics like me get edgy and impatient with the lack of direction in their romantic lives. Then, out of the speakers comes this voice that my friends told me I had to hear. I never knew that a rock singer could chant life's bittersweet music like that.He really helped calm my inner demons and was (and still is) a beacon for the passionate lover inside of me. Call it a "Buckley addiction" but my love for his otherwordly voice and guitar has not waned a bit since 2002. I now know of course that "Hallelujah" was originally written and performed by Leonard Cohen, who I also have great respect for. This is truly one of the rare times I will admit to liking a cover version better than the original. Its true that while Leoanrd Cohen's voice is servicable and endearing in a "Bob Dylan" kind of way, Jeff's angelic vocal powers are better suited for a song essentially about two key things: sex and religious belief.
I have long pondered the meaning of "Hallelujah" and I've done research to come up with the meaning that makes the most sense to me. I doubt I'm the only one who wants some answers on some of the lyrical references, so I thought I'd post my interpretation. This is by no means an official interpretation...only Leonard Cohen could really provide that. So as long as that warning is out of the way, here are some basic notions about "Hallelujah" and the true meaning behind its haunting message.

Hallelujah
words and music orignally by Leonard Cohen

Now, I've heard there was a secret chord
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

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
And she tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Baby i've been here before
I've seen this room and i've walked this floor
I used to live alone before i knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
But love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you
But remember when i moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah

Well, maybe there's a god above
But all i've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
It's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Cohen grew up in the Jewish tradition, so its feasible that he is referring to Old Testament, especially the story about King David and his affair with the married Bathsheba. I believe the song refers to their story, especially the following lyrics:

(Verse 2)Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you

(Verse 4) Well, maybe there's a god above
But all i've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
It's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

David, infatuated with the beautiful Bathsheba, has her brought to him at the palace and commits adultery with her. Bathsheba falls pregnant, and David sends for her husband, Uriah the Hittite, who is with the Israelite army that he might lie with her and so conceal the identity of the child's father. Uriah refuses to leave his comrades while they are at war. David then sends Uriah back to the commander with a message instructing him to abandon Uriah on the battlefield, "that he may be struck down, and die." David marries Bathsheba who ends up having his child "but the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."

The core theme of this story that is echoed throughout the song is David's struggle with his lust for Bathsheba and his desire to serve and please God. He knew that by commiting adultry with Bathsheba that he was entering into an unholy union, but a dark place within him spurred him on. This darkness is referred to in the first verse of the song: It's not a cry that you hear at night/ It's not somebody who's seen the light/
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.

The other biblical reference I caught was the story of Samson and Delilah. I think their story ties in well with the downfall of the musician and composer, King David. David lost his idealistic faith in God as a result of his lust for Bathsheba and Samson loses his hair because he becomes vunerable to the charms of Delilah.

And she tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

The story of Samson and Delilah is about her betraying his trust, and his one-sided affection for her. She was appointed by the Israelite's enemy, The Phillistines, to find the secret to Samson's demise. She asked him three times to reveal is weakness to her, seducing him into eventually telling her that his power comes from the length of his hair, that he grows long in honor of God. She eventually cuts off his hair as he sleeps, resulting in his downfall. Whether it was merely a psychcological crutch or an actual power from God, that is between Samson and God.

While I do note the allusions to the Bible, I think this song only refers to those stories as a comparison to what the singer is experiencing in his own relationship with a woman who doesn't share his love to the same degree. I also think that the religious undertones of this song leads one to believe that the lyrics are about a man who struggles with an unhealthy obession, one that is destructive and leads him away from his moral and religious integrity. He knows that his obession will lead to his undoing, but his love is so strong hat he will let her destory him to hold on to the feeling she gives him as long as he can. This feeling also includes the rush of sexual orgasm, which is subtley, yet beautifully referenced in the following verse:

Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you
But remember when i moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah

"Below" is used in reference to his partner's sexual excitement, and how she now seems cold and holds back her true feelings from him. He is sad because he still deeply feels intimacy and passion when he makes love to her. (Remember when I moved in you/ and the holy dove was moving too/ and every breath we drew was hallelujah)

Another interpretation I found on songmeanings.net is said to be taken from Jeff Buckley's perspective on the song. The user said he heard Jeff Buckley discussing this tune in a video he saw. I cannot verify this for sure, but knowing what I know about Jeff and his personality, there is a strong possiblity that this user is correct:

by BradDies on 10-09-2006 @ 10:46:03 AM

I saw a video where buckley explains alot of what the song means to him. The writer of the song uses the story of King David to show what mankind will do to gain what they desire, even the most evil things. It was written as war protest, against nukes, etc. David was so quick to sin when faced with something he so adamently desired, and men tend to do the same, fighting wars and such to further our own gains. It's a big scale to think on, but we do it in our daily lives: Planning on how to go about getting some girl; How to pass a class without working too hard; working and getting paid without working too hard; etc. Even so, the pains we take to get what we want cause the loss of our own innocence: "She tied you to her kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah"
Hallelujah seems to be used because it is the word of pure truth. The most holy of phrases and the last bit of true innocence. And when he got what he wanted, the hallelujah was drawn from his lips. War, nukes, bombs in general.... That's what is is truly about. From the lips of Jeff himself.

So there you have it, there is my analysis. If any of you have differing opinions or ideas on the meaning behind this song, feel free to post them in the comment box. I'm always happy to have respectful discussions about music, you all know that!

Currently listening to:
Grace
By Jeff Buckley


	sanjie February 16, 2007 05:40 PM PST It's strange, it seems that my and your experience of Buckley are somewhat similiar. The first time I heard of Jeff Buckley, he was being interviewed on tv. I remember thinking how tired he looked. He had come to New Zealand to perform his one show and that week I got his album out from the library and listened to the whole thing. He blew my mind, an angelic voice that bought me to tears. 'Hallelujah' was just the beginning I think, It's a real pity he passed away so young when he had so much potential. Anyway, cheers for the entry, it makes me want to listen to this again. It's been a long time.


	Kerry January 5, 2007 06:49 PM PST Very well written, I never realized so much was going on in the song when you first showed it so me. I didn't understand all the pain that was being expressed or the biblical meanings. I feel like I can appreciate the song more than I could before. Having gone through a painfull relationship I can empathisize with the lyrics.


	Name January 1, 2007 04:29 PM PST Ooh that's really interesting. I love that song.