If you're a music supervisor for films and television, and you're very lazy, you're probably scored a scene with Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah." Not since James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)" has a song been slapped on so many soundtracks. Every television series from One Tree Hill to The West Wing has used the song to underscore an emotional on-screen moment.
But a great overused song is still a great song, and there's a reason Buckley's remarkable recording has so many fans. Buckley's gentle voice, suggesting a more relaxed Bryan Ferry, floats above soft electric guitar arpeggios with superhuman agility. Leonard Cohen's lyrics, full of sexual innuendo and Biblical references, fascinate more with each listen. It's so intoxicating you don't even notice that it's almost seven minutes long.
Buckley recorded "Hallelujah" for his 1994 album Grace, which turned out to be the only album he completed before his death. He gave the song its finest reading, even better than Cohen's spooky (but overproduced) original. Rufus Wainwright, John Cale, and many others have produced worthy versions, but Buckley's blows them away with its understated majesty. Next time you hear it, just try not to think of a cheesy episode of The O.C.
TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION: "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley
AVAILABLE ON: Grace; iTunes
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