What to know about ”Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
Originally penned for his 1984 album Various Positions, the beloved song by Leonard Cohen is frequently covered by a variety of artists including Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Susan Boyle, Kodi Lee, Jennifer Hudson, Pentatonix, Bob Dylan, K.D. Lang, Brandi Carlile, Willie Nelson, Chester Bennington, and more. Wainwright’s version launched the song into popularity again when it was featured on the Shrek soundtrack in 2001. When Cohen died in 2016, his version reached the number 59 position on the Billboard US Hot 100.
According to American Songwriter, he wrote around 80 verses before settling on the final lyrics. As for his thoughts on the amount of times ”Hallelujah” has been covered? ”I’m very happy that it’s being sung,” he told The Guardian in 2012.
