The Many Layers of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah
Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist, Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is one of those songs that almost feels like it was always there—part of the collective consciousness.
When it first dropped on his 1984 album Various Positions, it barely made a splash.
But over time, it’s become an anthem, covered by countless artists, and a favourite for everything from talent shows to movie soundtracks.
Let’s dig into what makes this song so endlessly fascinating.
What Does Hallelujah Even Mean?
If you’re curious about other songs with hidden meanings, check out our article on Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’.
“Hallelujah” is a loaded word—it’s got that heavy religious vibe, coming from Hebrew and meaning “Praise the Lord.”
But Cohen uses it to capture way more than just worship. It’s about the highs and lows, the beauty and messiness of life.
Cohen himself said that it’s about embracing everything—good, bad, and in between.
This isn’t the “Hallelujah” you belt out in church; it’s the one you whisper when life surprises you with a bittersweet twist.
Cohen plays with both the sacred and the profane throughout the song.
He draws on biblical stories, like King David and Bathsheba (“You saw her bathing on the roof”) and Samson and Delilah (“She tied you to a kitchen chair / She broke your throne, and she cut your hair”).
These aren’t just Bible tales—they’re symbols of vulnerability, power, love, and betrayal.
The lyrics swing between devotion and disillusionment, giving us a glimpse of something profoundly human.
Why Did Hallelujah Become So Huge?
For another example of a song that found unexpected popularity, take a look at our piece on Manfred Mann’s ‘Blinded by the Light’.
When Cohen first released “Hallelujah,” it pretty much got ignored. But then John Cale recorded a cover in 1991, stripping it down to its essentials, and Jeff Buckley followed in 1994 with a version that would end up being iconic.
Buckley’s rendition is often described as ethereal—it brought new emotional weight to the song, turning it into a haunting masterpiece.
The real turning point came in 2001, when the song was featured in the movie Shrek.
Yep, an animated ogre helped turn this soulful, complex track into a pop culture sensation.
After that, it was everywhere—movies, TV shows, even reality talent competitions.
It became a kind of go-to for moments of triumph or heartbreak, and it’s easy to see why. There’s a universality to it that just connects.
Biblical Roots, Real-Life Feels
The song’s got some heavy biblical references, especially to King David and Samson.
David’s “secret chord” that pleased the Lord? That’s a nod to his musical prowess—music that could supposedly calm even King Saul.
Cohen uses this image to speak to the power of music and art to touch something deep within us.
And then there’s Samson, whose strength was undone by Delilah. Cohen paints a picture of love as something that can both lift you up and tear you apart.
Even heroes have their breaking points, and Cohen uses these stories to reflect on how love and power are deeply intertwined, but often fragile.
How Hallelujah Was Composed
When Leonard Cohen set out to write “Hallelujah,” he wasn’t aiming for a simple pop tune—he was crafting a masterpiece, one verse at a time.
The song was originally composed in C major and uses a classic 12/8 time signature, which gives it a rolling, almost gospel-like feel.
Cohen meticulously worked on the song, reportedly writing up to 80 different verses before finally narrowing it down to the version we know today.
The chord progression—”It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift”—isn’t just a lyrical flourish; it’s also a nod to the harmonic structure of the song itself.
The progression moves from C to F, then to G, and then to A minor, mirroring the lyrical journey of highs and lows, both musically and emotionally.
Cohen’s painstaking process even included rewriting lyrics and experimenting with different arrangements.
He was known to obsess over the smallest details, and that dedication is evident in every word and note of “Hallelujah.”
It’s said that during one writing session at New York’s Royalton Hotel, Cohen ended up sitting on the floor in his underwear, banging his head on the floor out of frustration.
This wasn’t just a song; it was a labor of love, a reflection of his pursuit of perfection.
Breaking Down the Lyrics of Hallelujah
If you’re interested in lyric breakdowns, don’t miss our deep dive into R.E.M.’s ‘What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?’: Exploring the Lyrics, Legacy, and Lore.
The lyrics are loaded with meaning, but they’re also pretty straightforward—Cohen keeps it simple but layered.
The line “It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth / The minor fall, the major lift” isn’t just about music theory; it’s about life’s ups and downs.
It’s about those moments when everything seems to fall apart, followed by the moments when things suddenly, unexpectedly, lift.
Then there’s the bit about Bathsheba: “Your faith was strong but you needed proof / You saw her bathing on the roof.” David, this great king, gets tripped up by desire.
It’s this mix of holiness and human fallibility that Cohen returns to again and again—how we all stumble, even when we’re trying to be our best selves.
The Jeff Buckley Effect
Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” is the one most people think of when they hear the song.
His vocals are haunting, almost otherworldly, and he famously described his rendition as a “hallelujah to the orgasm”—raw, intimate, and intense.
It’s Buckley’s interpretation that took Cohen’s song to the mainstream, and his tragic death gave the song even more emotional depth. Buckley’s version has a kind of vulnerability that just hits different.
The song eventually charted posthumously for Buckley, and his performance is still considered one of the greatest covers of all time.
There’s a reason it keeps showing up on lists of best songs—it’s timeless, powerful, and deeply human.
Is It a Religious Song or Not?
For more songs that blur the lines between the sacred and the profane, you might enjoy our analysis of Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun’.
There’s always been this debate: is “Hallelujah” a religious song? Kind of, but not really.
It’s got biblical references, sure, but it’s more about exploring the different types of “hallelujahs”—the joyful, the broken, the questioning.
It’s not a hymn you’d sing in church, more like a reflection on the complexities of faith, love, and everything in between.
Cohen’s “broken hallelujah” is about finding something worth praising, even when things are falling apart.
It’s about acknowledging imperfection, which is what makes it relatable whether you’re religious or not.
All the Covers and Versions
“Hallelujah” has been covered by so many artists, and each brings something different.
John Cale’s stripped-down version set the stage, while Buckley’s haunting cover made it legendary.
Then there’s k.d. lang, who sang it with a soulful, almost spiritual energy, and Rufus Wainwright, who helped bring it to a mainstream audience via Shrek.
Every version adds something new. Whether it’s Pentatonix giving it the a cappella treatment or lang pouring her soul into it, “Hallelujah” seems to adapt to whoever is singing it.
That’s part of what makes it such an enduring classic—each artist brings out a different layer of emotion.
What’s Up with the Broken Hallelujah?
“It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.” That line hits hard because it’s real.
Cohen’s not offering a triumphant hallelujah here—it’s a nod to the fact that life is messy, love is complicated, and things don’t always work out.
But even in the brokenness, there’s beauty. It’s not about winning; it’s about surviving, finding grace where you can.
Shrek and the Song’s Popularity Boom
It might sound funny, but Shrek really did help make “Hallelujah” what it is today.
The movie used John Cale’s version, but it was Rufus Wainwright’s cover on the soundtrack that got people hooked.
It brought the song to a new, younger audience and helped cement its place in pop culture.
It’s kind of wild that an ogre, a donkey, and a princess helped push this soulful, intricate song into the spotlight, but here we are.
Cohen’s Long and Winding Writing Process
Cohen didn’t just sit down and crank out “Hallelujah” in one go—far from it.
He wrote something like 80 verses before he settled on the final version.
There’s even a story about him sitting in his underwear on the floor of his hotel room, banging his head on the floor out of frustration.
Writing this song was a journey, and you can feel that struggle in the lyrics.
The result is a song that feels deeply personal but also universal. It’s a song that speaks to the sacred and the mundane, to joy and pain, and to the complexity of being human.
That’s why it’s endured and why it continues to resonate with so many people.
Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah Lyrics
Verse 1
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 ya?
It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing “Hallelujah”
Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Verse 2
Your faith was strong, but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew ya
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Verse 3
You say I took the name in vain
I don’t even know the name
But 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
Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Verse 4
I did my best, it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool ya
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand before the lord of song
With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah
Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Outro
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
