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You can see an evolution of Cohen's versions of 'Hallelujah' here. But he’d never go in and act out the tormented, struggling artist.” If he wasn’t up to recording, if he was still working on something, then we just wouldn’t go in.

There was no ‘Should we do this verse?’-I don’t think there was even a question of the order of verses, any ‘Which should come first?’ And had he had a question about it, I think he would’ve resolved it himself,' Lissauer recalled. Producer John Lissauer explained in Alan Light's book The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of ‘Hallelujah‘ ( via Rolling Stone) that Cohen had settled on what was, at the time, the lyrics to the 1983 version before he entered the studio to record the track. Cohen changed up the verses and made the song longer and, some would argue, significantly darker than its original version from Various Positions. Leonard Cohen wrote 'Hallelujah.' Did Leonard Cohen change the lyrics to 'Hallelujah?'Ĭohen changed the lyrics to 'Hallelujah' after its original release. When did Leonard Cohen write 'Hallelujah?'Ĭohen wrote 'Hallelujah' in 1983, reportedly using 'an old Casio keyboard.' Cohen said in an interview, 'To find that song, that urgent song, takes a lot of versions and a lot of work and a lot of sweat.' He recalled being in his underwear banging his head on the floor of New York City's Royalton Hotel until he finally thought the song was up to snuff. If you want to play it yourself, there is an assortment of sheet music available online for various instruments and arrangements of the iconic song. 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen is available on most streaming services.

Related: 150 Music Quotes That Celebrate the Inspirational and Magical Power of Song How can I play 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen?

I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you She broke your throne, and she cut your hairĪnd from your lips she drew the Hallelujahīut if I did-well, really-what's it to you? Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you Your faith was strong but you needed proof That David played, and it pleased the Lordīut you don't really care for music, do you?

The words to leonard cohen's hallelujah