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There are so many wonderful versions of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” out there – originally covered by John Cale, the version performed by the late Jeff Buckley is perhaps the most well-known of them all (the song has also been covered by Bon Jovi).

I think the first time that I heard this song was on the movie “Shrek” (sung by Rufus Wainwright). There is an amazing 4-part arrangement out there by the Norwegian quartet Lind, Nilsen, Fuentes, and Holm.  Heck, it even sounds good in Italian when performed by Il Divo.

I must admit, however, a personal fondness for k.d. lang’s beautiful rendition – of all of the arrangements out there, this one from her 2004 album “Hymns of the 49th Parallel” (also included on her 2010 album “Recollection“) is hands-down my favorite:
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(Of this rendition, Cohen’s partner, singer Anjani Thomas, said: “After hearing k.d. lang perform that song at the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2006 we looked at each other and said, ‘Well, I think we can lay that song to rest now! It’s really been done to its ultimate blissful state of perfection’.”)

A lovely song for a Sunday afternoon, don’t you think?
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