A Tired and Bored Hallelujah
What is it about that song? In fact what is the obsession with mediocre artists covering great songs, or great artists doing mediocre covers of great songs? Now I may be about to commit journalistic suicide with what I’m about to say, but I don’t particularly like Leonard Cohen’s original version of Hallelujah. And before I get lynched for having the gall to say that about one of the most iconic songs of all time, in my defence, I think, lyrically, it is a remarkable song but it’s just too dated now. Unlike the rawness of Dylan and Neil Young, or even the tongue-firmly-in-cheek folk of Arlo Guthrie, the production and arrangement of the song just don’t stand up alongside the version: Jeff Buckley’s achingly, stripped-bare 1994 cover, which itself was based on John Cale’s take on the song. Is it really committing musical blasphemy to say that it sounds like he had Mark Knopffler, the king of easy listening guitar, playing on the solo? I’ve spoken to enough people who think Buckley’s cover is the original that I almost wish it was – it sounds tortured rather than a slightly edgy Songs of Praise.
Unfortunately, since Buckley produced arguably one of the greatest covers ever, an entire host of artists have tried to cover the song even before Simon Cowell and his identikit “protégée” got their claws into it. Even Rufus Wainwright’s attempt still pales in comparison with the precarious beauty of Buckley’s, so what hope did Alexandra Burke really think she had of bettering the offering on Grace. Before the listener even hears the Mariah Carey-lite vocals, the guitars sound tinny and too gainy – I mean did they even try, or did they just put any old shit down knowing that a British public who still buy the flat pack Indie of The Pigeon Detectives and The Kooks, would lap it up. The record industry, sadly, know that the majority of the music-buying public don’t want anything too risky or in the slightest bit edgy: what they want is the musical equivalent of shit being thrown at a barn door until something sticks. So what could be safer than a cover of an iconic song stripped of all its meaning or subversion by being sung by a reality-TV star surrounded by well-positioned candles. Also, guess who’s decided to start touring again – surprise, surprise its Leonard Cohen – now all we need is Dire Staits to reform after Akon covers Sultans of Swing, wait for it … featuring Elton John.
If we’re being honest there have always been covers, hit and miss – The Byrds murdered Mr. Tambourine Man, but their version of My Backpages was so good that it was the one performed at the Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, while Hendrix’s All Along The Watchtower or Hey Joe set the bar at a new height. So why did any producer let grandmothers’ favourite Jamie Cullam record Lover You Should Have Come Over – “But he’s such a nice boy!” I hear them say. Music was never about nice – Neil Young was a bastard but he made great music and he was never called the “Jazz Hobbit”. So for heaven’s sake, next time you see James Blunt doing Your Song don’t buy it and send a message to artists and producers that if you are going to cover something there is one simple rule that has applied throughout music history – do it better than the original or in a very different and interesting way, otherwise don’t bother.
