An even worse cover of "Hallelujah" than Bono's

[Estranged Reality]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v8jpNiUuwcw

Oh, god! Ear rape!

Check the following moments for a good laugh: 0.31 seconds, 1:38, 2:08, 3:03, 3:17 (nice stroking of the mic stand).

The 30-second mark is my favourite because he points at an audience member as he says, "DO YA!" Nothing really defines this song's ambiguity as pointing at random people in the audience and making squealing noises.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Estranged Reality

[pain cake]

John Cale can reduce my to tears, but that's just

Edited April 18, 2008 by pain cake

[Randy Lahey]

This was worse than P Diddy and Jimmy Page for me.

Bon Jovi and Ray Davies doing Celluloid Heroes http://youtube.com/watch?v=aZXhxipOyHU

The Kinks (original version)

Celluloid Heroes is one of my all time favorite songs and The Kinks are in my top 5 favorite bands of all time.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Randy Lahey

[LEARNING PROCESS]

Ending is the best! Starting at 5:20... Oh, he's so inspired and sensitive...

That's real artist for ya, not those Radiohead FAGS!!11!!1!1

Even Richie is genuinely moved...

Edited April 18, 2008 by LEARNING PROCESS

[Gash]

As emotional as a hernia operation.

[Pico]

Fucking hell.

"You don't really care for music -- DO YA?!"

[Lithium]

I can't wait till mr. Jonathan Koller sees this.

"... sleaze rock glam much better than Jeff Buckley blah blah alternative MTV ruined everything blah blah"

[drops_of_jupiter]

Ha!

Someone wrote this in the comments bit: he does the most amazing version of this song right up there with jeff buckley in my opinion

Entertaining, though.

[DirtyDeeds]

Ok, was this good? No, not really. But it's a fuck of a lot better than Bono's. Close your eyes. Don't watch the video. At least musically it is pretty faithful. Bono's totally blew but we had the benefit of NOT WATCHING to see how he looked when he recorded his shit fest.

He also wasn't stroking the mic stand. He was just moving his arm up, but the angle and the timing of them cutting to that angle made it look like that.

Edited April 18, 2008 by DirtyDeeds

[gnrrulz]

I saw the bon jovi one on vh1 before and thought it was alright. Bon Jovi has a good voice and while its not as good as Buckley its not bad.

Since someone mentioned Bono's version I had to search for it. Its some god awful spoken word thing. He can sing too so I'm not sure what he was thinking... While searching for that I did however find this pretty awesome video:

[Zint]

I didn't think it was all that bad really.

Just a Bon Jovi-esque interpretation.

What these "horrible Cohen rendition" threads are doing for me,is confirming just how powerful Leonard's music is.

So many musicians are drawn to the flame.

For every rendition of a Cohen song that is considered horrible,there's a counterbalance beautiful rendition.

Powerful music...when you get that kind of recognition!

[Estranged Reality]

I didn't think it was all that bad really.

Just a Bon Jovi-esque interpretation.

What these "horrible Cohen rendition" threads are doing for me,is confirming just how powerful Leonard's music is.

So many musicians are drawn to the flame.

For every rendition of a Cohen song that is considered horrible,there's a counterbalance beautiful rendition.

Powerful music...when you get that kind of recognition!

Yeah, Cohen's just great. Songs of Leonard Cohen is one of my all-time favourites. His two follow-up albums are also masterpieces, even though some people think they're not quite as good (I'd agree, but they're still great).

I think John Cale did "Hallelujah" the most justice, and his version was really the one Buckley was covering (in terms of structure and altered lyrics that Cale added), but unfortunately he doesn't really receive any recognition when people discuss Buckley's. They assume he recreated the song that way, when in fact he was really using Cale's reinterpretation.

[bluesy]

LOL, his gestures are funny, but that's classic Bon Jovi. I wouldn't listen to it again, but I actually sat through it. I can't say the same for Bono.

[Zint]

I think John Cale did "Hallelujah" the most justice, and his version was really the one Buckley was covering (in terms of structure and altered lyrics that Cale added), but unfortunately he doesn't really receive any recognition when people discuss Buckley's. They assume he recreated the song that way, when in fact he was really using Cale's reinterpretation.

wholeheartedly agreed

[JKKDARK]

Too bad these certain "bad performances" will not stop Bon Jovi concerts being sold-out

[kevdo242]

Too bad these certain "bad performances" will not stop Bon Jovi concerts being sold-out

So you rate profit higher than artist credibility?

[JKKDARK]

Too bad these certain "bad performances" will not stop Bon Jovi concerts being sold-out

How is popularity proportional to talent?

Besides - you do realize Bon Jovi completely changed his image and struck exclusive deals with Wal-Mart (!) to cater towards a new demographic, right? He has tried to reinvent himself as a country-rock artist for middle-aged soccer moms. My own mother listens to his stuff now. She played Lost Highway endlessly and that stupid "Who Says Ya Can't Go Home" duet...and she has no idea whatsoever about any of his older songs. He's put himself in the same category as Keith Urban and those other tools.

I don't have a problem with changing your image to a degree, but the way he has gone about it over the years with each album is almost funny to me. He's a trend artist.

You're acting like Country is the dominant music today, and it's not true. Lost Highway only reached Platinum in the US, just like their previous album.

He? LOL, it's a band, not an artist. If they were a trend artist, they would move to Alternative Rock.

The music industry don't want new bands like Bon Jovi, didn't you notice? And a band like this one selling millions without being on the last Rock trend, is really amazing.

And I just noticed you never went to a Bon Jovi concert. You can see people from all the ages there, not "middle-aged soccer moms".

The only true thing you said is that Jon tried to reinvent himself. But he will always be rememberd as the long haired boy with pink spandex, that's his legacy, when he and his band were in the top.

[LEARNING PROCESS]

Too bad these certain "bad performances" will not stop Bon Jovi concerts being sold-out

How is popularity proportional to talent?

Besides - you do realize Bon Jovi completely changed his image and struck exclusive deals with Wal-Mart (!) to cater towards a new demographic, right? He has tried to reinvent himself as a country-rock artist for middle-aged soccer moms. My own mother listens to his stuff now. She played Lost Highway endlessly and that stupid "Who Says Ya Can't Go Home" duet...and she has no idea whatsoever about any of his older songs. He's put himself in the same category as Keith Urban and those other tools.

I don't have a problem with changing your image to a degree, but the way he has gone about it over the years with each album is almost funny to me. He's a trend artist.

You're acting like Country is the dominant music today, and it's not true. Lost Highway only reached Platinum in the US, just like their previous album.

He? LOL, it's a band, not an artist. If they were a trend artist, they would move to Alternative Rock.

The music industry don't want new bands like Bon Jovi, didn't you notice? And a band like this one selling millions without being on the last Rock trend, is really amazing.

And I just noticed you never went to a Bon Jovi concert. You can see people from all the ages there, not "middle-aged soccer moms".

The only true thing you said is that Jon tried to reinvent himself. But he will always be rememberd as the long haired boy with pink spandex, that's his legacy, when he and his band were in the top.

Shut up.

[Zint]

he will always be rememberd as the long haired boy with pink spandex, that's his legacy

[Demon Wolf]

If you close your eyes, it's.. decent. But the pointing is hilarious. He should just let Richie Sambora sing, he's a better singer.

I prefer Rufus Wainwright's or Jeff Buckley's versions myself. They're both amazing.

Edited April 20, 2008 by Demon Wolf

[Zint]

I prefer Rufus Wainwright's or Jeff Buckley's versions myself. They're both amazing.

Wainwright's is my favourite in all honesty,apart from the original.

I think he really taps into its essence.

[Demon Wolf]

I prefer Rufus Wainwright's or Jeff Buckley's versions myself. They're both amazing.

Wainwright's is my favourite in all honesty,apart from the original.

I think he really taps into its essence.

Same. I think Rufus does a better job than Jeff, although they're both great in their own way.

I love his piano playing.

[Nadine]

I wouldn't rate this highly but it wasn't all too bad actually. Maybe a few unnecessary gestures, as far as goes the need to wrap it up in his own style, doesn't quite work with the song

[KBear]

Ok, was this good? No, not really. But it's a fuck of a lot better than Bono's. Close your eyes. Don't watch the video. At least musically it is pretty faithful. Bono's totally blew but we had the benefit of NOT WATCHING to see how he looked when he recorded his shit fest.

He also wasn't stroking the mic stand. He was just moving his arm up, but the angle and the timing of them cutting to that angle made it look like that.

I agree. Bono's was awful, and Jon Bon's was pretty decent.

I've now listened to Bono's, Bon Jovi's, Buckley's and Cohen's. Nobody touches Cohen's version IMO. I've heard so much praise for Buckley's but it seemed empty to me. Cohen's voice just adds so much to his haunting songs.

Bon Jovi's cover of Celluloid Heros, also, wasn't all that bad.

The Kinks have some cool songs and are another band I might look into soon. We used to have State of Confusion on vinyl (probably still do somewhere) and I liked a bunch of songs on it. Don't Forget to Dance is beautiful actually. If I recall it came out in 1984 or so and this is probably considered past their prime...but I enjoyed this album quite a bit.

Edited April 20, 2008 by KBear

[carsonskitz]

love the cover, jon has a great voice