Idolator
Surely I can't have been the only person a little disappointed that the song chosen to pay tribute to Leonard Cohen when inducting him into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame was "Hallelujah." It's a great song, certainly, but it's most strongly associated with Jeff Buckley, to such a degree that some people don't even know Cohen wrote it. Worse, the version performed by Damien Rice is the Buckley version, with its ascending melody line in the final chorus and persistent falsetto. It'd be like playing a rock version of "All Along the Watchtower" at Bob Dylan's induction—a fine song, but not really the best choice. So what would've been better, and who should've sung it? Well, just pick any two of the following:
Comments
Just for the chance to see Hercules and Love Affair live, that one.
How about Cat Power doing "Dance Me..."?
Is the poll function busted today?
I think you just wanted to impress everyone that you knew who Jeff Buckley was.
And couldn't wait to use the terms 'ascending melody' and 'final chorus'.
Well played, sir.
@cmarsh: uh, what?
You should try listening to the song... Damien doesn't shift to falsetto once in the song. He does, however have a persistant tremelo or vibrato.
I think Arcade Fire could do a good So Long, Marianne. Low could get Cohen's religious overtones right. Michael Stipe is an avowed fan whose pipes could do Cohen justice. How about Bon Iver or Damien Jurado, just because they're really good stark, emotional singer-songwriters? And Lloyd Cole did a really good version of "Famous Blue Raincoat" on a KCRW comp some years back.
Tori Amos doing Famous Blue Raincoat would've been a great thing.
Jens Lekman doing Sisters of Mercy would be best.... fact
@revmatty: Definitely.
um.. maybe it would be more appropriate that it was into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and not the Folky-Poet Hall of fame?
Given that the RR Hall of Fame doesn't really focus itself to anything but music in general, my vote for induction song is all of the songs. Three words: Weird.Al.Mashup.
Even though it's already been performed, Martha Wainwright fucking nailed "The Traitor" on "I'm Your Man", and I would have had no reservations about seeing it again.
@StuntKockSteeev: awesome! that was totally going to be my comment. she was amaaaazing!
R.E.M. did a great "First we take Manhattan" in the '90s on a tribute album.
...and no one else will comment on the bizarreness of Cohen being inducted in to the ROCK and ROLL Haul of Fame?
Jesus.
As much as I am a Big Fan of him, he is no more R+R than is Maria Muldaur, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits or Flatts and Scrugg.
GET A GRIP people! Yes he deserved honour, but in terms of R+R? How about The Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Wayne Newton? Where's Barbra Striesand fer crissakes?
This was pathetic, and I thank the healing Bhudda (and Len's Zen studies that have allowed him to get through this honour/travesty with a sense of "whatthehell...").
e.
- And no-one beats Jennifer Warnes for her singing of Cohen; cf "Little Blue Raincoat".
e.
I can't believe that anyone would question Cohen's influence on R&R. As a fan consistant since the late 60's it has ALWAYS been obvious. As far as Dameon Rice being the interpreter of Cohen's classic. Why Not? Perhaps this is the relay of the baton? As a young fan in the late 60's through early 80's most folks were critical of my love for LC's music as they all were not into the words. When I first tuned into Rice in the summer of 2003 my peers reaction was the same again, initially, and pretty much for the same reason. It is funny to note the ones who become believers (including myself) are the ones who have suddenly have a life experience that equally as sudden, makes the words take on a personal meaning in their lives. The melodies of both Rice and Cohen serve as the heart wrenching backdrops perfectly.
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