There is generally a misconception that this is a religious song...it isn’t, Leonard Cohen wrote it as an ironic “Hallelujah”, a cry of despair and disillusionment rather than in the sense of giving praise to the Lord! Not a bad version, but my own favourite (and Leonard Cohen’s) is k.d.Lang’s.

When I was watching the Hope for Haiti special several years ago and heard this song for the very first time I was blown away. Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions. I haven't heard the Cale, Buckley and Lang versions.

I just listened to them and WOW! They're all amazing. I also ran across this in my search. Auditions from TV talent shows. Be sure you give a listen to Jeff Gutt, #5.

Top 5 Hallelujah song cover in reality shows.

Number 5 - Jeffrey Adam Gutt -

Number 4 - Anna Clendening -

Number 3 - Matthew Schuler -

Number 2 - Kyle Tomlinson -

Number 1 - Carly Rose -

All in all, based on my own emotional reaction, I have to say I still love the Timberlake version best... because of it's relevance to the events at the time. I thought it was really emotionally charged and the harmony was beautiful.

I prefer the Leonard Cohen (which is the first I ever heard) because I never interpreted the word Hallelujah as religious. It was pain, it was precious love, it was ecstacy, it was sarcasm. I found the song incredibly earthy and far from ethereal. This is probably why I disliked Jeff buckley's version with his change of verses. But even he said Hallelujah was a reference to oragasm. I like the John Cale version too. Now I will sit back and listen to this version.

Nice, but I like the Jeff Buckley version.

Beautiful song

The music makes sincere words fit.... it has the crescendo quality of a march to triumphant resolution which Atheists like Mozart mastered....Cohen is one of the great composers but a fair performer

Better than kd lang ? ??

That IS very beautiful. Thanks for posting.
Real thought and feeling went into the composition of it.
I thank the universe for Leonard Cohen.

I found this: The Meaning of the Song "Hallelujah," by Leonard Cohen. In Hebrew, the word hallelujah means to rejoice in praising God. However, the numerous biblical references and religious symbols in Cohen's song lead not to spiritual heights, but to Cohen's secularism. It is a bitter lament about love and loss. Plus he wrote some 80 draft versions and was known to change the lyrics in live versions.
So perhaps not so strange.
Great version!!