"Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright (Central Park)

[sammi4982]

...wish they'd have played this in my church...I'm just sayin'

[LoveSoraPlush]

Why is the Bible being read out in these comments?

I <3 Rufus Wainwright.

Incredible voice, and beautiful playing the piano.

[ecstasiaburdened]

@LoveSoraPlush Because the poster was informing someone of the backstory of the elements in the song. Hallelujah mentions the stories of David/Bathsheba and Samson/Delilah and it seems the poster ILGWAMH11 was telling someone the story of that... So, yeah!=)

[LoveSoraPlush]

@ecstasiaburdened Thank you for explaining ^^

[ILGWAMH11]

David's greatness shines in both his ability to take responsibility for his actions and the humility of his admission and the repentance that follows.

David realizes that the death of the baby and later the revolt of his beloved son, were divine punishment and also served as atonement for his actions. David "pays his dues," repents for many years and is ultimately forgiven by God.

[BigAlCavan]

Hi, Check out Louise singing "Hallelujah"

youtube.com/watch?v=e2eaeEToKr­U

[Namigasuke]

I'm suprised no one mentioned (in last ~70 comments) that HE IS GAY!! And its not joke or flame ... its truth

[TheTwilighter91]

lol dont take this personal but he looks drunk as hell

[derekbd]

@TheTwilighter91 How could anyone take that 'personal', except Rufus?

[thechannelmj]

what a song .....iv done a duet version of this song which sounds great.....cheers any ways crackin song

[KALEIDOSCOPEN]

i heard from a stranger who knew about a person i met in .n.y.c. for about a week. the person informed me he had just died. ?????

[derekbd]

@KALEIDOSCOPEN What the fark does that mean ????? < mocking your use of 5 question marks after a statement) ;)

[martinmaine1990]

I really do not understand when people that don't like a singer or a band watch their videos on youtube, and even, comment on them. I guess they do it because they want to be heard or famous, whatever. Do a simple click and take your arse out of what you dislike.

[TonyRockyHorror86]

I think he is a f***ing Wutzelfutzman

[broadwaysbabe]

i. love. his. voice. I am in loveee (:

[Mimimph]

Rufus has made Hallelujah his own. So beautiful...and so is his performance!

[SavageHmr]

he fucken sucks!

[iraqdesertjuggalo]

this guy def. does the best remake to the song by far.. the man that wrote the song good for him but this guys voice fits so much better.

[spongebob1999999]

amazing =')

[seamless11]

omg, he is fucking great!

[asphaltspreader]

No he didn't write it... everyone knows that. Leonard Cohen wrote it.

[mulioctaveman]

I didn't know it. I thought he wrote it for the longest.

[ChrisJK94]

Rufus' and Buckley's versions are the best.

[Chigokai1080]

His voice suits the song the most I think. Love his version of this song.

[SingingHaych]

my personal favourite :D

[Wrenli]

He looks gay. Darlin'.  Grow up.

[ResistanceForever]

he looks gay.

[raymel13]

@ResistanceForever maybe because he is =O shocker i know. *rolls eyes*

[loui1410]

are you people serious?

WOW for that no one can ever surpass jeff buckley's version.. that man was a genius

[Zazoo1995]

@loui1410

his version ruins the song.

[manualdemise]

@Zazoo1995 Amen

[mannequinkitty]

UHHH i love rufuss <3

[Teresa7087]

I love watching Rufus perform. He puts so much energy and emotion into his performances. He has an amazing voice. And he plays the piano so smoothly. Such an amazing talent and he writes all of his own songs too.

[ChrisJK94]

He didn't write this.

[36MonkeysThatFly]

I have to say that I prefer the recording of this a bit more just because of the way he overstresses the "LUJ" in "Hallelujah", making it sound almost like HalleLOWyah.

[Teresa7087]

God, what a fantastic version of this song. Rufus sings it like an angry angel. I could listen to him sing this song forever and never get bored. What a beautiful love song.

[scruffmcgruffy]

Agreed.

[pwn2king]

Drummerboy5142, o yes it is very much a religious song. Cohen knew what he was doing when he wrote it. It speaks volumes to those who hear the spiritual message of the chair. That is why it is so haunting. Not religious in the sense that it is not preachy, but truly spiritual.

[MarcoNard19]

he looks a little drugged or something but damn he can sing.

i like this guy a lot lol rufus

[allenst]

he appears a little messed up, ok maybe a lot, and i compare this to his other performances

[znicolevz]

love is not a victory march... so sad yet so true...

[therealrasco]

just close your eyes and listen to tne music, then tell me what you think?

[hellboy330]

rebel rebel rebel

[79vietboi]

the fourth, the fifth, minor fall, the major lift

[liamardo007]

Wow!! What a crap version. Destroyed a great track. Sounds like a lisping adolescent.

[sonambuliachannel]

@liamardo007 I think you have a dick in your ears.

[angelies77]

Rufus IS a brilliant musician. I can get lost in him for hours.

[drummerboy5142]

Maybe there's a God above

And all I ever learned from love

Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you

It's not a cry you can hear at night

It's not somebody who's seen the light

It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Amen Leonard Amen (This is not a religious song - well not one the Christians want to acknowledge)

[ILGWAMH11]

@drummerboy5142 The story begins in 2 Samuel 11:1:

Restless one night, David is pacing the roof of his palace from where he has a view of the homes and gardens in the city below(3). And there he spies a beautiful woman bathing. She is the wife of one of his generals, Uriah, the Hittite, who is away at war.

[ILGWAMH11]

@drummerboy5142

David sends for Bathsheba and spends the night with her. When she becomes pregnant, he commands that Uriah be placed on the front lines, where he dies in battle. David then marries Bathsheba.

[ILGWAMH11]

@drummerboy5142

At this point, the prophet Nathan is sent by God to reprove David. (See 2 Samuel 12.) He says that he has come to inform the king of a great injustice in the land. A rich man with many sheep, stole the one beloved sheep of a poor man, and had it slaughtered for a feast.

[ILGWAMH11]

@drummerboy5142

Furious at what he hears, King David, declares, "As God lives, the one who has done this deserves death."

Responds the prophet, "You are that man!"

David is humbled. "I have sinned before God," he says.

[neverNOTfeeling]

@drummerboy5142 it may not be a religious song...but it has many many religious themes to it

[ASadHippoOnABicycle]

You're a singer? Well so am I, and here's my opinion : He's fucking brilliant, he wouldn't be a singer if he didn't have some form of an audience, I don't look at videos of fucking Tokio Hotel and explain why I dislike them, the reason I don't do that is because I'm not going to purposely look at their fucking videos. Are you literally just calling him shit because you dislike him? That's just stupid, I dislike rap, but i don't look at Jay Z videos just so I can pour my heart out to YouTube...

[PustkaAdam]

@ASadHippoOnABicycle What's stupid is using the "f" word



[den5100]

Freakin' Awesome. I love this version of the song.

[daanyg]

WOW, he was bad !

[firstknight38544]

well this is my only and first coment ever : ok this guy is such a jerk song is the most awsome ever and he needs to be horse woped have you watched his actions while singing i bet hed make love to his self if he could

[ASadHippoOnABicycle]

I've listened to probably every single version of this song, I even listened to the Il Divo version which is completely in Italian, anyway, Rufus Wainwright's version is my second favourite version, my favourite on piano, the only version I find that tops this is the Espen Lind, Alejandro Fuentes, Askil Holm and Nilsen version. As well as that is 'horse woped' even a term? And I doubt he really needs to make love to himself. And to all the people saying "he's on drugs", yes he was on drugs.Gj...

[rafaeltadeu88]

he's awesome!!!!!!!!!

[MrSvenchi]

Heheh. Well I hope they all O.D. =D

[godluven44]

get a life. keep your comments about the video, huh.

[MrSvenchi]

this sucks... He´s singing as if he´s going to die any second... worst interpretation of this song ever ..

[piercoucy]

too much drug..........let him get stoned in peace. As long as the listeners are taking stronger drugs than his, I don't see the problem......

[CampbellTomatoSoup]

Man, I hate it when people bad mouth other's music.

If you don't like the way he sings then thats okay but don't talk negatively. You can have an opinion without being mean about it :)

Personally, I think he sounds pretty good and do you really expect him to sit there and smile the whole time. The song doesn't really allow for a lot of joy, it's a little to mellow for that.

[MrSvenchi]

Im not saying that he should jump around the place. I´m just saying that I truly, honestly don´t understand how people call that this sort of performance singing. Because the man is a living nightmare just to look at and his vocal "skills" are more than horrible. NO ONE can say that this is a good singer. Trust me, I´m an understanding person but also a realistic and objective one (and I´m a singer among all other things)... THIS IS NOT A GOOD SINGER. Not by a long shot.

[vincehwijk]

agreed, he sounds like ****

[crayman04]

@MrSvenchi dude this guy is a better singer than u

[EJTJ04]

k.d.lang, bon jovi, rufus whomever does leonard cohen, I love cuz I love leonard.  what is there not to?

[fellowvoyager]

Rufus is nice and all.

Personally, i prefer his old man. Loudon has an amazing voice.

[ItsGossip]

I love when he sing ''CAAARE for music'' <3.

[randall7172]

i think he is too nasal. Dont get me wrong i can listen to it with ease but it would sound better if he didnt use his nose when he sang...

[sexy2oo7]

what a bad shit

[godaimekazekage7]

when he goes like "hal-leh-luu-jah"! man its hallelujah!

[HmR91]

he cant sing

[BlueeyedFeedback]

ugh, look at his fingers glide on the piano. he's truly amazing

[jamesojld]

Rufus Wainwright did not write this song.

He just happens to sing it better than anyone else.

[imasuperbeaver]

I think that a cover can never be technically better than the original, as the original is what it IS, and whatever is copied still isn't the same.

[DCUshorty]

yeah, leonard cohen is the original singer, but i think rufus wainwright is a better singer than him. an he dot the voice 4 this song. its perfect. but when rufus sing life he´s drunk the most time. thats why he cant sing too good and forget the text sometimes. listen to the studio version and u know what i mean, dude. but the original is not bad, too ;)

peace

ZeroDawg aka Strike

[luke10000000000]

I like jeff bucklys verson more but either way he is really good

[Barisaxguy2]

who gives a s*** who wrote the song!? Either way its a good song.

[breakingbboy]

beautiful song

[nat00ben06]

Rusty it's unbelievable to me to think a smart person, that has listened to their music thr whole life can't discern, the difference in ability, emotion, soul, color, range and the unexplainable way one can't relate and express thmselves so much better then all the others who sing the same sng. Meaning can you really not ear the diff in Buckley's version then anyone else's do u think this guy ability is much more then a high school talent show. Buckley is king,..go on listen to him back to back

[mamafuimus]

I so miss Jeff Buckley! But give me a break - Rufus is alive and wrote this song for us. Hats off to him, man.

[jmkish48]

No, Rufus never wrote this song.

Leonard Cohen did, around 30 years ago.

[Izuru423]

can you not ear the difference in Wainwrights version? or are you too stuck up in thinking Buckley is king.

[xxMissMiekexx]

he sings like he is drunk :S

[dwsnare]

Whats th go, theres heaps way better. No offence to Rufus, but man, pretty basic & probly not his song. Try, Damien Leith, KD Lang Live, Maybe Jon Bonjovi, But first two for sure. This guy sings in tune, but for me, not a good voice for this. Sorry to dissapoint, but only my opinion guys. Cheers.

[bearrounder3232]

it's ridiculous that you could say aything about Rufus' voice and then mention Bon Jovi in the same breath....what a joke. J.B.J. is one of the biggest wanks in the last 25 years of music. I'm by no means a huge Rufus fan, but c'mon dude....Jovi is fucking brutal!

[mamafuimus]

Not his song??? He wrote it. You would think he has a right to interpret it the way he wants.

[homsar19]

This song was written by Leonard Cohan. You are an idiot and I hate you.

[Pianist54d]

He didn't write this song. Sorry. I do like his interpretation though.

[thevogenator]

sorry mate i clicked yours as bad, was supposed to click homsar19's

[chomsky88]

Would you get it through your head that he didn't write it--it was written by one of the best songwriters in the world by the name of Leonard Cohen. Fuck, that pisses me off.

[katiefershadybaby]

he is so hot

[Anonymite]

he's gay. gay people can't be hot <_<

[katiefershadybaby]

i dont care if he is gay

[SleepySlacker4]

why can't gay people be hot?

It's all a matter of opinion.

[bilcrew]

Hallelujah ,Hallelujah ,Hallelujah ,Hallelujah

[magicharry17]

i hate the slurred sound

[maximus5901]

so beautiful

[Nicklas4500]

I loathe his silly slurred diction - such an affected delivery.

[Afghantaekwondochamp]

Thats what makes this so special

he is wayyy better than any of you will ever be

[sinkingsweat]

i know! what an idiot. it's just like amy winehouse slurs.

sexy.

except not winehouse.

[nikbetts]

Il n'y a que lui pour reprendre cette chanson correctement.....plus mélodique que Cohen....BRAVO! Frisson garanti...

[rustycoalbin]

One thing i've learnt during my many years of listening to music is that ......music appreciation is purely subjective rather than objective,I've loved the music of Leonard Cohen since childhood and while taking nothing away from Buckley,BonJovi and Cohen himself......I personally feel, Wainwright takes this song to a new level

[likethewave23]

me too, he captures the spirit and perfect imperfection of the song...

[Clairekberry]

he's so stonned here!! lol

[NoValentines]

na he always looks like that when he sings

[cruxzula]

beautiful song and performance. thanks Leonard and Rufus.

[RockyXisXlove]

does he have a lisp?

[cmomofilm]

Kinda, but only when he sings. Sounds a bit like elmer fudd.

[morticatje]

this version en the one by bon jovi is the best of hallelujah....I love it <3

brings tears to my eyes!! thanks for this video

[hkobb7]

I don't favor gay marriage, but I've no problem with gays themselves...just no new definition for marriage. Great song!

[yohei72]

Sigh. "I've no problem with blacks, I just don't think they should be able to marry white people." If you oppose gay marriage, you've got a problem with gays.

One of my best friends was separated from her partner of eight years, with whom she was raising a child, when her partner was denied a work visa and deported. Gay marriage isn't an abstraction - the lack of legal protections destroys families and tears lives apart. And I "have a problem" with that. Do you?

[Nickyledium99]

J´aime cette chanson!!!!!!! qu´est le compositeur?

[awhoawd]

il etait written by leonard cohen.

[stepott]

lol '' il etait ''written'' hahaha that made me laugh a little. ( by the was written in french is ecrit

[Letrash1]

omg.Awesome.<3 love it...I´m crying now :(

[Whistlejocket]

thanks Rufus...awsome

[webkinzmad97]

gay... omg, i never knew ! my world is shattered, there all married or gay !! never mind still my favorite song

[funmilayookoye]

well y'all i love this song,

[PianoManTyler]

who cares if he's gay? There are plenty of praised singers that were/ are gay.

[laila862286]

i think:

1) This song and the interpretation are great.

2) There still many stupid people who think that a musician is "strange" or something like that, just for be gay... common we are in XXI, star to use your brains.

3) the music and all the art are a way to describe the freedom, the emotion... this song is a great demostration of this.

[gombkotomarton]

jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[MonteNiegro]

He sings very well and he's so beauty :P

But.. is gay :b

[elysemarie27]

i would marry him, i know hes gay but c'monn lol

[wower3432]

?what ? |  V

[mrjeffkoons]

god this is divine...thanks for posting. 'well he's gay...'? 'Well you;re straight'...the fourth, the fifth, but you don't really get music do ya? Thanks for postingx

[AmazingWhite]

Er nuschelt.. :D he moves a bit gay?

[acdgui]

well he's gay

[Rubentje91]

He seems to have a pretty funny face... :P

[moirabutner]

Try the john cale. awesome.

[jyebur]

This is a great song, but there's never a good version. Leonard Cohen was....odd, Jeff Buckley had no emotion, and Rufus Wainwright is too nasal.

This is the kind of comment where people say "I'd like to see YOU do better" :P

[gooseCha]

have you heard damien rice's attempt

[LargeMagneticCloud]

rufus rules

[sabottik]

Not bad, but when I play Buckley's version and then this..I have that strange feeling that this guy should stop singing.

[bs1982]

right...

Same here :p

[LoveInMusic2]

kocham, gdy właśnie ON śpiewa TĄ piosenke... ;))

[Jimmywitguitar]

i think jeff does it better regardless of what you say.

[itsALLmusicTOmee]

love him love him!!!!

wish he wasnt gay...hahaha

with a voice like that...ahhhh!

<3

[vadeem6]

beutiful song

better then jeff burkly or what ev

iv listend to jeff's and it suckes it has no emotion or and its really like a whisper

[Tears222]

I love him and his voice, it makes tgis song come to life. I just wish he would open his beautiful eyes

[starbuck80]

the best version....by far......

[karman177]

My favourite version by far....so much passion put in the song!

Perfect!

[zoli222]

I think this is one of the most beatufol songs i ever heard. We had sang it in school and an hour ago... I have lost one of my relative...

:(

[vadeem6]

this song is beutiful it makes me think that an angel is singing it........rufus has a great voice he definetly knows how to play piano so good job lad

[toothpaste808]

Always get shivers when I hear this song. Love it.

[JiroWangDongCheng]

Its true that it sounds a little like the singing comes from his nose.. Bus so what? If you cant hear taht this is REALLY beautiful anyway then you must be tone deaf -_-

Love this song <3

[DevLatSt]

I love this song....makes my cry...

[foomsbah]

Jeff Buckley & John Cale's versions are far superior. This guy is way too dramatic and mealy-mouthed.

[JaredxSmith]

He always sounds "mealy-mouthed". That doesnt make it any less beautiful. I do agree that Jeff Buckley's version was better thatn this, but not John Cale's.

[enderwign]

Not really, no. This isn't the best recording of it I've heard, but Rufus definitely does it better.

[wilkinson4eva]

My fwend sings this perfectly but hes in a choir. Proper high voice but it sounds gd.

[Goodzy8]

Comment ne pas ressentir une émotion en écoutant ca... C'est simplement fantastique. Je l'écouterais en boucle pendant des heures et des heures :)

[trombonista09]

Great vid. Sound quality is good, pictures of crowd superimposed over Rufus. Well done.

Thanks!

[caslok]

is he high?

[jesbear6]

Ha Ha Ha How else do you think he got that sound?

[gregerbadarskummbad]

this song is so beautiful. Check out my instrumental fingerpicking verision!

[Snudg]

Hallelujah: Prais be to Jah. (Jehovah) :-)

[msiluvr666]

Rufus Wainwright is amazing! This is one of my favorite songs.

[PetheadChris]

Absolutely beautiful, amazing voice, amazing talent. Love this guy so much, his music is fantastic!