What is the song hallelujah about?

It's a song that many know, but few know much about. The meaning of "Hallelujah," a popular masterpiece of music, is perhaps best understood through its complex history. This song has a long and fascinating story behind it–one that is marked by a tragedy eerily befitting this mournful masterpiece. read more

"Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). Achieving little initial success, the song found greater popular acclaim through a recording by John Cale, which inspired a recording by Jeff Buckley. read more

In ‘Hallelujah’ he talks about this indirectly and poetically, with biblical and other references; in his 1967 song ‘So Long Marianne’ (So Long, Marianne - Wikipedia) he tackles the events more directly. read more

So although the song dominates his legacy, the difference between Cohen's approach and virtually everyone else's makes you wonder if the popularity of "Hallelujah" is the right way to think about the influence of an artist who never seemed to care much about scoring big pop hits. read more