“Hallelujah” History
“Hallelujah” didn’t experience much success when it was first released by Canadian artist Leonard Cohen in 1984. Cohen, who also wrote the song, famously struggled with its creation. He wrote as many as 80 verses before trimming it down, according to an article by The New York Times.
The song finally rose in popularity after a cover by John Cale was included in Shrek in 2001. It’s featured in one of the most memorable scenes from the movie.
A Country Connection
Since then, over 300 artists have covered “Hallelujah.” Jeff Buckley, Pentatonix, Andrea Bocelli, and Willie Nelson, and LeAnn Rimes all shared famous renditions.
In 2011, Rimes sat down with her frequent collaborator and producer Darrell Brown for an intimate performance of “Hallelujah.” Surrounded glowing candles, Brown opened the song with an introduction on the piano before Rimes chimed in.
Following Brown’s lead, Rimes sang softly at first. She kept her eyes closed as she felt the emotion in the song.
But before long, Rimes showcased the range and power of her voice on the last few lines of the opening verse.
The perfect word to describe Rimes’ performance of “Hallelujah” is “angelic.” Don’t be surprised if you get emotional while listening to the beauty of Rimes’ performance. Watch it below.
We think Rimes did a stunning job with this gorgeous piece of music. What are your thoughts?
