Hallelujah

"It's, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion.... It's a rather joyous song." ~ Leonard Cohen, creator of the song, Hallelujah. He says: "I wanted to write something in the tradition of the hallelujah choruses but from a different point of view... It's the notion that there is no perfection ~ that this is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives but still that is no alibi for anything. On the contrary, you have to stand up and say hallelujah under those circumstances."

G                              Em
The night was cold, the air was dry.
G                           Em
The shepherds sat beneath the sky
C                                D                            G
Wondering what the morrow would bring to you
G                                         C     D
The stars, they danced; the sky awoke;
Em                                               C
The heavens stirred and the angels spoke;
D                          B7       Em
An angel chorus singing Hallelujah.
C                  Em            C              G-D-G
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu -- jah!

The blessed one, no place to stay.
She laid her baby in the hay--
Emmanuel come to the world for you.
The earth was still, yet filled with hope
As in the night the curtain broke
And all of heaven joined the Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

The shepherds came to see this one
New Hope for all born in God's son,
This child now cradled by Mary giv'n for you.
They quietly praised the God above
For showing them this gift of love,
They joined the chorus, shouting Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Magicians came from far away;
Followed a star to find their way;
It led them to this infant born for you.
They brought him gifts from lands afar,
They praised the Lord for the guiding star;
They added their voices to the Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

This child, who, destined for the cross
Forgives the sins of all of us,
While only asking me to show love to you.
He rose again new life to live,
Still pleads with us this life to give
Inviting all to join the sing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

song by Leonard Cohen, sung in the style of Allison Crowe with words by Dan Bollerud and James Drury