Today I had to choose between blogging about two 80s classics, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, or "The Captain of Her Heart" by Double. Sorry, fans of rare and special music, but today I decided to go with the more commercial song that has been thoroughly exploited and left culturally bereft in the ensuing years since its release.
So yeah, Leonard Cohen! What could be more commercial? Certainly not anything more than this song that, whilst framed by a few biblical references, happens to be about SEX.
Cohen, prolific and erstwhile poet, released his original version of the song, and over the next few years adjusted the lyrics in live performances, drawing from a reported 80 verses total, to bring about a distillation of his concept that was deemed worthy of being covered by one John Cale.
Just beautiful. And this John Cale version was then heard by young Jeff Buckley, who found it in his graces to present it to the masses...
And then Buckley had the good sense to die, which forever immortalized him and this version of the song, which has become sacred. So much so that the rockapella group Petatonics (Pentatonix? whatever) decided to start peddling the song as a Christmas classic.
LISTEN TO THE LYRICS. IT'S ABOUT SEX. The version they recorded, much more than the original released by Cohen. Go back and listen, I'll wait.
Yeah, that one's about sex, too. Most good art is. Don't try to make it holy 'cause it has some holy words in it.
Love ya, Leonard.
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