Courtesy Old Ideas, LLC
When Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" was released in 1984, few took notice. It was years later that the world began to discover and rediscover the song—cementing it as a standard in rock music, movies, television, and even politics. In this installment of Sunday Stories, explore the origins of "Hallelujah," its legacy, and its wide impact across generations of listeners.
This video was originally published on The CJM's Facebook Live on August 15, 2021.
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Through his poetry, novels, songs, and lyrics, Leonard Cohen expressed the complexities and desires of body and soul—a compelling metaphor for the twenty-first century Jewish experience. An observant Jew, Cohen also deeply explored Buddhism and various other worldviews. His commitment to questions of spirituality and existence shines through in songs such as “Suzanne,” “Bird on a Wire,” and “Hallelujah,” which masterfully combine mystery and universality with sacred and profane, and are now imprinted on our collective memory. Experience Cohen’s legacy like never before—through the eyes of contemporary artists George Fok, Judy Chicago, Candice Breitz, and Marshall Trammell.
Courtesy Old Ideas, LLC
Exhibition image: Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac wandering along East 7th street . . ., 1953. Gelatin silver print, 1984–1997. National Gallery of Art, Gift of Gary S. Davis. Copyright © 2013 The Allen Ginsberg LLC. All rights reserved.