Gotta give props to Lee Dewyze and Simon Cowell for last night's American Idol. Cowell chose “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen (Jeff Buckley-style) for Dewyze to sing in the biggest moment of the competition. It's not a song I would have thought suited his more gruff / less pretty vocals—shows what I know. His performance was awesome. I wish the arrangement was kept simpler (ditch the horns, tone down the backing vocals in favor of Lee and his guitar along with the strings), but I think this just won him the competition. Check it out:
Not too shabby. I think a better arrangement would come as close as anyone to could to Buckley’s rendition—which I think is one of the finest vocal performances ever recorded.
UPDATE: k.d. lang's got some pipes too...
It's a great song. I think the ideal person to sing the song would actually have a gruffer voice...so this seemed to fit despite the musical hyperbole of horns and backup screamers.
ReplyDeleteI like Rufus Wainwright's version (the one from Shrek) best myself, actually. Since I heard that one first, Buckley's always sounds (to me) kind of wimpy and crooney.
ReplyDeleteI came across Wainright's version last night for the first time. I'm a fan of Wainright's voice, but I think his rendition comes in fourth in this crowd.
ReplyDeleteOf course Buckley was the first version I heard back in the day...
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