Am I wrong in that? What is Christmas-y about losing a connection with someone (that's my take)? It's a sad and destabilizing song. Beautiful, but nothing in it is Christmas-y... Yet it's in so many Christmas playlists!

What's your opinion?

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

cmmosher t1_j1xuhx8 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 4:52 AM

Who said it was a Christmas song, I had never heard that. It seems to me to be about human relationships, whether it's about our romantic relations or our personal relationship with faith. Hallelujah does mean to praise God but I don't get the impression that Leonard Cohen was going for a literal interpretation.

VlaxDrek t1_j1xuwcg wrote on December 28, 2022 at 4:56 AM

You’re right.

Sarah McLachman did a cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Song for a Winter’s Night” about 15 years ago, and it got put on an album of Christmas songs. Now, it seems, it’s a Christmas song - up here in Canada, at least.

Song for a Winter’s Night

cmmosher t1_j1xvm3t wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:03 AM

Lol. As a Canadian, I can see how coming inside from the cold in to a place where you are with loved ones is applicable to Christmas but it sounds more like a love song to me.

VlaxDrek t1_j1xwm2m wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:12 AM

Yeah, it is - one of Gord’s best!

cmmosher t1_j1xyg56 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:30 AM

I had a chance to see him live about a decade ago, amazing experience.

ninjas_in_my_pants t1_j1xycp3 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:29 AM

It’s about orgasms.

ThingsIAlreadyKnow t1_j1y01oq wrote on December 28, 2022 at 5:47 AM

I think that's a stretch, there's a lot more in the lyrics than what's going on below.

Traditional-Bad-2627 t1_j1xtweb wrote on December 28, 2022 at 4:47 AM

I 100% agree. Absolutely not a Christmas song. I always wondered the same thing. Cheers!!!!!

MarcamGorfain t1_j1xuh2o wrote on December 28, 2022 at 4:52 AM

Nor is it a Christian song, despite the religious slant

WockhardtTolle t1_j1ysx6o wrote on December 28, 2022 at 12:04 PM

For a start its made by a jewish guy

Lovingly-ducky t1_j1y7xmz wrote on December 28, 2022 at 7:18 AM

True and the meaning is absolutely not about christmas.

GSV_No_Fixed_Abode t1_j1ynnq9 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 10:56 AM

Variety actually published an article about this: https://variety.com/2022/music/news/hallelujah-leonard-cohen-book-excerpt-alan-light-expanded-edition-1235281084/

spoiler, it's apparently because of Susan Boyle's Anal Bum Party? Who knew?

cedenike t1_j1yarlg wrote on December 28, 2022 at 7:56 AM

which playlists? i suppose handel's version might be in some xmas playlists but I've not scene cohen's lol

ChipCob1 t1_j1yjnx7 wrote on December 28, 2022 at 10:00 AM

Also why is Go Tell it on the Mountain not seen as a Christmas song?

[deleted] t1_j20h4zc wrote on December 28, 2022 at 7:39 PM

[removed]

[deleted] t1_j1zpwzh wrote on December 28, 2022 at 4:40 PM

[deleted]

Nizamark t1_j1zhk3t wrote on December 28, 2022 at 3:42 PM

who said it was?

Gitdemgainz t1_j1ysdna wrote on December 28, 2022 at 11:57 AM

It’s boring and depressing I know that