The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah"

(Paperback, Reissue)

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See the film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song from Sony Pictures Classics

This thoughtful and illuminating (The New York Times) work of music journalism is an unforgettable, fascinating, and unexpected account of one of the most performed and beloved songs in pop historyLeonard Cohens heartrending Hallelujah. Featuring a new foreword and afterword by the author.

When Leonard Cohen first wrote and recorded the song Hallelujah, it attracted little attention or airplay, dismissed by both fans and critics alike. Today, it is one of the most recorded songs in history, having been covered by a variety of music icons including Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Willie Nelson, and, most famously, Jeff Buckley. Its been featured on soundtracks as diverse as Shrek to The West Wing. And in the days after major tragedies, it has brought comfort to thousands after being featured in the MTV 9/11 tribute video and the telethon for the 2010 Haitian earthquake.

So how did one relatively unknown song become an unofficial international anthem for human triumph and tragedy, one which each successive generation feels they have discovered and claimed as uniquely their own

Through in-depth interviews and expansive research, longtime music journalist Alan Light follows the captivating and improbable journey of Hallelujah to the heart of popular culture. Discover how great songs come to be, and how we as listeners have the endless ability to project a succession of meanings onto a cultural artifact, forever reinterpreting art through the lens of current events and the latest trends.

A combination mystery tale, detective story, pop critique, and sacred psalm of its own (Daily News, New York),The Holy or the Broken is a revelatory and masterful exploration of the overwhelming power of music.

Reviews

"Thoughtful and illuminating... [Mr. Light] is a fine companion for this journey through one songs changing fortunes." * The New York Times *
"A combination mystery tale, detective story, pop critique and sacred psalm of its own." * The Daily News *
"Brilliantly revelatory... A masterful work of critical journalism." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *
"A deeply researched mixture of critical analysis and cultural archaeology." * Los Angeles Times *
"Keeps the pages turning... A well-constructed, consistently enlightening book, which should have Cohen devotees and music fans alike seeking out their favorite version of the song." * The Boston Globe *
"Fresh and compelling." * Entertainment Weekly *
"Reverentially details every stage in the [song's] evolutionand along the way, he reveals the compelling stories behind some of its most iconic interpretations." * The Atlantic *
"AbsorbingEloquent... Light expertly unpacks the song's long, strange journey to ubiquity." * The Village Voice *
"A must for music fans." * Booklist (starred review) *
"Reads like an investigative oral biography of a song. A true songography." * Pop Matters *

Author Bio

Alan Lightisone of Americas leading music journalists and is the cohost of the daily music talk show Debatable on SiriusXM. He was a senior writer at Rolling Stone, founding music editor and editor-in-chief of Vibe, and editor-in-chief of Spin. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Esquire, among other publications. Alan is the author of Lets Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain; biographies of Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, and the Beastie Boys; and was thecowriter of New York Times bestselling memoirs by Gregg Allman and Peter Frampton.