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This is a major point made by the article. Cohen needed Cale to be his "editor", someone that could beat it into shape. Without Cale's "editing", we probably wo

This is a major point made by the article. Cohen needed Cale to be his "editor", someone that could beat it into shape. Without Cale's "editing", we probably would not have all the covers today. The article then contrasts this process to what happens an author is unlucky and is faced with an editor who stands in the way of the author's vision rather than becoming a catalyst for it.

klabetron 2y ago
What was it about Cale’s version that Jeff Buckley latched on to that he wouldn’t have had he come across Cohen’s version while cat sitting for a friend? Do we know? I don’t think the author explains (if there even is an explanation). But really great read nonetheless.
- deleted 2y ago
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- browningstreet 2y ago
  Search for “MALCOLM GLADWELL Revisionist History Hallelujah”. He does a whole show on the topic, and covers the major different versions.
shagie 2y ago
https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/how-john-cale-recorded-the-definitive-version-of-hallelujah-1.5014707 https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/how-john-cale-recorded-the-def... has more background on the editor process that Cale did. > Shortly after Shrek's success, Cale ran into Cohen at a Starbucks in Hollywood, where the two had consequently relocated. "I said, 'Well, I guess we did a good thing there,'" Cale recalls of the meeting. "I asked him, 'How many versions of 'Hallelujah' are there? How many can there be?' He said, 'Well, it's all your fault, you know.' And I said, 'Oh no, everybody's found something great in it because every verse has a different aspect of somebody's character.' I then told him I couldn't sing some of them because they were too religious for me, and he said, 'Yeah, you take what you find useful.'" I will suggest listening to the Matthew Schuler cover - https://youtu.be/r6KrhD8Ts7c https://youtu.be/r6KrhD8Ts7c and see how it was inspired by Cohen's version rather than Cale's version (and Schuler's background as a church choir singer is there rather than a singer songwriter background).

klabetron 2y ago

What was it about Cale’s version that Jeff Buckley latched on to that he wouldn’t have had he come across Cohen’s version while cat sitting for a friend? Do we know? I don’t think the author explains (if there even is an explanation). But really great read nonetheless.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
browningstreet 2y ago
Search for “MALCOLM GLADWELL Revisionist History Hallelujah”. He does a whole show on the topic, and covers the major different versions.

shagie 2y ago

https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/how-john-cale-recorded-the-definitive-version-of-hallelujah-1.5014707 https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/how-john-cale-recorded-the-def... has more background on the editor process that Cale did. > Shortly after Shrek's success, Cale ran into Cohen at a Starbucks in Hollywood, where the two had consequently relocated. "I said, 'Well, I guess we did a good thing there,'" Cale recalls of the meeting. "I asked him, 'How many versions of 'Hallelujah' are there? How many can there be?' He said, 'Well, it's all your fault, you know.' And I said, 'Oh no, everybody's found something great in it because every verse has a different aspect of somebody's character.' I then told him I couldn't sing some of them because they were too religious for me, and he said, 'Yeah, you take what you find useful.'" I will suggest listening to the Matthew Schuler cover - https://youtu.be/r6KrhD8Ts7c https://youtu.be/r6KrhD8Ts7c and see how it was inspired by Cohen's version rather than Cale's version (and Schuler's background as a church choir singer is there rather than a singer songwriter background).