Hallelujah — Leonard Cohen vs. Jeff Buckley

Welcome back to Chillers – Cover Up, where we pit two versions of the same song against each other to see which one reigns supreme. The originals are cold, the covers are warm — so make sure you Cover Up and get ready to dive in.

The Song: Slow, sweeping, and achingly tender, Hallelujah has seeped so deeply into culture that it feels like a song we were all born knowing. It circles the bittersweet edges of love—its holiness and its hurt—threaded with Biblical imagery (Samson and Delilah, King David) that echoes the title’s sacred roots. It’s a prayer, a confession, and a bruise.

The Original: Released in 1984 on Various Positions, Leonard Cohen’s version pairs his rich baritone with a synth-tinged arrangement and choral lift. His delivery is measured—almost plainspoken—while the backing vocals rise like a small cathedral behind him. It’s layered, hypnotic, and unmistakably Cohen: secular and sacred sharing the same pew.

The Cover: On 1994’s Grace, Jeff Buckley strips the song to a shimmering, arpeggiated electric guitar and a solitary voice. Gone are the bass heft and choir; in their place, intimacy. Buckley’s elastic tenor bends from whisper to wail, turning the lyrics from a dialogue with faith into a late-night conversation between lovers. Same song; entirely different spell.

The Verdict: I went in convinced I’d pick Cohen. Then I listened again. And again. And again. Somewhere between the minor fall and the major lift, Buckley pulled me across the line. Cohen’s version is timeless; Buckley’s feels timeless and personal—like he’s handing you the candle.