Idol Worship: Hallelujah!
As reported in this hot-off-the-server Yahoo! Buzz Log article, Jason Castro's Tuesday-night American Idol performance of "Hallelujah" has drastically increased searches for the gospel-tinged, goosebump-raising ballad by 2008 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Leonard Cohen.
Sadly, there hasn't been a similar subsequent revival of interest in "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Go figure.
Anyway, while Jason's performance was one of Tuesday evening's hands-down highlights, he's hardly the first notable crooner to cover Cohen's classic. Along with late legend Jeff Buckley--whom Simon Cowell mentioned on Tuesday's show, and whose version has shot into both the iTunes and Amazon top 10 overnight--quite "worthy" interpretations have been recorded by John Cale and Rufus Wainwright as well.
So with that, I give you the wonderful Rufus Wainwright rendition below (and hope Brooke White croons Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat" when the girls sing tonight):
as for popularity, a LOT of poeple got into it from the John Cale version featured in Shrek.
As for Castro, I love the guy (and am SO glad you called out the Travolta love-child piece!) but watching him sing that was like watching a fatigued figure skater line up for a triple axle that you KNOW they can't land perfectly. He did well enough, but SUCH a high bar!
Keep up the great blogging Lyndsey! love ya!
www.drnate.blogspot.com
is me. lol
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Thanks, as always, for the chuckle.
All the best, ...
I have to saY ALL the guys aeem very talented and I can't wait until next week.
http://www.youtube.com/v/JlXV19TykLY
Title: "Mariah Carey will mentor the Idols".
As if we don't hear enough diva music on the show, Randy Jackson reveals that Mariah Carey will be a mentor on this year's show. Does this mean a Mariah Carey theme week? That seems unfairly weighted toward David Archuleta and his melismatic, corny diva-isms. Though it would also mean a hilarious performance from Amanda. Or will it just be another "Music that Mariah likes" week like Gwen Stefani's VFTW victory train wreck week last year? Either way, a terrible week of awfulness is on the horizon, so we're happy either way. Randy is also asked about VFTW in the article and he says, "I don't even know what that's about. It's just more haters cashing in." Come on, dawg. Haters? Sounds a bit pitchy to us.
Posted by thefunnystone on March 10, 2008 - 6:19pm. Tags: American Idol Updates Randy Jackson.
Title: "American Idol Propels Jeff Buckley's Version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" to #1 in Digital Downloads."
Article: The impact on pop music in the US that American Idol has is obvious through the various pop stars who have emerged after gaining success as competitors on the show. However, American Idol can also influence the success and popularity of other artists tangentially connected with the hit program.
On Tuesday, March 4, competitor Jason Castro performed a version of the song "Hallelujah" written by poet, songwriter, and recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Leonard Cohen (pictured). On American Idol judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell both gave praise for a version of the song by Jeff Buckley that they consider the best recorded interpretation of the often performed song. This praise set a ball rolling that has ultimately resulted in Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" hitting #1 on Billboard's Digital Downloads chart. To date the song has now sold over 500,000 downloaded copies.
Jeff Buckley, son of revered singer Tim Buckley, tragically drowned at the age of 30 in 1997. However, it was after he had released the 1994 album Grace which many music critics consider one of the top albums of all time. Buckley's ethereal singing voice animates the vesion of "Hallelujah" included on the album. Rolling Stone considers Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" to be one of the "500 greatest songs of all time."
... end of article ...
Source: http://top40.about.com/b/2008/03/14/american-idol-propels-jeff-buckleys-version-of-leonard-cohens-hallelujah-to-1-in-digital-downloads.htm
426. Yahoo! Music User - 18 minutes ago
Sorry to the David H. fans and to the man himself for an untimely elimination.
As for me, I am feeling pretty good about my two faves: Jason Castro & David Cook.
Must be something about the hair! LOL.
First of all, with "Hallelujah" coming out of nowhere to top iTunes' sales chart after one Idol performance, Castro may be tied with Cook for American Idol's biggest winner so far in this competition.
"Hallelujah" is the first #1 anything on a U.S. chart for the late singer-songwriter.
So if Castro doesn't win the big prize, he can at least quote Jeff Buckley's mother, who said: "We couldn't pay people to make that choice".
(There's also a surge in album sales, right?)
The power of Idol, not to mention the pull of Buckley, and dare I say, the pull of Castro, has me smiling from ear-to-ear.
As for David Cook, we probably all know by now that Lionel Richie has heaped tons on praise on the shaggy-haired one for his rendition of "Hello."
427. Yahoo! Music User - 5 minutes ago
Thanks 426. As a Jeff Buckley/Jason Castro fan I am doubly delighted by all this. I'm grateful to Mr. Castro because once people heard him sing "Hallelujah", they wanted to hear more about Buckley. BTW, Buckley's mum, Mary Guibert had also said she doesn't know Jason, and marvels that this 20-year-old chose a song that was first recorded in the 80s, but never a hit. The fact that Mr. Castro chose it, says volumes about his spirit and originality (I think). And as you say there has been a surge in album sales. I believe "Grace", the 1994 album that featured "Hallelujah," was in 10th place on Billboard's latest pop catalog album chart.
In an article I found online, there is a ton of more information for anyone interested, including more quotes from Mary Guibert about Jason Castro and his performance. Here's an excerpt:
FROM: http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/58479339
"A choice like this indicates to me that it was a personal choice," Guibert said.
As it turns out, Guibert was among the tens of millions watching Castro and Idol on March 4. A friend who'd seen the show in an earlier time zone tipped her off, and she tuned in. Anxiously.
"I held my breath through the whole thing for the artist," Guibert said. "You never know what people are going to say. I wanted it to be positive for the young man who was singing."
Guibert was not disappointed.
"Even, bless his heart, Simon Cowell didn't have a bad word to say out it," Guibert said. "He would have gotten a letter from me had he."
*end of excerpt*
I loved that last reference to Cowell btw. Hahaha...
SOURCE: Readers' responses to "My Idol Predictions: Just Call Me Miss Cleo!" Posted Thu. Mar 13, 4:38 AM ET by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks.