Jeff Buckley's most amazing concert performance of HALLELUJAH, Leonard Cohen's song

Photo of Jeff Buckley by Cabir Davis

This remarkably beautiful man recorded one of the most amazing live performance in concert of a song that I've ever heard (although I didn't hear it live)

I've talked in previous blogs about how much I love Leonard Cohen's music. And Rufus Wainwright, who did an amazing cover of Cohen's Hallelujah. But it would seem that the gorgeous Rufus may have had his inspiration from Jeff Buckley. Listen to this performance of Hallelujah. My heart breaks. Watching this gorgeous man sing with such intensity and passion is truly remarkably beautiful experience.

Jeff Buckley died in a tragic drowning accident in Memphis on May 29, 1997. Since then, he's become recognized as a very influential songwriter/singer for his generation, even though he had a very short-lived career.



A documentary has been made about his life, Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley. And an upcoming movie will feature either James Franco or Robert Pattinson in the title role. The trailer for the documentary is below:



Many performers have acknowledged Buckley's influence in their own musical style, including the exquisite Rufus, who wrote the song Memphis Skyline, as a tribute to Buckley. Watch this video here:


via videosift.com

The lyrics to the song Memphis Skyline by Rufus Wainwright:

Never thought of Hades
Under the Mississippi
But still I've come to sing for him
So southern furies
Prepare to walk for my harp
I have strung, and I will leave with him
Relax the cogs of rhyme
Over the Memphis sky
Turn back the wheels of time
Under the Memphis skyline
Always hated him for the way he looked
In the gaslight of the morning
Then came hallelujah sounding like mad Ophelia
For me in my room living
So kiss me, my darling stay with me till morning
Turn back and you will stay
Under the Memphis Skyline

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT.....my hero. What a bright dude with a velvet voice

Thanks to my friend, Staci Pope in Austin, for sending me this link to KUT radio in Austin which interviewed the fabulous Wainwright yesterday.

I love Rufus Wainwright. He is one of the most intelligent and gifted songwriters/composers. And his voice makes me tremble. He can go from a very deep rumbling base that shivers your timbers to a wail that can break your heart.

Rufus shares one of my own passions: Judy Garland. I won't go into that just yet.

Rufus is as equally compelling visually as he is aurally:)

He was interviewed yesterday on Austin's KUT radio station and it is a wonderful interview with three song performances.

The intro on KUT's website is great:

Rufus Wainwright, son of folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, has established himself as a songwriter of his generation. He’s an artist with great reverence for the masters before him. He’s captivated fans with his original works, crossing the genres of rock, pop, and opera (Prima Donna premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 and will make its North American debut in Toronto at the Luminato Festival next summer), and his exceptional tributes covering the songs of his personal favorites, such as Judy Garland. You can catch his live performance on Eklektikos with John Aielli right here.

I've never seen him live in concert although I have seen two DVD recordings of his concerts and he is brilliant. Someday....

The interview is 25 minutes long but I encourage you to listen to it in its entirety. You too will see how exceptionally bright this boy is and how gifted musically. And stay tuned to the end because the very best and most moving of the performances is the last song he sings.

CLICK HERE to got to KUT website and then play the recorded interview under "Attached Files"

See my previous posting with Rufus covering Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Click here.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT-- covers the brilliant Leonard Cohen's HALLELUJAH

Cute dude, classic song and I don't know.........almost as good as Cohen's. I love Leonard Cohen! and I REALLY worship Rufus. Quite a hottie. In this youtube clip, Rufus gives a live performance of "Hallelujah" for an Irish program.



This dude's voice is like velvet. Someday I hope I can see him live and in concert. Some of my favorite Rufus songs: Old Whore's Diet, Oh What a World, The Art Teacher, Grey Gardens and Gay Messiah, to name just a few.

This dude has the biggest cajones......he actually performed Judy Garland's Carnegie concert in its entirety. Now that is ambition. You go, Rufus!