Kd Lang Hallelujah

http://www.pakmahfil.com ^ | 13/02/10 | donworld

[donworld]

Kd Lang Hallelujah, Canadian pop music royalty shone brightly tonight at the opening ceremonies for the 21st Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. One of the top musical highlights was a stunning performance of Canadian poet/songwriter Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah” by Canadian singer k.d. lang. She first recorded the song in 2004 for her album Hymns of the 49th Parallel. She also performed “Hallelujah” at the 2005 Juno Awards. In the past three years the song has taken on iconic status. In 2008 American Idol contestant Jason Castro delivered a performance that generated such interest in the song that Jeff Buckley’s much admired 1994 recording of “Hallelujah” topped the Billboard Digital Tracks chart. Later in that same year X Factor winner Alexandra Burke topped the UK pop singles chart with her version and Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” hit #2. More recently Justin Timberlake went to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his interpretation of “Hallelujah” from the Hope For Haiti Now telethon.

Earlier in the ceremonies top Canadian pop stars Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams performed a duet on a song titled “Bang the Drum” written by Adams. Sarah McLachlan joined the parade of stars with a solo performance at the piano. In another powerful tribute to Canadian pop music, Joni Mitchell’s classic “Both Sides Now” provided the backdrop for a moving aerial and dance performance. Finally, Anne Murray, one of the bestselling Canadian pop singers of all time, was one of the notable Canadian personalities chosen to carry the official Olympic flag into the stadium.

[windcliff]

Ping

[mupcat]

Thanks for fixing my link! I have no idea how I screwed that up, but obviously I did. Most of the time I can just “copy/paste” and it comes out fine. Not this time though.

[goldfinch]

It all started when women began wearing pants, and society gradually accepted it. Back when I was little a respectable woman would not be seen in public (outside of working in the field) in a pair of pants or slacks.

If you like dresses so much, you wear them. And don't forget the crippling heels.

[Burkean]

That’s where it starts—and it ends up with women who look like kd lang or “Chaz” Bono. It’s a slippery slope.

[Wuli]

THANKS!!!!!

I thought Miss Lang did the song very well, but the Rufus Wainwright version may become my favorite.

I particularly liked the link-version you gave us, ‘cause it has the words in print, scrolling on the screen as they are being sung.

[Mr. Blonde]

I believe Cohen is an observant Jew, and also a Buddhist.

[gitmo]

I remember when a co-worker came “out of the closet” and revealed she was a lez. None of the guys batted an eye ... we all assumed everybody knew it. All of the gals were shocked.

[Mr. Blonde]

John Cale, like Lou Reed, does a lot with a limited range.

Here he covers one of my all time favorite songs, All My Friends by LCD Soundsystem He does a great job at it too.

[Sloth]

Anyone remember when Kyle MacLachlan was on SNL and played k. d. lang?

[onedoug]

Still a supple voice with all the nuance and sublty of the old days. She’s really taken good care of her instrument.

[dennisw]

Cale added some gravitas to the VU. He was older than the others, was English and had some classical training. Did he not? Throw in Nico and what an amazing scene that was. Lots of drugs of course but they produced! Unlike what you have today. What are the 20-30 year old artists of today producing that is listenable?

I saw Lou Reed live a few months after VU split up. I can’t say it was memorable

[Mr. Blonde]

Young artists today are producing all kinds of listenable stuff.

Current favorites include The Avett Brothers, My Morning Jacket, Wilco (although I guess Jeff Tweedy is now in his 40s), and Spoon among others.

[dennisw]

Point me to a very good example by any of them....On youtube. I’ll give an opinion

wilco covering graham parsons might be listenable

[Jakarta ex-pat]

"I get the feeling (although not being very familiar with her work I could be totally off base here) that she could never have written a song of this caliber."

Of course music is subjective, but I think your feeling let you down on this one. Lang is one of the best female singer/songwriters out there.

The album Ingenue is her Tour de Force, though my favourite song, "If I Were You ( stunning work on the harp)" would come from the disappointing album "All You Can Eat".

As mentioned earlier, her best duet, "Crying" can be found on the magnificently underrated posthumous album " King of Hearts" by the incredible Roy Orbison.

Keep smiling,

Philip

[MHGinTN]

K D prefers women.

[Mr. Blonde]

The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You Full disclosure, many longtime fans have derided their latest album for being a departure from their previous sound for a more laid back sound (too much piano not enough banjo). This is the title track from their newest.

My Morning Jacket - One Big Holiday I liked, but didn't love them until I saw them live.

Wilco - Impossible Germany Wilco - Ashes of American Flags I had to include two here. Both are great songs. I love the video for Ashes of American Flags from their DVD because it is a huge shoutout for my hometown Tulsa and where I see most concerts Cain's Ballroom (Home of Bob Wills). While you can't see it in these songs, I think Wilco is the band of these who is influenced to some degree by Velvet Underground with their at times exploratory sound and many times darker lyrics. Their album Summerteeth has a lot of songs dealing with chief songwriter Jeff Tweedy dealing with marital problems. It might not go so far as S&M issues, but ending a song with the line "She begs me not to hit her" is still pretty intense (and got a letter from NOW).

Spoon - The Way We Get By The lowest score of any of their last 4 albums is an 80 on Metacritic. Basically, the get universal acclaim for everything they do.

In my book, any discussion of new music is very lacking without Jack White. He performed on 9 good to great albums in the last decade. The Raconteurs - Top Yourself In this one he does give (I love slide guitar) the best guitar part to Brendan Benson, who if you like 70's guitar pop he puts out some great stuff, but is primarily known as the premier guitar god of this generation. I could link to some of those videos, but this is my favorite off The Raconteurs latest.

[TheVitaminPress]

White Denim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1gJEhfnFaU
Vivian Girls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VW2kIy0wE0
Built to Spill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKin1UPQWXU
Neutral Milk Hotel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gkAF5_UOj8

Some good newer stuff (ok the last two are from the 90’s, but it was a really good time for indie rock!)

[Mr. Blonde]

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is amazing regardless of decade.

[tlb]

>>>If you like dresses so much, you wear them. And don’t forget the crippling heels.

To Louis Quinze the honour goes
For donning heels with pointy toes
But when those shoes began to vex
He passed them to the other sex

[Allegra]

If you like dresses so much, you wear them. And don't forget the crippling heels.

Right on!

We don't need men telling us how to dress.

Good grief.