Leonard Cohen Hallelujah and broken hearts.

I think that I was familiar with the song, but purchased a CD only a couple of years ago when it appeared to be playing everything... after 9/11 I think.

And then I noticed that movies and TV program use this song whenever someone heart is broken.

Two years ago in the season finale of the West Wing, the Mark Harmon character, who was a member of the secret service assigned to protect "C.J," and it appeared that something was developing, was killed in a stupid hold up in a small store in New York. And the Hallelujah was playing in the background.

Then there was Shrek - the first one. When Shrek delivered Fiona to Lord Farquad (?) and went home, convinced that she was revolted by him, the song was playing again.

And now - the O.C. Yes, I watch this, a guilty pleasure - used to live there. But it airs at the same time as the West Wing, so I tape and watch it later and only yesterday watched the season finale. Several hearts were broken there at the end and.... here is the Hallelujah, again, but sung by someone else, not Leonard Cohen.

I always adored the original... but Rufus' version was even better.

But of course, I have a major crush on Rufus. I saw him in a small club a few years ago and got to meet him. He's adorable.

I can't decide which version I like better. The words are arranged differently. Rufus's is easier to listen to, but Leonard's is slower and more gutwrenching.

It is on a Leonard Cohen tribute CD titled "I'm Your Fan". It's extremely powerful.

was sung by jeff buckley

who also sang on the West Wing and I seem to remember that his version has one or two more verses..

Rufus Wainwrights version which was in Shrek. Buckley's version to me is just too morose and overwraught (sp?), as was most of his work to me. Wainwrights version to me captures more perfectly the heartbreak of what was lost as well as the celebration of what was which I think is just as important in the context of the song. Buckley's version just seems like a self-pity anthem.