"Hallelujah": The True Meaning of a Beautiful Song

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First things first. You probably didn’t know who actually wrote “Hallelujah” before you watched this video, but you likely recognize it from Shrek or any number of shows that needed a sad song quickly.
Well, here’s the thing: those guys may not really understand the meaning of “Hallelujah.” The original writer, Leonard Cohen actually considers it “a very joyous song” and cites the last verse where he sings, “And even though / It all went wrong / I’ll stand before the Lord of Song / With nothing on my lips but Hallelujah.”
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Disclaimer: The content of this educational video is covered by fair use. My explanations are transformative and add interpretation and analysis to the original work much as happens when I teach poetry in a university classroom. When I explain songs, I use only the lyrics or short clips of the original song or music video and thus have not hurt this song’s salability or provided a market substitute. All copyright claims will be disputed and appealed. Please see me as your ally in my attempt to use a literary perspective to enable fans to better understand and enjoy your wonderful and interesting piece of music.

[@souljahroch2519]

I think what I love most about this song, and that you TOTALLY missed, is that it teaches the listener how to play the song in the first verse: It goes like this, The 4th, the 5th, The minor fall, And the major lift, The baffled King composing Hallelujah. The secret chord is C, btw. 🦁✌

[@mvhax2ftw352]

It aint C man

[@xxaussiegamerxx5071]

Depending on what key you play it in.

[@mvhax2ftw352]

The secret chord is Bdim or 7th dim

[@melbinsimon4548]

Ya....in 4th..he playes 4th note of key C= F, and in 5th..=.G....in minor fall..Am..6th.....and major lift...again to 4th..........very unique...with verse he is actually playing it

[@souljahroch2519]

@Enriqueta Bourgoyne thx

[@sarijackson5921]

that's a song giving testimony to Victory through Higher Power, thus King David realized his weakness in the presence of very ominous enemies and many of them encamped around him impostering his loved ones and fellow man (wolves in sheep's clothes), King David found Victory in trusting God more than what he saw before him. Samson believed his strength came from keeping long hair, it gave superpowers, but when Delilah tricked him and cut his hair in an attempt to annihilate him, Samson found Victory through trust in God to deliver him from the enemy. this song is about victory and strength to withstand storms when we stand in our faith. thanks for the points you made!!!

[@pujabasumats7693]

Hi ioopíoioio

[@leenaramkissoon293]

Thanks for this explanation God bless you ✝️😍👌

[@danielracovitan9779]

the song is about sex, physical fucking and losing one's faith in God ; definitely not a religious hymn

[@emiliosanchez8896]

Completely wrong

[@gjbsarmeri3957]

This song doesn't have anything to do with religion

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks, everyone, for watching! I can't wait to hear your suggestions for another song and your thoughts on this one. If you want a more in-depth explanation of "Hallelujah," I explain EVERYTHING about in my podcast: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pop-song-professor-podcast/id1113653385?mt=2

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks! Hmmm...I'd like to do a big picture analysis of The Weeknd again and include King of Fall.

[@ellehub2136]

The Pop Song Professor "Madman Across the Water" Elton John.

[@curiousela1]

The Pop Song Professor Nice try but YOU'RE WAY OFF.

[@maisiesweets3217]

curiousela1 i like how you felt the need to comment that twice 😂 check your ego

[@curiousela1]

Maisie sweets321 You don't know how I feel. But I can see what you feel; it's called projection. Anyways, a servant cannot be more than the Master. Blessings 🤗

[@Bear304inc1]

To me it’s such of powerful song of love, loss, and the struggle we call the human experience. It touches the soul.

[@michellelankford1018]

So powerful, it moves me to tears every time I listen.

[@nadiakriz5823]

Agreed. Beautiful. God is so good.🙏🏼💙

[@hazeleyedrebel]

Every single time!

[@carldombek922]

What I find particularly intriguing -- and that a lot of people miss -- is that this song is about praising the Lord (i.e., singing "Hallelujah") -- not BECAUSE of one's circumstances but IN SPITE of them. It is really the embodiment of what Job articulated when he said, "Though the Lord slay me, yet will I praise him." And that's really the deeper faith, as anyone can say, "Praise the Lord" when things are going well. Just look at the first couple of verses: When David played music, it was to soothe Saul, who ultimately tried to kill him. Not a great outcome. David is the one who saw Bathsheba bathing in the moonlight, had to have her, and got her pregnant. Then, because he couldn't convince her husband (Uriah the Hittite) to go home and sleep with her so he'd think it was his child, he positioned Uriah so he'd be killed in battle. THEN, the child David and Bathsheba conceived ... died. Samson, whose hair was cut and who was deprived of strength, had his eyes put out. But as his hair started to grow back, his strength started to return, and he was asked to be placed between the columns of the temple "to steady himself." Instead, he praised the Lord DESPITE his circumstances, pushed the columns so that the temple would fall down and kill his oppressors -- and him. Praise the Lord ANYWAY is the message I take from this song. Well done, Leonard!

[@carloshernandez-zn6vq]

Carl Dombek i

[@ConnieSue1]

Hallelujah means Praise Jah........ Praise Jehovah we have no idea the depth of his wisdom, we can only hope to make it through Armageddon.

[@bobsullivan5714]

Thank you.....Your brief explanation makes more sense than this videos gibberish.

[@angeladavis1170]

Very Well Said.

[@Nepente333]

It's not a religious song AT ALL. You should watch some vids where Leonard explains its true meaning. Cya.

[@oldcaylane1476]

I love this song so much. I just heard it for the first time tonight. Wow...I want that played at my funeral non-stop I want everyone to start singing it!!!!!!!

[@karenk2409]

In the most cold and broken time of my life, I just surrendered to God in Hallelujah. I love the last verse.

[@deborahonoge9533]

Powerful illustrations about David and Samson. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the lyrics, melody and all!!!

[@gabriellagonzalez9577]

I love the Pentatonix version of it. It makes me cry every time. My favourite verse is the one about love not being easy. I had to learn that the hard way.

[@lucax8934]

This song is SO beautiful 😭😍

[@TheWildheartmuse]

Cohen was a remarkable writer, poet, and singer. His voice is such a turn on.

[@sam7748]

he was also a zionist.

[@hellothere3097]

God bless his soul

[@tztpandagamingyt6327]

You got turned on lol

[@christianhafer9819]

I think his voice is terrible.

[@penguinlord2343]

Christian Hafer I think that was a very rude and unnecessary comment

[@tomshemanski3059]

Really appreciated this explanation. I usually don't like the idea of finding the TRUE meaning since part of the beauty of art is how it speaks to each of us differently - but I thought you did a great job giving a general sense of the songs essence here without over speculating about meaning in the details. Also really liked that it was done in 2 takes...

[@abigailknott119]

I have to sing this for a memorial for my aunt because the words were a little strange . She died of cancer and now I'm convinced it's the perfect song to sing!

[@debpicard4329]

Let's rejoice for everything in this life, even the painful things that bring us down. It's all part of being alive. That's how I summarize it.

[@357Dejavu]

This song is amazing! I love how you broke it down for us!

[@irajayrosen4792]

Thank you. I'd like to add that, like many of his songs, such as "May it be your will", the song is a reflection of Leonard's Jewish roots. And EIGHTY VERSES? Where can I find them?

[@troy3456789]

This is a cover of the song with all 8 verses: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXmoZ5l6hc2JitU (it is a terrible cover, because the singer cannot stay in tune with his voice)

[@irajayrosen4792]

@@troy3456789 his voice hurts!!

[@troy3456789]

@@irajayrosen4792 Honestly, I hated to insult his singing - but it was the only one I found and it seemed less than perfect.

[@casey12416]

Thanks man. You taught me something new.

[@Bekaheartsyou]

honestly i don't think during this song, i just cry 😀 and of course i knew Leonard Cohen wrote it! Love the new editing btw :)

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

It's so beautiful, right?

[@Bekaheartsyou]

The Pop Song Professor yes, but the song is pretty great too😉

[@ldylkr]

Bekaheartsyou I do too. No idea why. Glad I'm not alone.

[@marydenby8343]

Halalulia!!!!

[@psalm3496]

Jesus loves u all were in the last days, pls turn back to Jesus he died for you:) so u can live if u turn to him♥️ he has purpose 4u

[@charkritatherton7179]

So it actually works perfectly in the context of shrek. Shrek is a masterpiece

[@kennethhummel4409]

I cleared the chapel of mourners to sing this to an audience of one, my departed wife. It seemed appropriate. A song of life, love, happiness and pain…hallelujah.

[@darealberrygarcia]

Cool story what else did you do go to Mars

[@kennethhummel4409]

@@darealberrygarcia are you mocking the death and funeral of my wife of 40 years?

[@s-c..]

A beautiful tribute.

[@elaineouellette1215]

I discovered him through CBC radio, when he died just had to get some of his music, which I will play to death. Every song brings forth a wonderful meaning and inspiration of life. You know a song writer has Realy lived and experienced life to write these songs. RIP Mr Cohan

[@mkelly534]

Love this channel. Thank you for helping us understand the music we love :)

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

You're welcome!

[@oscarelguero687]

lMichael Kelly

[@rickroden7666]

When I first heard it, I knew I had found a song that really fit my own situation, past and present. Ive hit the wall so many times, but never gave up on Gods grace and love. I've slammed the wall hard at times. but God was always with me. at my present age, 73, I have crashed the wall. Botched bone surgery due to very hard work when I was younger, has left me "broken" and in many ways helpless. But praise God, He is still my king and my savior.

[@TokyoBlue587]

I would love for you to do more Leonard Cohen songs, he was a literary genius of poetry and songwriting.

[@hanscarstens6882]

i really like this format where you walk around and play the music in the back.

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Sadly, it can't stay. The video was flagged for copyright issues. :(

[@hanscarstens6882]

that's almost sad :(

[@MsBarberGirl1]

My son played his guitar/sang this song at his Grandpa's celebration of life. And did a beautiful job!

[@arod5002]

I’m proud for you! ♥️

[@francinelaurin520]

my go to song, for all feelings/moods/in need of ..RIP Mr Cohen ..you are greatly missed & loved ..moi, Canada 🇨🇦

[@RosannaMiller]

I was skeptical at first but I liked your analysis. It is a beautiful worship song.

[@timcarp1964]

Even in a cold, bitter world I will give glory to God. Hallelujah!

[@motherofanangel1143]

Beautiful, thank u for this, every shower I'm singing Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah 🙏❤️

[@cristinaruiz-mazon8345]

I think of a person that had a relationship with God then David fell in love and sinned. His relationship with God was broken. His praise was then broken. David learns that each time he falls in love he hurts others. His praise to God is nostalgic. My feeling.

[@ameenaray.goodmusickeepitu5341]

This song moves me to tears 😢 what a masterpiece🥰

[@brittanyphillips6354]

I love the editing and style of this video!

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Oh, thanks! I was really nervous about this one.

[@sangonme1]

I am from Costa Rica, so that means that my first language is not English, but your explation took a weight from me because I´m studying English, and when I tryed to understand the song by myself, I could not. Now I could see this song in another way, thanks.

[@bluegypsydoll]

A non religious person here. One of the most beautiful songs ever written. Along with unchained melody.

[@zerozilchnada5373]

I agree you don't have to necessarily be religious to love and understand the lyrics . There is so much more to this song. I wish certain people would stop trying to claim it. Just respect it and let it be what it is for you!

[@vickeywaldo3186]

I love this song it’s one of my favorite. I get goosebumps every time I hear it but I must correct you on something you said, hallelujah means “ praise Jah “

[@virgilchristopherson3626]

That was great, I never complacently understood the verses, Thanks !

[@annlong9251]

A very beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

[@sandybradshaw1879]

Hallelujah! Glory to God! “And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose “. I am presently passing through a difficult time and by God’s Grace still Writing poetry and songs! This song and the author Cohen continue to inspire me Thanks for sharing!🎶🎵🇧🇿🇯🇲

[@troy3456789]

Have you prayed to help stop the spread of communism and Islam in the world? What happened when you prayed for that? Is it possible that particular god might not exist at all?

[@easymunching6363]

I love Halleluja♡ and your explanations!!! You're a very nice guy btw🙊

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Aw, thanks!

[@jasonhenkel6247]

I love what you do. Thank you.

[@abrahamphilip6439]

Leonard Cohen's Hallajuhah is about David revealing the Biblical words " Flesh is weak but the Spirit Willing" God called David "Worm" for the weakness of his flesh but called David ' a man after my own heart" for his Spirit, The 1983 classic in the Malayalam language goes as " aha, aha, aha Hallajuhah-- The laughter of God -- Father, Son Holy Spirit

[@christyj24]

Through all things, even though we sin and are broken humans, we can still give God glory for his mercy and grace!

[@thanosultrapro9869]

Whats your God name plzz

[@thanosultrapro9869]

can you tell me

[@christyj24]

@@thanosultrapro9869 YHWH, the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob

[@monicanewell1567]

@@thanosultrapro9869 Jehovah Elohim👑💒

[@iaminsfiredbytrustfration8502]

@@thanosultrapro9869Yahweh

[@logantracey2191]

i have been needing this meaning ever since i heard the song!

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

:)

[@guysumpthin2974]

The Patio Gardener but the "professor " here comes up with a wordy superficial scratch disguised as an analysis, he's badly missing point /content

[@eleanorbertuch135]

Excellent presentation. Thank you. Had no idea what a beautiful meaning ❤️🙏

[@patricemarie2960]

This amazing song ..... so caresses my ..... SPIRIT! ..... WOW! ..... I feel so much love ... sweetness, sensuality ...... On the other side ... I see, feel ..... life's defeats, funeral processions, heavy prayers .... and most of all gratitude for life! .... Thanks for posting!

[@Gunk-bv2xj]

First not that it matters I just feel special

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

:) Go for it!

[@sallywright8602]

You live in a cool neighborhood. Also loved your interpretation of the song!

[@carlorachel]

Nice session, Professor. For me, Hallelujah is the timeless paean that beseeches thankfulness. No matter what our plight, if we live with open heart, we are "delivered." And for that, we should be thankful.

[@sallywright8602]

Carl Rachel - Great comment! Makes the most sense to me!

[@Aguamarina38]

Absolutely, you are right

[@masterreload2760]

I ask my Christian visitors, "Do you remember your Gospel narrative, that when Christ was supposed to have been on the cross, he cried out with a loud voice: "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). The above is a translation from the Greek manuscripts "ACCORDING TO ST. MARK." Obviously his Hebrew has a Greek accent. Because, his so-called originals were written in Greek. But listen to Matthew, who is supposed to have written his Gospel originally in Hebrew, which was aimed at the Jews. St. Jerome, an early Christian father of the 4th and 5th centuries after Christ, testifies as follows: "MATTHEW, WHO IS ALSO LEVI, AND WHO FROM A PUBLICAN CAME TO BE AN APOSTLE, FIRST OF ALL THE EVANGELISTS, COMPOSED A GOSPEL OF CHRIST IN JUDEA IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE AND CHARACTERS, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION WHO HAD BELIEVED." Naturally, Matthew's accent would be more Semitic (Hebrew and Arabic) than that of Mark. Matthew records the same scene as Mark 15:34, but note the variation of the dialect: Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me'? (Matthew 27:46). Please memorize the words - "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani." (Eli - pronounced like L and I in English) Utter the words - ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI; ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI, to your Christian friends and neighbors and ask them whether these words - "Eli, Eli," sounds like "Jehovah, Jehovah!" to them? No! is the answer if they are not deaf. Ask further, whether "Eli, Eli," sounds like "Abba, Abba!" (meaning father, father! in Hebrew) to them! Again the reply will be "No!" if they are not deaf. Can't they see that the cry is to Allah? "Eli, Eli - Elah, Elah, Allah, Allah!" Let them hear these words from your lips and watch their reactions. No honest person can help agreeing with you. ALLELUYA! Now ask your Christian friend, if he had heard the word - "ALLELUYA." No Christian worth the name will fail to recognize it. Whenever the Christian goes into ecstasy, he exclaims - "Alleluya! Alleluya!", just as we Muslims might exclaim the Takbir - "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" Ask him, what is Alleluya? Take him to the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, Chapter 19; we are informed there that John the disciple of Jesus, saw a vision, in which, why hast thou forsaken me'? (Matthew 27:46). Please memorize the words - "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani." (Eli - pronounced like L and I in English) Utter the words - ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI; ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI, to your Christian friends and neighbors and ask them whether these words - "Eli, Eli," sounds like "Jehovah, Jehovah!" to them? No! is the answer if they are not deaf. Ask further, whether "Eli, Eli," sounds like "Abba, Abba!" (meaning father, father! in Hebrew) to them! Again the reply will be "No!" if they are not deaf. Can't they see that the cry is to Allah? "Eli, Eli - Elah, Elah, Allah, Allah!" Let them hear these words from your lips and watch their reactions. No honest person can help agreeing with you. ALLELUYA! Let us repeat the above Tasbih (words of praise) as an Arab or a Jew: ALLE-LU-YA will be YA-ALLE-LU because, as explained above, YA is always at the beginning in both Arabic and Hebrew. YA ALLE LU would be YA ALLA HU: Meaning, "OH ALLAH!" (You are the Only Being Who deserves worship and Praise) "OH ALLAH!" (You are the Only Being Who deserves worship and Praise). Unbiased Christians will not fail to recognize Allah as none other than his - El, Eli, Alle, Elah, Alah, Allah. Call upon Him by any name, for His are the Most Beautiful names, as long as those names are not contaminated and as long as they do not conjure up in our minds the images of men or monkeys howsoever glorified they might have been

[@carlorachel]

@@masterreload2760, thank you for the historical basis of the word, Hallelujah. What matters most to me (and I pray, for most) is that the word is perhaps the most celebrated exultation to our shared brotherhood and sisterhood in the same Divine. No matter what religion, what sect, what personal creed, to acknowledge the Divine by giving soulful thanksgiving is the defining grace of our sodality as humankind. Godspeed, brother.

[@masterreload2760]

All of the prophets brought Islam, why? The word Islam means to submit to God. So all of them brought the message of submission to God. And every one of them had the beliefs of Islam. 6 Beliefs of a Muslim : 1:Belief in the oneness of Almighty God (Allah subhana wa ta’ala) 2:Believe in the Angels 3:Believe in the Almighty God’s revealed books 4:Believe in the prophets and the messengers of Almighty God. 5:Believe in the day of judgement and the hereafter 6:The devine decree and the predestination Bible contains parts of the earlier books. The Quran is the last book, from the same God. It’s not a different God. It’s the Almighty God. So why do you have different religions today? It’s because people sometimes change the message. Sometimes they lost the message. Sometimes out of excessive love. The Christians singing : “Jesus loves you”. I say to them : “God loves Jesus”, and they can’t answer that. If they agree with me, then Islam is true, Jesus is not God. If they disagree then huh? God doesn’t loves Jesus? Doesn’t sound very Christian. God loves Jesus and all of the prophets. So the problem was once Jesus left the earth. People loved Jesus so much, they say he was such a great guy. He didn’t even have a father. He must be the son of God. 325 years later Christianity was created under the Roman Empire. That’s where it comes from Roman Catholic religion, and the Treaty of Nicaea. They said Jesus is not only the son of God, but actually God himself. Doesn’t make sense. It’s totally illogical and it’s totally inconsistent with the Bible. That certainly is inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. It might be consistent with St. Paul in the Bible, but not consistent with Jesus in the Bible. The trinity that Christianity believe in, is not consistent with Jesus in the Bible. Yes it’s consistent with St. Paul in the Bible, in his letters to the Romans, Colossians, Cointhians, Galatians etc. Yes it’s consistent to St. Paul, but not consistent with Jesus in the Bible. So if you follow Jesus, (dont follow St. Paul), if you follow Jesus, would you be a Christian? Would you end up being a Christian? I’m sorry you wouldn’t. If you follow ONLY Jesus in the bible, you’d end up being a Muslim. Because firstly you wouldn’t believe in the Trinity. Jesus didn’t say Trinity. There is no word ‘trinity’ in the Bible. In fact there is the word trinity in the Quran, because in the Quran God says: Don’t say trinity. God is one. In the Bible there is no word trinity. Christianity teaches Jesus died for our sins. Jesus didn’t say this. In fact, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to be saved from crucifixion, and when the Romans came to kill him, his followers tried to save Jesus. Whereas, they should have said to him “ Jesus please hurry up and die. The quicker you die, the quicker we have salvation”. Because every man wants salvation. And if Jesus come to die for our sins that is genuine and is true, you would say to him, “look i’m sorry yes it is painfull for you Jesus I agree your doing a great thing you are a great guy. But please hurry up and die”. You definitely don’t want to save him. But the disciples was trying to save him, and Jesus went hiding. And he’s praying to be saved doesn’t make sense. He would have said : “I am God pray to me. I am part of a trinity”. But he doesn’t say that. In fact he didn’t even allow people to call him good. Luke : 18:18 “Good teacher, what must I do inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered : “Why do you call me good?“No one is Good except God alone”. He didn’t allow people to call him good, and today Christianity saying Jesus is God. IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE.

[@TKLee-xv1st]

We playing this song for my dad's funeral, and it sums my dad up all in one song. Thankyou for the explanation.

[@cadredeux1047]

To understand this song you have understand Cohen’s personal life. Though Cohen has two children he never married. He was in several relationships and many of his songs deal with them. He dealt with many break ups and experienced the heart break that someone who went through a divorce would feel. Cohen, who if not a religious man had a deep understanding of religion, felt that those these relationship were not religious sanctioned they were never the less meaningful and their endings where emotionally significant. He says though its a “broken’ Hallelujah he refuses to not acknowledge it and will always celebrate and mourn it. It is interesting that KD Lang would ofter sing this song at her concerts. The point seeming to be that though there was no such thing as a gay marriage at the time, she too experienced the same feeling of joy and loss in her relationships with her partners. I could go through an explain each line and how it fits in to this perspective, however I feel it is self explanatory.

[@BenjamenMeyer]

A "cold and broken Hallelujah" is basically the fact that God has brought you to your knees I drawing out the recognition of who He is from you. Remember Cohen was a Messianic Jew and this phrase is a Christian recognition that while we normally think of singing Hallelujah is the joyous times of life that often it is drawn from us in the darkest times - like with David and Bathsheba or Samson and Delilah.

[@angeladavis1170]

@@jimjodycarmichael455 That's Beautiful.

[@LawrenceEsq]

The term "Messianic Jew" has two connotations. One of which means a person of Jewish ancestry who has converted to Christianity while retaining Jewish customs. Leonard Cohen was not this sort of Messianic Jew. The other meaning is that of a fully Jewish person who hopes and prepares for the coming of the Messiah as taught in the Hebrew Scriptures. In this sense, it does not mean someone who sees Jesus Christ as the true Messiah. Leonard was this sort of Messianic Jew.

[@michaelwhite8031]

VERY well said !

[@Nepente333]

I still don't get if you people don't get this is NOT a religious song AT ALL. Like this video explains, it's about life itself, not the so-called "God". Even Leonard said it. Watch his videos explaining this song and you'll all see what I'm talking about.

[@mimz1555]

Lawrence Winans I feel I must share the revelation I received from Abba God, just after He blessed me with baptism in the Holy Ghost. The identity of the true Biblical House of Israel being people of colour, NOT the Gentiles trespassing in modern Israel today, who've only adopted Judaism and the Hebrew language. Their time of deceiving the world is coming to an end very soon, when Christ Jesus returns. So Leonard Cohen wasn't any kind of real Jew at all!

[@georgemanes8295]

Thank you for your interpretation.

[@jodiefeighner8685]

Okay. I've been thinking about this song for weeks...basically stuck in my head. Here is what the song is about...plain and simple...it's about seeking the Lord, finding the Lord, and praising the Lord - in any, and all situations. Hallelujah! Each verse is a different situation, and each verse draws a Hallelujah, showing that if/when we seek Him, find Him, and praise Him, He is there. (Actually, I believe He is always there. It is us that chooses - or not.)

[@ivorwood5892]

Thank you for these insights. Could you perhaps unravel "Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harem (c 1967) please?

[@hellothere3097]

Its a song about love for drugs. Specifically cocaine.

[@yomama418]

NO it's not, where did you ever get that? Whiter shade of pale is basically about a guy either trying to get laid or lose their virginity, that's it nothing more complex than that, becomes more clear when they sing the 3rd verse (very rare) or 4th verse (even rarer)

[@concernedcitizen4249]

where can I find the other 75 verses?

[@hellothere3097]

I read 75 virgins 🤣🤣🤣

[@nancymoore8363]

Thank you so much. It’s such an awesome song now I can understand more.

[@sobatdin9593]

Thank you for sharing this pod cast yes I love this song and respect the work of Mr Leonard Choen am trying to learn it at the moment on my new piano thanks again 🇬🇧💜

[@logantracey2191]

please explian the song "Sound of Silence!"

[@jacquelineclark6577]

It's about falling asleep and dreaming.

[@marymallon4060]

The Patio Gardener I heard it was written after the murder of President Kennedy.

[@artheologist7223]

Read my book, The Silence of the Shepherds: The Evidence and the Remedy: I first heard The Sound of Silence fifty years ago and only recently read the lyrics which I found to be something of a parallel "prophecy" relating to the subject of my book... and the same goes for Loreena McKennitt's Breaking the Silence, followed with her "Lullaby", therein accompanied by a Scotsman's recitation of some thematically relevant poetry by William Blake, who was something of a British prophet, the last words of which poem pointing to what the OT Prophet Malachi foresaw in his book (last one in the OT) and chapters 2 and 3, i.e. "Thy ministers have done it!" And in the future, if perhaps only in the Aftermath, such prospectively repentant spiritual fathers can - as I invite them in The Silence - turn their hearts to God's children ... and hopefully UN do it! (You might wish to copy and paste this into a notepad file and then search for its references. And then there is another book I titled Three Days of Darkness: Creed for the Aftermath, and search for that here on you tube as well if you desire.)

[@ryanwilson5936]

Read it off Wikipedia like he is....

[@pirbird14]

According to Paul Simon, "Sound of Silence" was written before the murder of JFK, and has nothing to do with it. From Wikipedia: "Garfunkel once summed up the song's meaning as "the inability of people to communicate with each other, not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so what you see around you are people unable to love each other."[5]" which is the meaning I have always taken from it.

[@joy5976]

LEONARD COHEN YES THANK YOU

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

:)

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

I've never heard the song sing more beautiful than Hello Father Kelly sings it and Andre Bocelli accompanied by his daughter Virginia. I did want to understand the the meaning behind the song. And then get a better understanding of it on a personal level. Thank you for the video!

[@gailpool4042]

One of my favorite songs of all time.....

[@capitalg4112]

Do one for Pink Floyd’s “Wish you were here”

[@hamouziii]

this man is walking all over his town

[@omegalgo297]

Gracias, very helpful.. Beautiful

[@stevebrooks5536]

It definitely is about the joy and power of love, even when it fails, to lift the spirit in a transcendent way. Don't avoid love for fear of failure or heartbreak. Life without love is not life at all

[@bekahnavarro]

I've always had a love/hate relationship w this song. The Samson/Delijah & David/Bathsheba relationships were men going after women they had no business being with. They both led to the deaths of other people and they knew better. (And Hallelujah means, "Jehovah be praised," thus the 'jah'.

[@sherijacobsen1077]

Look up the Christmas song version by Cloverton. It is fantastic and you can enjoy all the Hallelujah's!! Praise the Lord Jesus!

[@KERIFIS7]

Me too this site song confuse me a little bit...i don't see David composing a Hallelujah specially in Psalm 51.

[@nathanyahalbanyah6259]

Rebekah Navarro - I’m sorry, but that is incorrect. In Hebrew, הללויה comes from two words. Hallel (הלל) means praise. Yah (יה) is a short form of the Creator’s Name. The name Jehovah went through a translation and transliteration meat grinder to get to that point. William Tyndale fabricated the name Jehovah in the early 1500s. Hebrew doesn’t have a “J” sound in the language even to this day. Jehovah is a Latin, Anglo-Saxon construct and is a sorry excuse for a transliteration or translation. HalleluYah is how it is pronounced. Linguistics have tried to corrupt the spelling with a J, but vocally it has remained unchanged. Yah (יה) is the sound you get when you combine Y and H together. YHWH (יהוה) is the full Name of the Father. Why people think it’s okay to use JHVH (JeHoVaH) is beyond me. Y and W are transliterated sounds from two Hebrew letters. Why change Y into a J? Why change W into a V? Granted knowing the character of YAHUWAH(יהוה) is more important than knowing how to pronounce His Name, but pronouncing His Name as Jehovah isn’t even close.

[@boa9535]

Nathanyah’el BenYah: I’m so grateful for your explanation. I wish that you had put it in with the main responses and not as a sub-response then everybody would see it and hopefully not keep making the same mistake.

[@scorpio380ful]

[@ErikDavidGranstrom]

Nice video! How about doing one for "All Along the Watchtower"?

[@lisabruna3138]

Dylan, Hendricks, or the original Cylon? LOL

[@inesspanni]

Thank u! Learned so much!!!

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks for watching!

[@picaology]

I have an electro dance version of a song I wrote/produced/performed that drives a melody singing a "Philosophy inspired lyric" called MIRRORS about how basically all feelings and judgements are just reflecting us back to each other and in some rarer cases fragmenting our light to bring some higher vibrations back to the lower vibrational qualities of the Ego. Anyhow, I was so impressed with how clearly you saw the beauty and truly got to the very heart, and essence of Leonard Cohens heart layed bare Anthem that it made me wish to hear how you would interpret the song I performed. It's been on Itunes since 2008, but my attitude is that until people have heard it, it remains a new song.

[@markrymanowski719]

It goes like this; The 4th. The four horsemen of the apocalypse. The 5th. The five riders at the battle of Armagedon. The minor fall. The fall of Adam. The major lift. The rapture. The baffled king. From David to Christ. The secret chord Is the Godhead.

[@gogobeastdude]

Mark Rymanowski shut the f up

[@markrymanowski719]

@@gogobeastdude You like the song, but don't like the inference?

[@markrymanowski719]

@@gr3ybrun1x66 It's not about music. It's about the lyric.

[@markrymanowski719]

@@gr3ybrun1x66 We have a lower self and higher self. The music theory in this case is lower. The spiritual conotation is the higher. What we read on the page has two meanings. Not just one.

[@markrymanowski719]

@@gr3ybrun1x66 Nobody understands the music. If you check out the lyrics of songs you will find biblical association. 'We built this city on rock and roll' 'Roll away the stone'. 'To be a rock, and not to roll'. 'Sad creature nailed upon the colour door of.time' 'I leapt across for you. Oh, what a thing to do'. ' 'When the white eagle of the north is flying overhead. And the yellows browns and golds lie in the gutter dead. Remember then, the summer birds, with wings of fire flamed. Come to witness springs new hope, born of leaves decaying. As new life will come from death, love will come at leisure. Love of love. Love of life. And giving without measure, gives in return the wondrous yearn for Christ. Almost seen. Stay hand in hand, and together we'll stand on the threshold of a dream'. Voices in the sky. Line upon line. Pretext upon pretext. Jimi Hendrix saw himself as a member of the universe. Uni. Verse.

[@roxxanedtroyt1744]

people seriously 1 need this to be explained and 2 it isn't a pop song.. also you can buy Leonard cohen's poetry books..

[@donjonlon2909]

there's this little nine9 year old with austism sings this halleluiah ...its totally out of the ball park .it has about 5 or ten million views already:) she tears it up and smiles ever so sweetly. god bless that little angel. :)

[@saylormdx2]

Kaylee Rogers is her name. There is also a March 2018 KZbin of her singing Hallelujah accompanied by Pentatonix.

[@anthonykennedy5324]

Thanks. Much appreciated.

[@hopejackson3935]

Cool video! Now could you do Hallelujah by P!ATD?

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Hmmm...maybe...

[@bigdaddypeach3742]

Finally, Someone With Great Music Taste!

[@Gunk-bv2xj]

I love ur hair btw

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks!

[@MortanAMrk]

Honestly its such a simple song that expresses so much

[@triplecheck4]

right on point parsing, thank you!

[@lindawarren1804]

When it says Hallelujah, Halle I believe means praise but people forget Jah the most important part. Short for Jahweh or some say Jehovah. His name!

[@blueinfinite5940]

Huh?

[@georgegreene9418]

Take the letter J away a replace it with a Y.

[@calvincalvey7794]

Linda Warren it’s Yahweh ..... praise Yah..... meaning salvation... Clearly in Psalms 68: 4 ..... the only time in the Bible his name is actually exposed...... there letter J has only been around 600 years.... ! May Yahweh bless you 🙏❤️😍

[@hitman9282]

Can you explain teenagers by my chemical romance

[@editsontoast]

Hitman 92 today’s your lucky day!

[@DragonFlame135]

He has

[@lynnguzzi]

I think you did an excellent exposition of the meaning of the song: well done!

[@patriciahappnie1115]

I wish I could share this with my brothers and sisters in Christ and my family I will continue to love this song I loved it when I first heard it and I appreciate the man that wrote it I think is very talented

[@mateusramos2232]

excellent explanation 👏👏 you should explain the Sound of Silence from Disturbed

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks!

[@darlincommitme]

That is a much older song from Simon and Garfunkel - you should check their version. And the prof might like to know when I was in High School (late 70s), we did a unit looking at themes in Sound of Silence and some other 60s music in comparison to the Great Gatsby and other literature from the 1920s. It stuck with me (though I am a nerd), so keep doing what you are doing.

[@fashiondiva6972]

Mitch Stone they covered it, they didn’t rip it off and claim it as their own. There’s a key difference between the two. And fwiw a remake is something else entirely

[@lisabruna3138]

"From Disturbed" hahaha I'm dying lol

[@Aiden-oe6mx]

What do you think about the ending of blurry face

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Mostly just excited to see what comes next.

[@of_the_Word]

excited for what's next

[@Aiden-oe6mx]

The Pop Song Professor me to

[@fof5157]

Can you please do an explanation of "Taken by Sleep" from Tyler Joseph's "No Phun Intended" album?

[@MichaelRockfez]

Choco Kona that's my favorite NPI song.

[@s-c..]

I enjoyed this video for the style & editing. Nice idea.

[@michaeltowers5604]

You are suggesting that the song hallelujah means hallelujah.

[@jeffosborne692]

That's how I feel about it.

[@michaeltowers5604]

There is a void of despair in every word. I hear the very cold & broken hallelujah. It doesn't matter. I will stand before Leonard cohen and say Hallelujah.

[@mackenziegeigle2624]

At first I thought this was Hallelujah by Panic! at the Disco but it's still a fantastic explanation

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

Thanks!

[@hannahc.8125]

Giggs lol same. I was somewhat disappointed when I realized it wasn't by P!ATD 😂

[@ewstap9040]

Same

[@roxxanedtroyt1744]

are you ppl on crack?

[@66michelleying]

Love your explanation

[@evergreen9388]

Such a beautiful song

[@SigmaC]

please explain rap god

[@of_the_Word]

He's a rap god.

[@designinternational4488]

I think that the meaning of the song Hallelujah is in the beholder of the listener ...with all my due respect to Leonard Cohen who is a genius! Much like the saying "the beauty is in the eyes if the beholder!

[@Aguamarina38]

Design International : Very nice, sensibility charged lyrics. Great performance, Indeed.

[@0neven439]

beautiful, thank you😎😎😎

[@ThePopSongProfessor]

:)

[@anthonyboyda5467]

Could you post a link to the full list of verses? I did a google search but failed to find them.

[@Nightwalker-zk6ce]

I always said that if I had a good voice I would sing this song non-stop, 24 hours a day.

[@tmntlover3493]

i think of shrek

[@spookymedic]

Great breakdown of this beautiful song where genius meets poetic singer perhaps Devine intervention to tell this near biblical principle of life