Hallelujah, Hoarse (cover)

I thought I'd take one for the team and kick off June's "Cover Hallelujah" Music challenge. This is a scratch recording I made about a year ago when I was home sick and had lost most of my voice. If you ever wanted to hear Excessively Husky-Voiced Cortex, this is your chance.

There are a ton of problems with this recording, and in general it falls too far onto the melodramatic side of the spectrum for comfort, but it was kind of fun to bulldoze through it with a voice that wasn't there.

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posted by cortex (15 comments total)

Excellent. "with a voice that wasn't there" is the best way to do any Leonard Cohen song. I particularly like the harmonies. Thanks for kicking it off!
posted by The World Famous at 12:28 PM on June 4, 2009

rowr. "Husky".
posted by dblslash at 12:33 PM on June 4, 2009

How odd, I was just listening to "At the Open Mic" when I came across this. Interesting contrast, heh.

rowr. "Husky".

Agreed.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 1:29 PM on June 4, 2009

Hey, great kick off for the challenge! This is a great rendition. You voice DOES sound really good here even though you were sick. And, man, I never noticed before that you could tickle the ivories like that!
posted by snsranch at 3:29 PM on June 4, 2009

I've been playing a lot more piano in the last year and a half. It was my first instrument growing up, we had an old beater upright around the house, but once I hit college I didn't really play regularly for a long time, until I got a keyboard winter before last.
posted by cortex at 3:43 PM on June 4, 2009

"The baffled kiHYEAK!! *SPLUTTER* COUGH!"

Heh. I like it. Is it wrong that I do?
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:57 PM on June 4, 2009

Heh. Yeah, I think it took me a few takes to even get that line out.
posted by cortex at 4:22 PM on June 4, 2009

I enjoyed that immensely. I eagerly await the follow-up "Hallelujah, Horse (neigh)"
posted by davejay at 5:38 PM on June 4, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is wonderful, cortex: a straight-up, no-frills cover done like you meant it.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:53 PM on June 4, 2009

If this is any indication of what else is coming, I am really really looking forward to this challenge. Thanks, cortex!
posted by Rock Steady at 7:24 PM on June 4, 2009

Nice. That's a tough act to follow, as always!
posted by xorry at 3:11 PM on June 5, 2009

Excellent. Just as this song was ending our local town bells began ringing in the hour of seven which fit in just perfectly. A happy accident. Well done, cortex.
posted by metagnathous at 5:07 PM on June 6, 2009

I've been trying to convince the folks I play with to do this.... so far it's kinda like opening a tasty little can of "Tiki Cat Wild Caught Mackerel & Sardine in Calamari Consomme" for our finicky little grey-and-white, who simply turns up her nose and walks away.
One a these days. I think I can do a creditable job on the vocal.... with luck, I might approach Cortex when he's *really* sick.

Or not.

Very nice, Cortex.
posted by drhydro at 7:50 PM on June 6, 2009

Really well done! You probably won't like this particular compliment, but I think this is my favorite vocal performance of yours. It sounds really natural and free, like you're able to "let go and be yourself" or something. I dig it.
posted by edlundart at 11:01 PM on June 6, 2009

That's awesome. The big bits are great, and I really love the organ.
posted by uncleozzy at 7:59 AM on June 8, 2009