To: Lenny Cohen. From: MetaFilter with love.

Man, we really should compile all the Hallelujah covers together and try to get them to Leonard Cohen.

Obviously, it would require the consent of the individuals who created all the covers, but it would be only right that he should hear what zany, inspired, and endearing variations the song has inspired here.

posted by potch (8 comments total)

English Law Reports

345/09 Queen's Bench Division

Cohen v Metafilter

High Court

Lord Justice Sneed presiding.

Heironymous Bosch QC for the plaintiff, WC Fields QC for the defendants.

In a landmark ruling Lord Justice Sneed found for the plaintiff, summing up thus "Never in all my years at the bar and on the bench (after the bar, naturally - heh heh) have I presided over such an appalling case. The plaintiff is clearly an elderly gentleman of slender means who has suffered appalling abuse at the hands of these young bastards. His beloved composition entitled.....er....(refers to notes)...Halls of Utah has been disgracefully fucked over without so much as a by-your-leave. Unbeknownst to the defendants, the plaintiff has had a successful charisma bypass and is entirely unable to appreciate the absurd and wholly unpersuasive defence offered by Mr Fields that "it's just a laff, mate, innit". I found, incidentally, the employment of a bulbous car horn and rotating bow-tie to be wholly superfluous adjuncts to Mr Fields' presentation of the defendant's case, resulting in my dismissal of the jury in no less than 17 instances. The lack of respect shown by these arseholes for a revered work of fart is a symptom of the depths this country has......." cont. p.97

Damages awarded to the plaintiff: 50p (installments acceptable)
posted by MajorDundee at 2:38 PM on June 18 [2 favorites has favorites]

MajorDundee, I understand your concern, but I'm willing to bet my solid sterling silver rodeo buckle that Mr. Cohen will love YOUR song too. Don't sweat it.

I think this is a great idea and was actually considering trying to find a good email address for him.

I'm sure Leonard has heard many variations of his work but nothing can possibly compare to the versions of his song posted here. Yea, some are funny but all of them have depth, quality and integrity. He would dig this stuff and it would probably make his day.
posted by snsranch at 5:46 PM on June 18

You gotta wonder, a song that's ben covered as much as this one... would LC even blink?

It'd be way cool though. If he did.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:59 AM on June 19

Exactly, which is why we should try it.
posted by potch at 3:05 PM on June 19

I've done some pretty stupid things and with surprising results...my only concern is that the folks who actually contributed in this challenge may not want this.

If I were to TRY, I would hit AskMe for an email address for LC's agent and hit up cortex about offering a free LIFETIME membership to MeFi.

So, potch, that's what you should do man, but MeMail the contributors first, and get their take on it!
posted by snsranch at 4:51 PM on June 19

I don't have a problem with this personally, but the MeFi controllers (gawd, that sounds very George Orwell) should perhaps consider having a quiet word with m'learned friends first. I don't have any experience in this branch of the law, but my legal radar says there's a very slim possibility of copyright infringment. For all his buddist monkery, Cohen might be a rapacious bastard who would happily sue MeFi just for the hell of it. Or his label/publishers might. Clearly there's no commercial gain involved in our activities, but our exchanges of cover versions on the web might be construed as broadcasting. I genuinely don't want to be a party-pooper, but my advice is "look before you leap".
posted by MajorDundee at 9:24 AM on June 20

...a very slim possibility of copyright infringment.

i heard there was a lawyer who
had heard some songs at MeFiMu
but you don't really got no money, do ya?
he ain't somebody who's seen the light
he only thinks of copyright
so from his lips, the words:
"I'm gonna sue ya"

gonna sue ya ... gonna sue ya
gonna sue ya ... gonna sue-ooo-ooo-ooo ya
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:27 PM on June 20 [12 favorites has favorites]

bahahahaha flapjax
posted by ichthuz at 1:36 PM on June 23