Cohen 'too many people sing Hallelujah'

Leonard Cohen has said that too many people choose to sing his 1984 song 'Hallelujah'.

The musician told CBC that he was pleased that the track was chosen as the winner's single on last year's X Factor, but thinks that fewer people should be taking it on.

Cohen said: "I was happy that the song was being used, of course. There were certain ironic and amusing sidebars, because the record that it came from, which was called Various Positions, [was a] record Sony wouldn't put out.

"They didn't think it was good enough. It had songs like 'Dance Me To The End of Love', 'Hallelujah', 'If It Be Your Will'. So there was a mild sense of revenge that arose in my heart."

He added: "But I was just reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it, and the reviewer said 'Can we please have a moratorium on 'Hallelujah' in movies and television shows?'

"And I kind of feel the same way. I think it's a good song, but I think too many people sing it."

> The history of 'Hallelujah'