Hallelujah Redux (NaPoMo 2/30)

In honor of my friend Alisha's moving open mic performance at Busboys and Poets (Shirlington), I offer my arrangement to the lyrics of one of my favorite songs, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. #NaPoMo

1          HOLY MYSTERY         

Now I've heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do ya?

It goes like this

The fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, and the major lift

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

2          LUSTFUL PASSION

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya.

She tied you to

Her kitchen chair

She broke your throne, and she cut your hair

And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

3          SACRED OR PROFANE?

You say I took the name in vain

I don't even know the name

But if I did, well really, what's it to ya?

There's a blaze of light

In every word

It doesn't matter which you heard

The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

4          COLD AND BROKEN

Baby, I've been here before

I know this room, I've walked this floor

I used to live alone before I knew ya.

Yeah I've seen your flag

On the marble arch

But love is not a victory march

No it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

5          SAD AND WISTFUL

There was a time you let me know

What's really going on below

But now you never show that to me, do ya?

I remember

When I moved in you

And the holy dove was moving too

Yes every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

6          LOST AND LONELY

Maybe there's a God above

As for me, all I've ever learned from love

Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.

Yeah but it's not a cry

That you hear at night

It's not some pilgrim who has seen the light

No it's a lost and it's a very lonely Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

7          DEFIANT: DOWN, BUT NOT OUT

I did my best, it wasn't much

I couldn't feel, so I learned to touch

I've told the truth, I didn't come all this way to fool ya.

Yeah even though

It all went wrong

I'll stand right here before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah

For the back-story, and more information about the various performers who have covered this song (before Alisha) please see the original post HERE.