Hallelujah

"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen is one of those tunes you make your own by adding, changing or deleting lyrics. Compare
Leonard Cohen, (author in a German TV performance)

Damien Rice (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Performance)

Rufus Wainwright (from the movie "Shrek" in concert)


After the first two verses, each varies what comes next.

1 for Leo, Damien & Rufus
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, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

2 for Leo, Damien & Rufus
Your faith was strong but you needed proof.
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moon light overthrew ya
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

3. Rufus
Maybe I've been here before
I know know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew ya.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

3: Damien 4. Rufus
There was time that you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me, do ya?
Remember when I moved in you
The holy dark was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

4. Damien 5. Rufus
Maybe there's a god above
But all I've ever learned form love
Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew ya
Well it's not a cry that you wear at night
And it's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

3. Leo:
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 a light in every word,
It doesn't matter which you heard,
The holy or the broken Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

4. Leo
I did my best. It wasn't much.
I couldn't feel so I tried to touch
I've told the truth and I didn't come to fool ya
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand before the lord of song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

(even the closing tag changes)
Damien
Hallelu-----------jah. Hallelujah.

But the chords and the melody, they stay very close to:
C Am C Am
F G C G
C F G (tonic chord, the fourth, the fifth)
Am F (the minor vi, relative major IV) ~fantastic lyric writing~
G E Am -
F Am F C G C