I guess the simmering resentment present amongst the great part of the population towards whoever was going to win the X Factor should come as no surprise. In many ways I have to agree that Simon Cowell has rather spoilt the fun of the Christmas number one by monopolising it for the last four years, however the way that some people are going on about Alexandra Burke's version of Hallelujah really is a dreadful type of snobbery.
Any number of people and Facebook groups are bemoaning the fact that Alexandra has done a cover of Jeff Buckley's song, whilst ignoring that Jeff Buckley was no better than Alexandra Burke because actually all he did was do a cover of what is a Leonard Cohen song.
I heard on the radio earlier someone moaning about that X Factor "killing original music". Presumably Jeff Buckley was guilty of this too ?
There might be some mileage in trying to avoid the X Factor winner being number one in order to prove that Simon Cowell does not have a divine right to the Christmas number one, but lets just drop the attacks on Alexandra Burke and the song choice. In all honesty, she has a great voice and her version of the song is actually not to bad at all.
6 comments:
Nich, I have never seen or heard the winner of this year's X Factor, but (and yes I own the Jeff Buckley version), Buckley is seen as some sort of musical genius, so I would guess that the music snobs have it in for anyone who might detract from his status.
Hear Hear. The only reason the X-Factor continually gets the Number 1 spot is because it's possibly the most gruelling selection process that exists for a single.
The "original music" thing's a pile of crap anyway. Nobody complains that Bryn Terfel or Luciano Pavarotti sang songs written by other people. You don't have to be a composer to be a good musician.
You're absolutely right about it being snobbery.
Nich there is a Christmassy backing to Alexandra's version, it is set in one place in time. This is the first time the X-Factor has used a cover as the winners song most of the others have been original songs. Yes they use covers through the shows but this time they used a cover for the winners first single.
I would have purchased Leonard Cohen's version if it had been higher at the start of the week than Buckley's but hey. Nothing against Alexandra she was the deserved winner, I do hate knowing on January first each year that that years Christmas number one is going to be whoever wins the X Factor 8 days before the release of the years Christmas chart though.
There have been a number of excellent covers of Hallelujah, but I have to say that I don't like the one by Alexandra. I'm not being snobbish, but I just don't think she does it justice. Yes she has a good voice and she may have deserved to win, but I think there are other songs better suited to her voice.
I shcocked you like this song Nich, I thought better of you. I suppose you would call me one of these snobs.
Can you honestly listen to Jeff's version then tell be it the xfactor version deserves to be in the same league.
She may be able to sing but can she perform? Westlife can see but do you care what they have to say? Bob Dylan and Kurt Cobain didn't have the greatest voices but people wanted to listen to them, there was a debt to them I have not heard from any X factor/Pop Idol performer.
Buckleys version has a soul, Alex's doesn't.
"I do hate knowing on January first each year that that years Christmas number one is going to be whoever wins the X Factor 8 days before the release of the years Christmas chart though."
Quite. X Factor may not have killed original music, but it has killed the magic of the Christmas chart.
And as for Hallelujah - it's not a song for a woman. At all. It just doesn't suit it. Cohen and Buckley's versions are great. Burke, great singer though she is, just can't compete. And that's not her fault.
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