k.d.'s voice is like an ocean trying to enter a stream. I've seen her live for every tour and numerous special performances over the last 30 years and, as a vocalist specifically, I am in awe of her ability to control and conform her voice. She can easily be heard above the sound system when you are within the first 10 rows of the stage and it's unsettling how well she projects her tone. The combination of her physiology, talent, intellect, and her study of her own voice is in itself symphonic. I've never seen anything like it. I leave in an altered mental state every time as if I had been intoxicated. The humanity of her performances just cannot be ignored.
Unfortunately some just let their prejudice shape & form their opinion, and refuse to see the beauty on display before them! Their loss, truly. Personally, I loved her from the beginning. Her coming out was really not an issue for me - I didn't care about this aspect of her life - why? Because it had nothing to do with her talent & beauty - which she was gracious enough to share with us - thankful that she did! She's a wonderful Canadian! Cheers!
@@EchoesDaBear I've been a fan since the first time I saw her as an unknown on a Canadian channel, saying she just wanted to sing. She never got the attention she deserved, maybe due to her unconventionally and sometimes being outrageous? I adore her and couldn't care less what she does in her personal life.
Agreed, 10000%!! I was in the audience for the final dress rehearsal of those Opening Ceremonies, which was an incredible experience altogether, but her performance of this song was truly magical. 🤗🥰
How does she do those sustains? Her vocal abilities are almost inhuman. Even her mastery of the mike shows just how GREAT she is. Leonard Cohen said that nobody else should sing the song after he saw her performance - hers was THE definitive performance.
I honestly think she's one of the greatest singers of all time. She has an ability to make you feel that she's TALKING to you, telling you a story, and FEELING every word. The only other singer who I think does this as well as Judy Garland. There are a number of different performances of this song by her online, and each one is different, and each one is incredible. I'm sure you've already seen it, but if you haven't, the one from the closing ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics is out of this world.
I feel like she is this song. A lot of artists sing it beautifully, but she feels the song and is the song. Which to me is what makes her cover the best and moves people the most
This and her cover of Neil Young's "Helpless" have defined her as Canada's greatest interpreter of Canadian song. To all y'all out there: you're welcome.
k.d Lang admired another Canadian singer,Anne Murray, when she was a girl. Anne was one of the first solo singers to make it internationally. Anne was televised on national tv singing barefoot.. Years later, both of them appeared on tv and k.d. was giddy meeting her idol or at least one of her idols. k.d. Lang is one of the most underrated singers.
contraltos just do something to me. they don't just sing to you, they are speaking to you! i am one myself and a canadian too. hardly ever hear them on Can-Con. They are all too rare. growing up I also listened to Amanda Marshall and Diana Krall, bother lower voiced ladies.
@@dianeritthaler7792 life changing as how a voice is the instrument, bone chilling, I have seen her sing live, her tone.... her tone and pitch perfect. Chills and perfection.
KD is a fellow Canadian. A Calgarian, in fact. When I was about 5 yo we drove to Calgary to visit family, and KD was friends with my cousins there. They introduced us to a teenage KD Lang, just starting out in her career, and we bought a bootleg first album of hers because we were so blown away. On that album, she sang Coat of Many Colors (as I remember it), which really wasn't a good piece for her amazing voice. I am so grateful for her growth as an artist, and the amazing, God given talent that she graciously shares with us all. I don't understand why she isn't more famous - but I think that makes her even more special. She is a Canadian treasure -as is that song that she kills every time she sings it. Thank you kdl!
I have listened to kd for many years..saw her the first time in an old bar in northern Alberta just before she burst out. Her voice, her presence, her beauty has always enthralled me. All her performances of this song are truly individual and wondrous. She breaks me every time and I love her madly!
She performed at the Boiler Lounge and the Sidetrack Cafe in Edmonton in the early 1980s and then had her breakout performance in 1984 at The Edmonton Folk Music Festival. We sold out all of her Records in the Record Tent
I first saw her at a Calgary Stampede party, I think at the Glencoe Club, possibly the Palliser Hotel. She was this slight, wee thing in a poodle skirt and cowboy boots. We didn’t know who she was at the beginning but, for sure, pretty soon we knew kd lang was going to be a star!
I fell in love with her voice, performance and storytelling abilities in her "torch and twang" period (late 80s). I took my daughter at age 7 to a live concert in Seattle - twice. To me she embodied a woman who was always exactly herself, powerful and with something to say. In those days it was cowboy boots, and she evolved into bare feet which a handful of female singers have done, pretty much thumbing her nose at conventional stage wear and 4 inch heels. For her it was about the music. I heard an interesting story, when they asked Leonard Cohen to perform this song at the 2010 Olympics, he said "call k.d. - it's her song now" and they did. I hope it's a true story because I love it.
she did a performance where he was in the audience (its on YT) and he apparently told her afterwards that her singing of the song was the definitive one.
Thank you, Dan. I've been saying this for years. It's as if Leonard wrote this for her. So proud of this unique gifted artist and that she, like Leonard, is Canadian.
I'm Xavienne, how can anyone not feel this beautiful performance. I am in awe and I've heard it this hundreds of times.I wish I could sing like this but she is so holy/divine I can't imagine ever connecting as she does to this awesome song. With the deepest respect.
Thank you Dr. Dan for playing this. KD Lang is certainly a Canadian Treasure. If you get a chance listen to her sing "Crying" by Roy Orbison. No matter how many times I hear her sing, I get chills.
This is the best performance of any song ever! A story has never been told better. How many different ways can you sing and feel an Hallelujah? KD Lang is such an amazing talent! Such a pure voice! It is so beautiful; it brings me to tears.
This is probably the best performance I’ve ever seen. No matter how many times I see it, I get goosebumps and teary eyed. An absolute masterclass in perfection😊
.and if you can believe it.KD does two "better " versions. The Vancouver Olympics and singing live in front of Leonard Cohen at the Canadian Song Writers Awards...........seriously.....................check both out and you'll see her true greatness..trust me :)
2010 must have been a HUGE year for her singing this song. The Vancouver Olympics opening performance, All beautiful. IMO one of the reasons this song doesn't seem repetitious the way she sings it is because each Hallelujah she sings differently, no two are the same. And all are beautifully done, especially that last one.
I have always admired KD Lang. How she cradles a song. Every word and meaning felt and understood. That voice is so special. A sound that speaks to your soul. I have to say though Sir, you handled this analysis in such an authentic way. Trying to find the words to critique what was a truly soul inspiring performance filled me with joy. I am now subscribed. Thank you.
1:42 Marvellous use of portamento and prosody on the word "fall". Sublimely executed in what I describe as a glimpse of, for lack of a better word, "eternity" which were peppered here and there every now and then throughout this performance. Portamento is a glide between two or more notes......a middle ground between stacatto and legato but not quite glissando. While prosody in vocal pedagogy can be described as the sound reflecting the meaning of the word(s) which in this case when Lang sung the word "fall" it was executed in a manner of the sound gently falling in a slide. Dare I say better than Jeff Buckley's version which is the standard by which covers of this Leonard Cohen composition is measured by for the following reason. This is live....you have one shot with no luxury of multiple takes in the studio or editing. Lang knew the task at hand very well and passed her assignment with flying colours and with the highest distinction possible with total commitment to the moment serving the song rather than the singer which can only be described as "cosmically beautiful". Ironically being a buddhist (an agnostic belief system) and gay she could run circles around some very highly acclaimed evangelical singers with her humility of submission to the Lord of Song in this performance. The only small improvement possible, and no doubt this is nitpicking, is if Lang chose to incorporate the song's rarely performed (or even known) last stanza.....then the Lord of Song would've been truly FULLY glorified: I've done my best, I know it wasn't much I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch I've told the truth, I didnt come here to just to fool ya And even though it all went wrong I'll stand right here before the Lord of Song With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!
She studied with my voice teacher at McGill University years ago...he focussed on breath technique with all our vocal work...from soft to room filling...KD Lang is a master of this technique ... so wonderful to hear her ...
Evidently, after hearing kd's version of this song, Leonard Cohen said, "This is n longer my song, it is hers." As a writer and poet, I thoroughly enjoyed your analysis of kd's performance as I hadn't really grasped what she does, as a storyteller, with the stanzas of this incredible song. What an education you gave me! Thank you.
You are my new favorite vocal coach reactor on TH-cam, hands down. All the subtleties and nuances you notice - both in the singing, and in the performance - make me want to sit next to you in the audience of almost any performance, whispering and pointing out and appreciating every single thing we can : )
Whew! You can really feel her emotion in telling this story! For some, there’s something grounding and “raw” when you can feel the ground under your feet! There’s almost a supernatural “connection” that happens, especially when you are singing! 😊
She has always been herself while on stage since i heard her music growing up. Also grew up in the same province in canada as she did, so i heard her music alot.
I remember seeing kd lang and the reclines ( A Truly Western Experience ) back in the fall of 1983 at the Palloser Ballroom at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary, Alberta. I was first impressed at the age range of the audience from 16 to 70. Needless to say the concert was INCREDIBLE!!!! …..you knew that she had ‘it’ and was going to be famous. Years later when I finished at the University of Calgary, I moved to Vancouver and encountered kd while she was shopp8ng for groceries at the Robson Public Market. Having followed her career, I must admit that the best ‘show’ I saw of kd was at the opening ceremonies of the Gay Games in Sydney, Australia. ……her performance there was eclipsed by her ‘show’ at the Winter Olympics of 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia. She’s f-ing awesome!!!
I’ve been a fan since her first album “ a truly western experience”. Later Owen Bradley came out of retirement to work with her, he was so impressed. And despite her unconventional persona, brought the audience of Nashville’s grand ol’ Oprey to its feet! What a talent. A Canadian icon. 😁
I want a copy (or copies) of her live performances like this one so bad, the album one is good, but these live performances are so much better, and I want one/all for my phone to listen to when I walk.
I thought i heard i heard all her live Hallelujah performances. Add this one to the playlist. Juno awards versionin front of LeonardCohen. Olympics in Vancouver. Leonard Cohen memorial Tribute (Tower of Song) version. All marvelous in their own way and uniquely different. Such is the depth of her talent. ❤❤
K.D. Lang is one of the “Greatest “ Canadian Voices “ of all time time…Her rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is unparalleled. She has a beautiful voice with great pitch , great range and superb dynamics… Love it…Bill Ott. A&M Records Canada (Retired)
I first heard kd sing this song at the Opening Ceremonies in British Columbia. I was absolutely stunned. The strength and perfection of her performance left me breathless and overwhelmed. I don’t listen to music much but she completely left me in awe. I am pleased to see that I am not the only one. 😊
Dr Dan you are as moved as all of us who love love K D Lang!! 🩵 She is undoubtedly on the highest plane .....above!! She totally moves us to feel heart body & soul completely 🩵 She is phenomenal!!
I have loved KD since she started ..in the beginning singing country and now matured to the very best singer of her generation. I have seen her live many times and she never fails to bring 110%to her performance. This is also my favourite rendition of the song....I adore her.
Dr. Dan: k.d. Lang wrote and performed a song called BAREFOOT decades ago. Look it up - treat yourself to another great performance. Could this song, near and dear to her heart, be the reason that she performs barefoot? We must recognize the genius of another great Canadian poet here, the great Leonard Cohen - a master. k.d. pays tribute to him with every ounce of her talent. k.d. Lang's greatest performance of Hallelujah was at the Juno awards in 2005 - check it out. Canada has produced some of the greatest vocalists/song writers of the 20th century. You could have an entire channel dedicated to them 😎👍
I was so fortunate to see her in Melbourne in a smallish venue in around 2010. All I can say is that she was magnificent!! Just magnificent!! And she was also barefoot when I saw her ❤️
k d Langs performance of Hallelujah at this awards ceremony is amazing, also check out her singing this at the Olympic’s (winter) in Vancouver, BC it is as wonderful if not better !! She is a Canadian 🇨🇦 treasure who began singing with her band The Reclines, in western Canada, my hometown,city, Edmonton where we would see her wandering around the popular south side area in her crazy costumes & she performed at different venues. She deservedly made it big !! Check out her KD lang & the Reclines on TH-cam, & check her singing with her hero Roy Orbison ‘Crying’ and other Roy songs, she also adores Patsy Cline & does beautiful covers of Patsy’s songs. Thanks for playing this amazing performance 🎭 & your interruptions were fine !! Sending love from 🇨🇦☮️
this is my favorite live version too. Once you get past the host introduction, it is perfection, and those last 3 Hallelujah's will bring you to your knees they are so perfect. Her breath control is absolutely stunning. Not sure about her Olympics version if she was barefoot, but all the videos I have seen of her singing this song she is barefoot.
She is an amazing singer/interpreter. The first time she blew my mind was when she sang Roy Orbison's "Crying". Still one of my all-time favorite performances. This one I had not seen before so glad I stumbled upon on it. There are only a handful of absolutely outstanding, one-of-a-kind, instantly recognizable, classic voices in the world and K.D. Lang is one of them.
Her performance at the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was, IMO, sublime beyond words. The grand scale of the event just amplified her perfection even more. It was a perfect moment and I am blessed to have seen it live.
It’s also how she holds the mic. Most performers use it almost as a crutch, strangle it while getting the notes to sustain but she holds it loosely and confidently.
I’m so proud to say I’ve heard KD Lang sing Hallelujah on the hill of the Edmonton Folk Festival🇨🇦. Candles lit the hill and we were all amazed. I am from the same province as KD Lang in Canada and am so proud of her.
I was lucky enough to see k d lang in Winter Park, Colorado way back in her country days wearing a skirt. She was incredible outside at high altitude singin* he4 soul out.
I've watched/listened to many different versions of KD Lang singing this song. This is my first time hearing this rendition, It is truly one of her very best performances. Thank you.
She is the only singer who has preformed this masterpiece many times to surpass even the composer himself, who when after listening to her preform it as a tribute to him, Leonard Cohen said, he now knew who the singer he composed it for. I’ve listened to every performance by k.d. lang and every single time they are stunningly and exquisitely done to perfection.
I have watched her perform here in Perth back in the late 90s a few times …. She is just incredible live… I am so lucky … to,say… yep, saw kd live. One of the most underrated singers of my generation… and she does not get any air play from any music reactors on TH-cam. They are missing out. So thank you for giving this amazing singer a reaction video.
I am a classical music type of guy, but every time I listen to k d Lang I tear up. This time the tears were rolling off my cheeks. There are very few who have this type of talent.
Although late to the party I feel intuitively pointed towards KD at this time. Other worldly, and all I can come close to naming it is how Eckhart Tolle speaks of the vertical/deeper dimension that underlies all beings. Most only know themselves at the horizontal/ surface level - yet, clearly Kd has tapped into it and effortlessly channeling from that deeper/ vaster place within. Seems from her faith/buddhism she is inspired and done by something then, that is greater than self and she is aware of it as I watch her in other renditions hold her head towards the sky and seemingly hold much respect and gratitude to that that uses her to gift humanity with its presence. Much respect🙏🏻
I was lucky enough to see her sing this at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics - Amazing! PS: She feels the vibration in bare feet the same as Rita MacNeill. Both Canadian icons :)
The raw emotion that she infuses into every song she sings is incredible. 4:01-4:16 you can feel the person losing themselves into the other - they fall from their throne, they lose their power (hair cutting) and cry out in the joy and helplessness of love. She makes you feel the story like no one else does.
KD has said that fellow Canadian Anne Murray was one of her biggest influences.....and, like KD, Anne's ability to fill-out and hold notes is unmatched.
Never feel badly over tearing up at her performance of this song.....I saw her do this live at her show in Moncton, NB, and there was not a dry eye in the house when she finished the song. Incredible!!
She's Canadian and that's comfort in your own skin. Like us, don't, well that's about it. Love you, Katherine. Dan, thank you for your perceptive mention of the angst in her longing.
So happy to see the vocal coaches reacting to KD Lang. She's been a humble genius for decades.
k.d.'s voice is like an ocean trying to enter a stream. I've seen her live for every tour and numerous special performances over the last 30 years and, as a vocalist specifically, I am in awe of her ability to control and conform her voice. She can easily be heard above the sound system when you are within the first 10 rows of the stage and it's unsettling how well she projects her tone. The combination of her physiology, talent, intellect, and her study of her own voice is in itself symphonic. I've never seen anything like it. I leave in an altered mental state every time as if I had been intoxicated. The humanity of her performances just cannot be ignored.
Yep, what he said
I second that.
No one has ever pushed that button, like she has.
God’s gift of a heavenly voice fully realized by KD Lang … Hallelujah!!!
She's nothing short of spectacular.
I'm a retired audio guy and K.D.'s mic technique is impeccable to enhance the dynamics of her voice performance. Masterclass in singing!
Leonard Cohen said KD performed this song to "its ultimate state of blissful perfection." Agreed!
I bet Leonard cried when heard it.
k.d. didn't sing barefoot until after she came out to the world. How could the world not love and accept such a beautiful and talented soul?
Unfortunately some just let their prejudice shape & form their opinion, and refuse to see the beauty on display before them! Their loss, truly.
Personally, I loved her from the beginning. Her coming out was really not an issue for me - I didn't care about this aspect of her life - why? Because it had nothing to do with her talent & beauty - which she was gracious enough to share with us - thankful that she did! She's a wonderful Canadian! Cheers!
@EchoesDaBear I agree 100%. I, too, have been a fan since the first time I heard her sing.
@@EchoesDaBear I've been a fan since the first time I saw her as an unknown on a Canadian channel, saying she just wanted to sing. She never got the attention she deserved, maybe due to her unconventionally and sometimes being outrageous? I adore her and couldn't care less what she does in her personal life.
Her version at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics is Goosebumps.
Agreed, 10000%!! I was in the audience for the final dress rehearsal of those Opening Ceremonies, which was an incredible experience altogether, but her performance of this song was truly magical. 🤗🥰
KD’s voice should be insured for Billions.
Some people with amazing voices will sing so people admire their voice. She uses her voice to convey the emotion of the aong
How does she do those sustains? Her vocal abilities are almost inhuman. Even her mastery of the mike shows just how GREAT she is. Leonard Cohen said that nobody else should sing the song after he saw her performance - hers was THE definitive performance.
I never argue with the author. She is THE singer of this song.
I honestly think she's one of the greatest singers of all time. She has an ability to make you feel that she's TALKING to you, telling you a story, and FEELING every word. The only other singer who I think does this as well as Judy Garland. There are a number of different performances of this song by her online, and each one is different, and each one is incredible. I'm sure you've already seen it, but if you haven't, the one from the closing ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics is out of this world.
I feel like she is this song. A lot of artists sing it beautifully, but she feels the song and is the song. Which to me is what makes her cover the best and moves people the most
Her performance of this song at the Juno Awards in 2005 was simply flawless. She received a two minute standing ovation.
This and her cover of Neil Young's "Helpless" have defined her as Canada's greatest interpreter of Canadian song. To all y'all out there: you're welcome.
That’s great, that’s true, but she’s also much bigger than that, not confined to one nation’s songwriters.
k.d Lang admired another Canadian singer,Anne Murray, when she was a girl. Anne was one of the first solo singers to make it internationally. Anne was televised on national tv singing barefoot.. Years later, both of them appeared on tv and k.d. was giddy meeting her idol or at least one of her idols. k.d. Lang is one of the most underrated singers.
Oh my Anne Murray I forgot about her! I didn't realize she was Canadian !
contraltos just do something to me. they don't just sing to you, they are speaking to you! i am one myself and a canadian too. hardly ever hear them on Can-Con. They are all too rare. growing up I also listened to Amanda Marshall and Diana Krall, bother lower voiced ladies.
Katherine Dawn is our Canadian darling, best version of this song.
Never tire of hearing her sing this.
Have you heard/seen her singing 'Crying' at the Roy Orbison tribute? It is astounding!
Yes I so agree. She sings feelings to her audience.
It's powerful
@@dianeritthaler7792 life changing as how a voice is the instrument, bone chilling, I have seen her sing live, her tone.... her tone and pitch perfect. Chills and perfection.
Her duet with him is incredible!
KD is a fellow Canadian. A Calgarian, in fact. When I was about 5 yo we drove to Calgary to visit family, and KD was friends with my cousins there. They introduced us to a teenage KD Lang, just starting out in her career, and we bought a bootleg first album of hers because we were so blown away. On that album, she sang Coat of Many Colors (as I remember it), which really wasn't a good piece for her amazing voice. I am so grateful for her growth as an artist, and the amazing, God given talent that she graciously shares with us all. I don't understand why she isn't more famous - but I think that makes her even more special. She is a Canadian treasure -as is that song that she kills every time she sings it. Thank you kdl!
I have listened to kd for many years..saw her the first time in
an old bar in northern Alberta just before she burst out. Her
voice, her presence, her beauty has always enthralled me.
All her performances of this song are truly individual and
wondrous. She breaks me every time and I love her madly!
Saw her at the Ranchman's in Calgary in the 80s I think. Just extraordinary even then.
Saw her on the hill at the Edmonton Folk Festival 🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦
Sidetrack?
She performed at the Boiler Lounge and the Sidetrack Cafe in Edmonton in the early 1980s and then had her breakout performance in 1984 at The Edmonton Folk Music Festival. We sold out all of her Records in the Record Tent
I first saw her at a Calgary Stampede party, I think at the Glencoe Club, possibly the Palliser Hotel. She was this slight, wee thing in a poodle skirt and cowboy boots. We didn’t know who she was at the beginning but, for sure, pretty soon we knew kd lang was going to be a star!
I fell in love with her voice, performance and storytelling abilities in her "torch and twang" period (late 80s). I took my daughter at age 7 to a live concert in Seattle - twice. To me she embodied a woman who was always exactly herself, powerful and with something to say. In those days it was cowboy boots, and she evolved into bare feet which a handful of female singers have done, pretty much thumbing her nose at conventional stage wear and 4 inch heels. For her it was about the music. I heard an interesting story, when they asked Leonard Cohen to perform this song at the 2010 Olympics, he said "call k.d. - it's her song now" and they did. I hope it's a true story because I love it.
she did a performance where he was in the audience (its on YT) and he apparently told her afterwards that her singing of the song was the definitive one.
@@geebrewer8186 ….. and her bow and placing her head on his solar plexus in gratitude.
I first heard her on the Paul Berlin radio program from Houston. And then yes the Torch and Twang!!!❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, Dan. I've been saying this for years. It's as if Leonard wrote this for her. So proud of this unique gifted artist and that she, like Leonard, is Canadian.
I'm Xavienne, how can anyone not feel this beautiful performance. I am in awe and I've heard it this hundreds of times.I wish I could sing like this but she is so holy/divine I can't imagine ever connecting as she does to this awesome song. With the deepest respect.
Thank you Dr. Dan for playing this. KD Lang is certainly a Canadian Treasure. If you get a chance listen to her sing "Crying" by Roy Orbison. No matter how many times I hear her sing, I get chills.
I'm so thrilled you pointed out how she makes every "hallelujah" unique. kd's vocal talent is so amazing, thank you for doing this.
This is the best performance of any song ever! A story has never been told better. How many different ways can you sing and feel an Hallelujah? KD Lang is such an amazing talent! Such a pure voice! It is so beautiful; it brings me to tears.
I could not be more proud of this fellow Canadian. Her voice is absolutely incredible ❤
I never get sick of her voice she is on another level.
This is probably the best performance I’ve ever seen. No matter how many times I see it, I get goosebumps and teary eyed. An absolute masterclass in perfection😊
Me too. Just so beautiful.
Best rendition of this song I have ever heard. Her voice!! ❤
I know, right!
My fave is her version at the 2010 winter Olympics opening ceremonies...but really..ANY kd is wonderful.
.and if you can believe it.KD does two "better " versions. The Vancouver Olympics and singing live in front of Leonard Cohen at the Canadian Song Writers Awards...........seriously.....................check both out and you'll see her true greatness..trust me :)
Leonard thought so to..I guess he said.."now it is finished" ...after years of writing and rewriting.
@@Newfie-zc7ug I will vouch for the truth of this statement! This version is good, but the others are GREAT!
2010 must have been a HUGE year for her singing this song. The Vancouver Olympics opening performance, All beautiful. IMO one of the reasons this song doesn't seem repetitious the way she sings it is because each Hallelujah she sings differently, no two are the same. And all are beautifully done, especially that last one.
Easily my favourite version of the song! Amazing.
Amazing is the word!
I have always admired KD Lang. How she cradles a song. Every word and meaning felt and understood. That voice is so special. A sound that speaks to your soul.
I have to say though Sir, you handled this analysis in such an authentic way. Trying to find the words to critique what was a truly soul inspiring performance filled me with joy. I am now subscribed. Thank you.
voice like melting butter.. soft smooth flawless
1:42 Marvellous use of portamento and prosody on the word "fall". Sublimely executed in what I describe as a glimpse of, for lack of a better word, "eternity" which were peppered here and there every now and then throughout this performance. Portamento is a glide between two or more notes......a middle ground between stacatto and legato but not quite glissando. While prosody in vocal pedagogy can be described as the sound reflecting the meaning of the word(s) which in this case when Lang sung the word "fall" it was executed in a manner of the sound gently falling in a slide.
Dare I say better than Jeff Buckley's version which is the standard by which covers of this Leonard Cohen composition is measured by for the following reason. This is live....you have one shot with no luxury of multiple takes in the studio or editing. Lang knew the task at hand very well and passed her assignment with flying colours and with the highest distinction possible with total commitment to the moment serving the song rather than the singer which can only be described as "cosmically beautiful".
Ironically being a buddhist (an agnostic belief system) and gay she could run circles around some very highly acclaimed evangelical singers with her humility of submission to the Lord of Song in this performance. The only small improvement possible, and no doubt this is nitpicking, is if Lang chose to incorporate the song's rarely performed (or even known) last stanza.....then the Lord of Song would've been truly FULLY glorified:
I've done my best, I know it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didnt come here to just to fool ya
And even though it all went wrong
I'll stand right here before the Lord of Song
With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!
Love this comment 😊
Came for the kd analysis, subscribed for the kd fanboying. Same here brother, she is astounding and to me incredibly underrated
She sings it at the Winter Olympics that was mesmerising. Fabulous KD Lang 🔥💥
She studied with my voice teacher at McGill University years ago...he focussed on breath technique with all our vocal work...from soft to room filling...KD Lang is a master of this technique ... so wonderful to hear her ...
Evidently, after hearing kd's version of this song, Leonard Cohen said, "This is n longer my song, it is hers." As a writer and poet, I thoroughly enjoyed your analysis of kd's performance as I hadn't really grasped what she does, as a storyteller, with the stanzas of this incredible song. What an education you gave me! Thank you.
You are my new favorite vocal coach reactor on TH-cam, hands down. All the subtleties and nuances you notice - both in the singing, and in the performance - make me want to sit next to you in the audience of almost any performance, whispering and pointing out and appreciating every single thing we can : )
Agree!
Whew! You can really feel her emotion in telling this story! For some, there’s something grounding and “raw” when you can feel the ground under your feet! There’s almost a supernatural “connection” that happens, especially when you are singing! 😊
it's that wail she adds to some of the song. Just drops you to your knees hearing it
Just PURE EMOTION!!!
KD Lang is absolutely sublime, she's not only technically brilliant with her vocals, she touches your soul!!!
She has always been herself while on stage since i heard her music growing up. Also grew up in the same province in canada as she did, so i heard her music alot.
If you have not heard her rendition of 'cryin' on the Roy Orbison tribute night, you are in for a treat. It is the best female vocal in decades.
I remember seeing kd lang and the reclines ( A Truly Western Experience ) back in the fall of 1983 at the Palloser Ballroom at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary, Alberta. I was first impressed at the age range of the audience from 16 to 70.
Needless to say the concert was INCREDIBLE!!!!
…..you knew that she had ‘it’ and was going to be famous.
Years later when I finished at the University of Calgary, I moved to Vancouver and encountered kd while she was shopp8ng for groceries at the Robson Public Market.
Having followed her career, I must admit that the best ‘show’ I saw of kd was at the opening ceremonies of the Gay Games in Sydney, Australia.
……her performance there was eclipsed by her ‘show’ at the Winter Olympics of 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia.
She’s f-ing awesome!!!
Wow. I've got goosebumps. She made me feel every word. I'm listening to it right through now.
I’ve been a fan since her first album “ a truly western experience”. Later Owen Bradley came out of retirement to work with her, he was so impressed. And despite her unconventional persona, brought the audience of Nashville’s grand ol’ Oprey to its feet! What a talent. A Canadian icon. 😁
I’ve seen her in concert several times and she is so beautiful and amazing. It is an experience. The album or record does nothing. Thank you
So good!
I want a copy (or copies) of her live performances like this one so bad, the album one is good, but these live performances are so much better, and I want one/all for my phone to listen to when I walk.
I thought i heard i heard all her live Hallelujah performances. Add this one to the playlist. Juno awards versionin front of LeonardCohen. Olympics in Vancouver. Leonard Cohen memorial Tribute (Tower of Song) version. All marvelous in their own way and uniquely different. Such is the depth of her talent. ❤❤
She toured Australia about 20 years ago. Performed at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Stop interrupting.
Listened to this so many times. Chills every time.. im a weeping mess. She is amazing
Thanks Dr Dan. No vocal analyses complete without this one! What a gift she has.
I have seen her three times in concert and each was like a master class. She is simply the best.
K.D. Lang is one of the “Greatest “ Canadian Voices “ of all time time…Her rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is unparalleled. She has a beautiful voice with great pitch , great range and superb dynamics… Love it…Bill Ott. A&M Records Canada (Retired)
I would love to hear your take on KD's song Barefoot from the movie Salmonberries, she imitates the sound of a wolf in this song that is beautiful
k.d. Lang lives her song when she sings. Her soul is in this song! I love her style and voice she is one of a kind.❤
I first heard kd sing this song at the Opening Ceremonies in British Columbia. I was absolutely stunned. The strength and perfection of her performance left me breathless and overwhelmed. I don’t listen to music much but she completely left me in awe. I am pleased to see that I am not the only one. 😊
Dr Dan you are as moved as all of us who love love K D Lang!! 🩵
She is undoubtedly on the highest plane .....above!! She totally moves us to feel heart body & soul completely 🩵 She is phenomenal!!
YES! So intense and so utterly beautiflul "Flawless" is a perfect word for its perfection.
I. ADORE K.D. Lang!!
I think I prefer her performance of “Hallelujah” from the 2010 Olympics… but if it’s K.D., it’s ALL. FANTASTIC!
My lord..she had me in tears. All there is to say is WOW.
Her version of "Crying" on MTV Unplugged is otherworldly. Her eyes are closed for the entire song. I highly recommend that particular version.
I have loved KD since she started ..in the beginning singing country and now matured to the very best singer of her generation. I have seen her live many times and she never fails to bring 110%to her performance. This is also my favourite rendition of the song....I adore her.
I saw k.d. lang cover Tom Jones’ What’s New Pussycat”. What a performance!!! It was so fun. I hope you all see her live someday.
One of the most gifted songers to ever live. Always an incredible performce and so effortless.
Loved your emotion through this.
She is outstanding!
It's like she's super human!
Dr. Dan: k.d. Lang wrote and performed a song called BAREFOOT decades ago. Look it up - treat yourself to another great performance. Could this song, near and dear to her heart, be the reason that she performs barefoot? We must recognize the genius of another great Canadian poet here, the great Leonard Cohen - a master. k.d. pays tribute to him with every ounce of her talent. k.d. Lang's greatest performance of Hallelujah was at the Juno awards in 2005 - check it out. Canada has produced some of the greatest vocalists/song writers of the 20th century. You could have an entire channel dedicated to them 😎👍
I was so fortunate to see her in Melbourne in a smallish venue in around 2010. All I can say is that she was magnificent!! Just magnificent!! And she was also barefoot when I saw her ❤️
I tear up everytime I hear this song.
k d Langs performance of Hallelujah at this awards ceremony is amazing, also check out her singing this at the Olympic’s (winter) in Vancouver, BC it is as wonderful if not better !! She is a Canadian 🇨🇦 treasure who began singing with her band The Reclines, in western Canada, my hometown,city, Edmonton where we would see her wandering around the popular south side area in her crazy costumes & she performed at different venues. She deservedly made it big !! Check out her KD lang & the Reclines on TH-cam, & check her singing with her hero Roy Orbison ‘Crying’ and other Roy songs, she also adores Patsy Cline & does beautiful covers of Patsy’s songs. Thanks for playing this amazing performance 🎭 & your interruptions were fine !!
Sending love from 🇨🇦☮️
this is my favorite live version too. Once you get past the host introduction, it is perfection, and those last 3 Hallelujah's will bring you to your knees they are so perfect. Her breath control is absolutely stunning. Not sure about her Olympics version if she was barefoot, but all the videos I have seen of her singing this song she is barefoot.
She is an amazing singer/interpreter. The first time she blew my mind was when she sang Roy Orbison's "Crying". Still one of my all-time favorite performances. This one I had not seen before so glad I stumbled upon on it. There are only a handful of absolutely outstanding, one-of-a-kind, instantly recognizable, classic voices in the world and K.D. Lang is one of them.
There is no greater rendition than K.Ds. none! 💓
Her performance at the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was, IMO, sublime beyond words. The grand scale of the event just amplified her perfection even more. It was a perfect moment and I am blessed to have seen it live.
She made that moment an intimate conversation for everyone who heard it.
It’s also how she holds the mic. Most performers use it almost as a crutch, strangle it while getting the notes to sustain but she holds it loosely and confidently.
There’s truly no words ❤ LC wrote this song for her without knowing ❤
Brings me to tears...
She sings to the heart and soul to the depth of my being holy engulfed
I’m so proud to say I’ve heard KD Lang sing Hallelujah on the hill of the Edmonton Folk Festival🇨🇦. Candles lit the hill and we were all amazed. I am from the same province as KD Lang in Canada and am so proud of her.
I was lucky enough to see k d lang in Winter Park, Colorado way back in her country days wearing a skirt. She was incredible outside at high altitude singin* he4 soul out.
I've watched/listened to many different versions of KD Lang singing this song. This is my first time hearing this rendition, It is truly one of her very best performances. Thank you.
We saw her at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto in 2004, front row. Blew my mind. She is amazing. ❤❤❤
Yeah. She's amazing!
Absolutely Stunning!
It really is!
She is the only singer who has preformed this masterpiece many times to surpass even the composer himself, who when after listening to her preform it as a tribute to him, Leonard Cohen said, he now knew who the singer he composed it for. I’ve listened to every performance by k.d. lang and every single time they are stunningly and exquisitely done to perfection.
She has a voice of a angel one of the world's best thxs Canada and K D Lang😂❤
I have watched her perform here in Perth back in the late 90s a few times …. She is just incredible live… I am so lucky … to,say… yep, saw kd live. One of the most underrated singers of my generation… and she does not get any air play from any music reactors on TH-cam. They are missing out. So thank you for giving this amazing singer a reaction video.
2 awesome Canadians. K.D. and Leonard Cohen. Do we have talent or what!
Gives me goosebumps everytime I here her sing her rendition of this icon Cohen masterpiece.
I am a classical music type of guy, but every time I listen to k d Lang I tear up. This time the tears were rolling off my cheeks. There are very few who have this type of talent.
Although late to the party I feel intuitively pointed towards KD at this time. Other worldly, and all I can come close to naming it is how Eckhart Tolle speaks of the vertical/deeper dimension that underlies all beings. Most only know themselves at the horizontal/ surface level - yet, clearly Kd has tapped into it and effortlessly channeling from that deeper/ vaster place within. Seems from her faith/buddhism she is inspired and done by something then, that is greater than self and she is aware of it as I watch her in other renditions hold her head towards the sky and seemingly hold much respect and gratitude to that that uses her to gift humanity with its presence. Much respect🙏🏻
I was lucky enough to see her sing this at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics - Amazing! PS: She feels the vibration in bare feet the same as Rita MacNeill. Both Canadian icons :)
The raw emotion that she infuses into every song she sings is incredible. 4:01-4:16 you can feel the person losing themselves into the other - they fall from their throne, they lose their power (hair cutting) and cry out in the joy and helplessness of love. She makes you feel the story like no one else does.
Been a fan of KD Lang for ever I think she came out late 70s early 80s with her music
KD has said that fellow Canadian Anne Murray was one of her biggest influences.....and, like KD, Anne's ability to fill-out and hold notes is unmatched.
This is my most favourite version of her rendition. I play it every week or so. Her best performance ever.
I've heard her sing it a hundred times and I cry every time. She's the GOAT!
Never feel badly over tearing up at her performance of this song.....I saw her do this live at her show in Moncton, NB, and there was not a dry eye in the house when she finished the song.
Incredible!!
I love that you said “ flawless” - yeah- that pretty much wraps it up in one word.
she is the one and only
She's Canadian and that's comfort in your own skin. Like us, don't, well that's about it. Love you, Katherine. Dan, thank you for your perceptive mention of the angst in her longing.
Now I would like to see her reaction to your reaction.
LOL. I think we will be waiting some time for that!