Hallelujah – English Lyrics

• By: Leonard Cohen, Erik Grönwall

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be a deeply rewarding experience, and Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' offers a rich text for English learners. The song's poetic lyrics are filled with literary devices and biblical allusions, providing a unique opportunity to explore the nuances of the English language. What makes 'Hallelujah' special is its ability to convey profound and often contradictory emotions through its powerful imagery and simple, yet evocative, language. By studying this song, you can not only improve your vocabulary and understanding of metaphor but also gain insight into the complex tapestry of human emotion.

[English]

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 you?

...

It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

The minor falls, the major lifts

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew her

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

...

Well, maybe there's a God above

As for me all I've ever learned from love

Is how to shoot somebody who outdrew you

But it's not a crime that you're hear tonight

It's not some pilgrim who claims to have seen the Light

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

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

...

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

...

Instrumental

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Well people I've been here before

I know this room and I've walked this floor

You see I used to live alone before I knew ya

And I've seen your flag on the marble arch

But listen love, love is not some kind of victory march, no

...

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

...

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

...

There was a time you let me know

What's really going on below

But now you never show it to me, do you?

And I remember when I moved in you

And the holy dove she was moving too

And every single breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Now 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 London just to fool you

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

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Hallelujah

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
secret /ˈsiːkrɪt/ B1	noun - something kept hidden or not known by others adjective - not known or seen by many people
chord /kɔːrd/ B2	noun - a group of musical notes played together
played /pleɪd/ A2	verb - to perform music on an instrument
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A1	noun - art of arranging sounds in harmony
faith /feɪθ/ B2	noun - trust or belief in something or someone
proof /pruːf/ B2	noun - evidence that shows something is true
beauty /ˈbjuːti/ A2	noun - the quality that makes someone or something attractive
moonlight /ˈmuːn.laɪt/ B1	noun - the light of the moon
throne /θroʊn/ B2	noun - a chair for a king or queen
broke /broʊk/ B2	verb - past tense of break; to damage or destroy
hair /hɛər/ A2	noun - the thin threads that grow on the head
lungs /lʌŋz/ C1	noun - organs responsible for breathing
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - to produce tears as a result of emotion
call /kɔːl/ A2	verb - to shout or speak to someone

Key Grammar Structures

• It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

  ➔ Present simple tense used for describing general truths or habitual actions.

  ➔ The phrase 'It goes like this' introduces a general description of how something works or is played.

• The minor falls, the major lifts

  ➔ Present simple tense describing state changes or actions happening regularly.

  ➔ The sentence uses parallelism, contrasting 'the minor falls' with 'the major lifts' to illustrate musical intervals reaching different emotional heights.

• Your faith was strong but you needed proof

  ➔ Past simple tense indicating a previous state, with 'but' showing contrast.

  ➔ The sentence uses the past tense 'was' and 'needed' to describe a completed state or requirement in the past, contrasting with the present.

• With nothing, nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'with nothing' indicating a state or condition.

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes the speaker's sincerity or emotional state, showing they are only expressing 'Hallelujah' without anything else.