Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Jeff Buckley, Women and Hallelujah

Today as Jackie said, I left our board meeting with a good taste in my mouth, and one of my all time favorite songs came on the radio: Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah.  Flashbacks of good friends and great conversations of what our opinions were of what the lyrics actually meant.  Now I'd be lying if I said these brain sessions didn't involve us being stoned, but here's to personal growth and evolution.  One of our best debates is that we all believed the song is referenced to the Bible, mainly the Old Testament.  I am the debate queen and will literally dissect something 360 degrees until I am 100% satisfied and let me tell you, back in the day when I was stoned.....I knew shit and if I didn't I could make you believe I knew shit. 

Well I heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah


Now as much as I love this verse I'm not going into detail much because it's the next two that capture my attention more.  But in this one I will say that we all know that in the Book of Samuel that Saul was the first King, and he had employed David to play music because Saul was having bad, bad dreams and the music helped him, hence the secret chords, but Saul didn't know that David was to be king.   Long, long story.  Even so....it's a great one! Moving on.

Well Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
she tied you to her kitchen chair
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah


Now this is one of my favorite verses simply because to me and friends and the age old debate and what the song was actually written on......God's generosity to broken people.  Perhaps there is help for me yet!  So the first two lines are talking about now King David and Bathsheba who had an affair for Bathsheba was married to Uriah, who King David had murdered.  Whew--who needs soap operas right!  So here we have a king who has betrayed not only his citizens but his God as well, but the song jumps to Samson.  He has superhuman strength but the catch to his superhuman strength was his vow to his promises. 

1.  No Alcohol
2.  Never cut his hair

Ladies, we all know men!  What do you think he did?  You know what he did!  He told his girlfriend who then told her people, who captured Samson and they gouged out his eyes and cut his hair.  Now the one saving grace in this and how the song gets it title from the content of the Bible is despite both David and Samson turning their backs on God, he forgives and grants one more act of generosity to each of them...from your lips she drew the Hallelujah.  Love, love this song!

The rest of the song goes on to link sexuality and praising God how it's more than just a physical act.  Awesome song, again one of my all time favorites.  Take a minute to listen to it.  Little differant than my usual witty self, but that's half the fun of a blog....you can write whatever tweaks your brain.  Peace!


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