Did you know? The chorus of this song is based on Jeff Buckley's cover of a Leonard Cohen song, 'Hallelujah'. Buckley (and John Cale before him) changed the tune and a few lyrics to give the song a much more somber and emotional tone. It's Buckley's (and occasionally Cale's) version of the song that really caught on and inspired the rash of covers that have been popping up lately. You can check out Jeff Buckley's , my personal favorite, on my Jeff Buckley playlist and John Cale's on my John Cale playlist (surprisingly enough). Or just try searching for either name, there are fewer than 100 results for either musician and Hallelujah is sure to be one of the top.