<P> Following his original 1984 studio - album version, Cohen performed the original song on his world tour in 1985, but live performances during his 1988 and 1993 tours almost invariably contained a quite different set of lyrics, with only the last verse being common to the two versions . Numerous singers mix lyrics from both versions, and occasionally make direct lyric changes; for example, in place of Cohen's "holy dove", Canadian - American singer Rufus Wainwright substituted "holy dark", while Canadian singer - songwriter Allison Crowe sang "holy ghost". </P> <P> Cohen's lyrical poetry and his view that "many different hallelujahs exist" is reflected in wide - ranging covers with very different intents or tones, allowing the song to be "melancholic, fragile, uplifting (or) joyous" depending on the performer: The Welsh singer - songwriter John Cale, the first person to record a cover version of the song (in 1991), promoted a message of "soberness and sincerity" in contrast to Cohen's dispassionate tone; the cover by Jeff Buckley, an American singer - songwriter, is more sorrowful and was described by Buckley as "a hallelujah to the orgasm"; Crowe interpreted the song as a "very sexual" composition that discussed relationships; Wainwright offered a "purifying and almost liturgical" interpretation; and Guy Garvey of the British band Elbow made the hallelujah a "stately creature" and incorporated his religious interpretation of the song into his band's recordings . </P> <P> Canadian singer k.d. lang said in an interview shortly after Cohen's death that she considered the song to be about "the struggle between having human desire and searching for spiritual wisdom . It's being caught between those two places ." Former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page, who sang the song at Canadian politician Jack Layton's funeral, described the song as being "about disappointing (other) people". </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Chart (1985--2016) </Th> <Th> Peak position </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Australia (ARIA) </Th> <Td> 59 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) </Th> <Td> 13 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Canada (Canadian Hot 100) </Th> <Td> 17 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) </Th> <Td> 65 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Finland Download (Latauslista) </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> France (SNEP) </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Germany (Official German Charts) </Th> <Td> 27 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ireland (IRMA) </Th> <Td> 55 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Italy (FIMI) </Th> <Td> 66 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Netherlands (Single Top 100) </Th> <Td> 27 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ) </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Portugal (AFP) </Th> <Td> 69 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Scotland (Official Charts Company) </Th> <Td> 30 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) </Th> <Td> 58 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Spain (PROMUSICAE) </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) </Th> <Td> 16 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> UK Singles (Official Charts Company) </Th> <Td> 36 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> US Billboard Hot 100 </Th> <Td> 59 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard) </Th> <Td> 20 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

What is meaning of leonard cohen's hallelujah
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