Arpeggio Video School: How to Play Hallelujah EXACTLY Like Jeff Buckley

3 minutes read

Hey all. In this lesson I’ll show you how to play a song that’s not only an excellent piece of music, but it’s also quite a school for arpeggio picking for beginners, and for how to break down chords into individual notes.

Jeff Buckley, who’s one of the “members” of The 27 Club, passed away and left one huge album (Grace) that made it to The Rolling Stones’ List of the top 50 albums of all time. One of the songs on the album was Hallelujah, where he covered Leonard Cohen in a performance that topped the original in the opinion of many people. (and especially if you consider the YouTube views count as a criteria in 2017 – like I certainly do, as much as I appreciate Cohen)

Anyway, here’s the lesson, followed by a YouTube of the original recording of Buckley. ENJOY:

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah

The Original Song in a Live Performance: Leonard Cohen – Hallelujah

Hallelujah – The Lyrics:

[Verse 1]
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 you?
Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

[Chorus]
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

hallelujah guitar lesson video
A genius on the Fender Telecaster, with a very distinct fingerstyle sound. Jeff Buckley.

[Verse 2]
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
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

[Chorus]
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

[Verse 3]
Baby I’ve been here before
I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor (you know)
I used to live alone before I knew you
And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah

[Chorus]
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

[Verse 4]
There was a time when you let me know
What’s really going on below
But now you never show that to me, do you?
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

[Chorus]
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

[Verse 5]
Maybe there’s a God above
All I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
And it’s not a cry that you hear at night
It’s not somebody who’s seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah

[Chorus]
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Alon Cooper

Alon Cooper

Hey! I'm Cooper, and I hope I can be a helpful friend on your musical journeys. I'm a music artist based in Austin & Amsterdam, playing venues with a band / solo, and trying to learn with the most inspiring musicians wherever I go. In the last 8 years I've lived in Australia, northern Europe, the US and more.

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The Guitar Campfire Songbook

I hope this list has given you some great ideas, and if you want to have another bunch of song ideas in a fancy PDF songbook form, then feel free to download the songbook in this link.

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