Hallelujah!

One of the great things about being at Oxford is that there are a lot of people here who I think are really clever for a variety of reasons. One of my pals from the choir is Hugh Trimble. He is probably my best source of interesting information about the English since I read 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox (strongly recommended). Hugh recently had a short contribution published in BBC letters that has received a lot of feedback. His letter follows:

Now I heard there was a certain song
That Cowell made and you sang along
But you don't really know your music, do you?
What follows next: some Bible text,
Some music terms and some kinky sex,
Leonard Cohen composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

The song was strong, but not well known
Till Buckley came, made it his own,
Helped out by John Cale, who had been peculiar:
He'd cut out the most fervent fits
And only kept the dirty bits
Soon every busker's lips said "Hallelujah".

Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Jeff Buckley's fans are grumpy now
While Alex milks their holy cow
But for once you don't hear Cohen moaning, do you?
There's royalties from every try
It doesn't matter whose you buy
When nothing's in the charts but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah.
Hugh Trimble, Oxford, UK