from H.R. Pufnstuff to Hallelujah

Day 596, Session 110:
When/Where: Wednesday February 6th - To and from The Playground for a Wing Night show.
First song: H.R. Pufnstuff by Various Artists (written by Paul Simon)
Last full song: Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Progress: 1736-1745 of 5708
Total Songs Heard: 1395

By the time I discovered Jeff Buckley he was already deceased (death by accidental drowning.) The album "Grace" and the song Hallelujah are so damn good that I'm a little sad every time I hear them because I knew from the first time I heard them that there weren't going to be anymore.

This specific time I heard it I was cold and sad as I walked through the snow covered streets of Chicago. Despite birthday goodness I haven't been in the best frame of mind recently but oddly, hearing this song this time, instead of making me sadder convinced me that it's time to perk up and try to make things better.

I highly encourage you to take a chance on "Grace" if you haven't heard it already. Even if you don't like it right away I think you'll eventually come to appreciate the wonder of Jeff Buckley's only completed cd. (Much like Rolling Stone did when they originally gave the cd a 3(of 5) star review and later named it one of the 500 best albums of all time. (#303)) You'll also note in the original review that they say

The young Buckley's vocals don't always stand up: He doesn't sound battered or desperate enough to carry off Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

and yet later they named Hallelujah one of 500 greatest songs of all time (#259.)

The moral of that little story... it is possible to change your mind and recognize things are better than you thought (and don't trust everything you read in the Rolling Stone.)

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley