Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Gord's Hallelujah

Episode Date: October 19, 2017

Subscribers: If you write me an email, I will send you the clean MP3 of this beautiful Gord Downie song. ~ Mike

Yesterday, after learning Gore Downey had passed, I didn't know what to do. So I headed to my basement and I recorded 26 minutes, a tribute to Gore Downey, and it was off the top of my head. And I added that file to the feed for the podcast. And that's where I'm going to stick this piece of audio. So this is my Hallelujah story featuring Gore Downey. In August 2005, I learned Gore Downey was recording a cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah for a Canadian film called St. Ralph. That's one of my favorite songs by the lead singer of my favorite band. So damn right I was going to get my hands on a copy.

After an extensive search, it became clear there was no St. Ralph soundtrack. You couldn't even buy this song online, or steal it for that matter. It was nowhere. So I did what bloggers did back in 2005. I wrote about it. I've always ranked well in Google, so it wasn't long before the right people were reading my entries about Gord Downie's Hallelujah. I received an email from the composer of the orchestral version of Hallelujah, arranged for Gord. He explained there was a soundtrack deal all lined up for the film, which included the source music and the two versions of Hallelujah, the orchestral and the acoustic, and a combined version, which starts out acoustically and the big orchestra joins in partway through.

Someone dropped the ball and didn't get the material to the record label on time. They concluded they couldn't have the CD pressed in time for the film's release, and thus it wasn't worth putting out. I finally saw St. Ralph, a charming as all hell movie, and heard the song for myself. It was better than I had imagined. I needed a copy for myself. This composer told me the vocal take used in the film was truly magical.

Someone else wrote me to say he learned from the director that Gord was watching the film as he recorded his cover of Hallelujah. And if you listen carefully, you can hear his voice hitch when Ralph is running the marathon. you can hear his voice hitch when Ralph is running the marathon. Apparently he had tears streaming down his face as he sang. No wonder I loved this version. Finally, on February 12, 2007, I received a copy of the St. Ralph soundtrack in the mail. I had my copy, I just had to promise to keep it to myself. I kept that promise until December 12, 2012, when I played

it during episode 12 of my podcast, Toronto Mic'd. I still remember my co-host Rosie had tears streaming down her face as we listened. And now, in loving memory of Gord Downie, I share it with you all. I've heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord, but you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift, the baffled king composing hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah

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 a kitchen chair She broke your throne and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the hallelujah Hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah.

You say I took the name in vain. I don't even know the name. But if I did, well really, what's it to you? It's a blaze of light in every word. It doesn't matter which you heard, the holy told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. Even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of song with nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah