PART LIES, PART HEART, PART TRUTH, PART GARBAGE: HALLELUJAH

   When I first saw this new track, I assumed it was going to be another cover of the Leonard Cohen song which has been covered to death. After listening to the song I was happy it was an original, but very confused. The band to this point had been fairly secular, apart from the rare reference or Christmas song, which is directly to my tastes, so this song put me off and I didn't give it much regard. As it came time to dive into this track the little peculiarities started biting at me and the lyrics and music do not match a song that praises so much as surrenders. And then I heard the bomb line and everything fell into place. This is a character who has prepared to meet their lord and then take some heathens with them. The extremist views of such a character are amazingly nuanced by the quiet lyrical delivery, but Michael uses his favorite tool here in the end--his rough bellow of a voice. The gravel scrapes the beautiful surface and lays the intention of the song bare. We can all be complicit, we can all be guided to the extremes, and in a sense a lot of us are being pushed to rhetorical extremes that can only be scary harbingers.
   In this last officially released R.E.M. track we revisit the Radio (of Radio Free Europe) and instead of the apathy even in the face of revolution, we have someone resolute, taking a stand, turning the radio on, and making a decision, however painful or harmful it is. There are some who watch and some who act. It's been a privilege diving into this catalog and to a lyricist and band that wanted to add some activism to their art. There is more in this journey to curate the catalog and pen further essays, but for now I feel a sense of wonder and accomplishment.



HALLELUJAH

The world is an oyster, the bitter refrain
The lord is my shepherd, I cannot stay
This blessed earth, this beautiful lamb
A new day that breaks the dawn

I am the tide, the oceans sing
I am the anchor, I hold the brass ring
I am the action or the deed of our king
I am the static at night
You make me to stand in the square unseen
And make my choice decision to sing
And bring my lord, what this may bring
I stand before you in the law

I rallied and sang, and shouted refrains
I'm blessed and the radio on
The air was calm

I held the bomb
And the radio

The radio

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

Hallelu
Hallelu

Hallelujah

   A nice easy rhythm on this one, a solid progression for a solid finish to an amazing catalog. I'm gonna miss agonizing over Peter's tunes so much I think the next step are his solo albums.

HALLELUJAH

Verse

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Chorus

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Empty Verse Doodle

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End: Repeat C-G, Verse Once, End on F#m.