Leonard Cohen s song Hallelujah made British chart history Sunday when it became both number one and number two in the Christmas singles charts – although both versions were covers.
Alexandra Burke was almost guaranteed to take the top slot with her version after winning television talent show X Factor this month, and the song became the fastest-selling single by a female solo artist, figures show.
But in what appeared to be a protest at the manufactured music industry, fans of US musician Jeff Buckley kicked off an Internet campaign to get his classic version to number one instead, through downloads.
It reached number two, making it the first time in 51 years – and the first time ever at Christmas – that the same song has held the two top spots in the singles charts, the Official Charts Company said.
The last time was in January 1957, when Tommy Steele and Guy Mitchell held the top two places with “Singin the Blues.
In another twist, Cohen s own version of the song – which he first released on an album in 1984 – entered the charts as a new entry at number 36.
The tune has been covered numerous times, but Buckley s haunting version is widely considered the best. It remains strongly associated with the singer-songwriter, who drowned in Memphis in May 1997 aged 30.
Gennaro Castaldo of music store giant HMV said: It s unprecedented to have two versions of the same song at number one and two in the Christmas charts.
And it s ironic that it s taken the X Factor to get a lot more of us to appreciate the music of Leonard Cohen and the talent of Jeff Buckley.
In the album charts, boyband Take That – minus Robbie Williams – were number one with their comeback album The Circus. They sold more than one million copies, making it the fastest-selling album in Britain this millennium.
The Circus was also 2008 s second biggest-selling album after Welsh soul singer Duffy s Rockferry, which has sold 1.5 million copies so far this year. -AFP
