Hallelujah

Looks like the X factor has it's uses... even if you hate talent shows and reality TV, you got to concede that one positive thing has come out of Simon Cowell's money making idea... it introduced Jeff Buckey's Hallelujah to millions of people who may not have heard it before. It's one of my all time favourite songs which gets played on my MP3 player regularly even before Alexandra belted it out in the final.

Now there's a drive to make the late Jeff Buckley's version Christmas number one (over Alexandra's cover of the single), something I whole heartedly support. There's even a facebook group, naturally. Ok, so Alexandra has a good voice, and controversially I do think she deserved to win, but NO ONE can beat Jeff Buckley's version. When you hear him sing it, you get tingles down your spine and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Call me soppy but I actually had tears in my eyes when I first heard it. So I'm placing my support with the Jeff camp and saying buy Hallelujah for Christmas... I'd much rather my hard earned cash didn't line mister "I wear my trousers up under my armpits" Cowell's pockets... they're probably steel reinforced to cope with the millions of pounds of spare change I'm sure he already has.

You can download Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah from Apple or HMV (legally!!).

Let's face it, the UK's track record of Christmas number ones has been pretty shocking over the years... with the X factor dominiating the past 3 years... let's get something better at the top of the charts this year. Just looking at the singles I've been exposed to every festive year since birth, it's a shocking role call of gimmick releases and cheesy tunes:

1981	The Human League	"Don't You Want Me"
1982	Renée and Renato	"Save Your Love"
1983	The Flying Pickets	"Only You"
1984	Band Aid	"Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1985	Shakin' Stevens	"Merry Christmas Everyone"
1986	Jackie Wilson	"Reet Petite"
1987	Pet Shop Boys	"Always on My Mind"
1988	Cliff Richard	"Mistletoe and Wine"
1989	Band Aid II	"Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990	Cliff Richard	"Saviour's Day"
1991	Queen	"Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are the Days of Our Lives"
1992	Whitney Houston	"I Will Always Love You"
1993	Mr Blobby	"Mr Blobby"
1994	East 17	"Stay Another Day"
1995	Michael Jackson	"Earth Song"
1996	Spice Girls	"2 Become 1"
1997	Spice Girls	"Too Much"
1998	Spice Girls	"Goodbye"
1999	Westlife	"I Have A Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun"
2000	Bob The Builder	"Can We Fix It?"
2001	Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman	"Somethin' Stupid"
2002	Girls Aloud	"Sound Of The Underground"
2003	Michael Andrews & Gary Jules	"Mad World"
2004	Band Aid 20	"Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005	Shayne Ward	"That's My Goal"
2006	Leona Lewis	"A Moment Like This"
2007	Leon Jackson	"When You Believe"

So for once, it would be a refreshing change to have a song that maybe has a bit more heart, soul and meaning behind it. I really hope Jeff comes out on top, and I'll be downloading a copy of the MP3 tonight. For those of you who have had your head stuck in a bucket for a month, or inexplicably do not own a TV, never watched Shrek (yes it was in the film) or are from Mars and have not heard Jeff Buckley's version, take a look at the youtube clip below... and the go out and BUY IT!