I really want to know you.
(Krishna, Krishna).

We talk a lot about Lennon and McCartney, and rightfully so. But towards the later years of The Beatles, George Harrison had almost become an equal of theirs in terms of song writing. “My Sweet Lord” was the first hit for the Post-Beatles Beatles, and it belongs to Harrison.

George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” is a very religious song: just as much as “Spirit in the Sky” or “Lonely People”, which are two religious’ songs on this list. Both of those are more in the Judeo-Christian tradition, however; this is for the Hindu God Krishna. Harrison sings a song about wanting a personal relationship with Krishna.

Musically, the most notable aspect of “My Sweet Lord” is the slide guitar. At this point in his career, Harrison had perfected his style to the point where you could tell it is him playing. The choir is a nice piece of production by Phil Spector. Choirs are a great way to bring that somber or religious feeling to a song. They are a nice counterpoint to Harrison’s lead vocals. This is one of George’s best. It is great for its simplicity, and its ability to address a very personal issue with lyrics that are more universal– and thus relatable– to a greater audience.

My Sweet Lord Lyrics

My sweet Lord
Mmm, my Lord
Mmm, my Lord

I really wanna see you
Really wanna be with you
Really wanna see you, Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord

My sweet Lord
Mmm, my Lord
Mmm, my Lord

I really wanna know you
I’d really wanna go with you
I really wanna show you, Lord
That it won’t take long, my Lord

(Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
Mmm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)

I really wanna see you
Really wanna see you
Really wanna see you, Lord
Really wanna see you, Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord

[Chorus]
(Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
Mmm, my Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my, my Lord (Hallelujah)

[Verse 2]
I really wanna know you (Hallelujah)
Really wanna go with you (Hallelujah)
I really wanna show you, Lord
That it won’t take long, my Lord

(Hallelujah)
Mmmmm (Hallelujah)
My sweet Lord (Hallelujah)
My, my Lord (Hallelujah)

written by George Harrison

Come on people now/
Smile on your brother/
Everybody get together/
Try to love one another/
Right now.

Does “Get Together” by The Youngbloods have the best chorus of all-time? Not many songs make me feel better when I hear the chorus. The subtle harmonies of The Youngbloods are ridiculous. You almost can’t tell they are harmonizing because they feel like they create one voice. This is a much different type of harmony than other amazing groups like CSNY or The Beach Boys—where you feel a distinct blend of different voices coming together to create something larger than the individual parts.

The universality of “Get Together” is what makes it so inspiring. I know that a lot of people find a lot of comfort in religious songs. I don’t. However, I get what I imagine is a similar feeling of brotherhood, community, and camaraderie when I hear “Get Together”—and that is not an emotion I feel that often from popular music. It feels like this is a great theme song for the current times—regardless of when those times are.

“Get Together” has a lot of the typical characteristics of psychedelic rock: experimental sounds, hi-reverb on vocals, a theme about community or drugs. It is missing that far-out bridge that we usually find in other songs (See Tuesday Afternoon by The Moody Blues or “Alone Again Or” by Love), but this song feels strongly in that tradition.

Get Together Lyrics

Love is but a song to sing
Fear’s the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment’s sunlight
Fading in the grass

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand (listen!)
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It’s there at your command

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

I said, come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now
Right now
Right now

written by Chester Powers (The Youngbloods)

And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah

The lyrics of “Hallelujah” are a bit out there. Typical Leonard Cohen. David played music that pleased God, but my girlfriend isn’t into music. Great. King David and Samson are people that struggled with the sexual aspects of love. Love can bring good, but it has its dark sides too. Given that and given that I have lived by myself before, I know that sometimes love is not always going to be great. Sometimes there are going to be problems, and that’s okay.

Our communication used to be great, now it isn’t, perhaps that is a source of some of our current problems. Look, love is tough, we should be surprised and grateful it ever happens at all. When you look at the lyrics closely, I feel like there is some sort of argument that is being made that symbolic logic and modus ponens could perhaps address better than I can.

Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” where he plays with just an electric guitar is amazing. Sometimes solo electric guitar can sound off (usually it sounds better with an acoustic guitar). However, he pulls it off and delivers the biggest hit of his career, but also makes Cohen accessible to a new audience that would have never discovered him.

The melody is quite good. And although the chorus is simple, it is powerful, memorable with a great sound. Unfortunately, Buckley died young, so his catalog is not very deep, but this song is spectacular.

Other great songs by Leonard Cohen.
You might also like this epic song by Simon & Garfunkel.

Hallelujah Lyrics

Well 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?
Well it goes like this-
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift,
The baffled king composing Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.

Well your faith was strong but you needed proof.
You saw her bathing on the roof,
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya.
She tied you to her kitchen chair,
And she broke your throne and she cut your hair.
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.

But baby I’ve been here before,
I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor.
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya.
And I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch,
And love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.

Well there was a time when you let me know,
What’s really going on below.
But now you never show that to me do ya?
But remember when I moved in you?
And the holy dove was moving too,
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.

Maybe there’s a God above,
But all I’ve ever learned from love,
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya.
And it’s not a cry that you hear at night,
It’s not somebody who’s seen the light,
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.

written by Leonard Cohen