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I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the lord Gsus. I'll see myself out

Great work. I always just figured the "minor fall" is a "fall" in the sense that the vi chord is sad. Our spirits fall, even if the voices are technically ascending.

Good to see someone who really cares for music.... Or do you?

Nothing makes me feeling dumber than listening to someone explain music theory.

Leonard Cohen, a man who not only told stories through lyrics, but with the very notes of a song as well. Rest in piece.

This might sound a little far-fetched as a theory, but the F major - A minor in the chorus (as the "hallelujah"s are sung) might even harmonically represent and foreshadow the notion of a "broken hallelujah" that is sung about later in the song. We know that IV-I, the plagal cadence, symbolises "amen" in classical music, so the way of which Leonard might've substituted IV-I with IV-vi (A minor, instead of C major, both of which have a tonic function) can suggest a "colder" (minor tonality), and "broken" (cadence-wise) colour. The line, "love is not a victory march, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah", is so powerful, as it is at that moment when the lamenting nature of the chorus "hallelujah"s are confirmed as intentionally sorrowful. A word usually sung of in a celebratory context, now stripped to a raw, emotionally-troubled cry. IV-I to IV-vi?

We were taught in Hebrew school that King David, (who composed the psalms, and whose life other passages in the song refer to--such as the story of David and Bathsheba with the whole bathing on the roof thing) had a harp (or lyre) that he had suspended over his bed, and at midnight (not the same midnight that we base our clocks on in modern times, but a different one that was measured based on the length of the night), a special breeze would blow in through his window, and the harp's strings would sound, thereby waking him up. David would then wake and compose love songs (for lack of a better term) to god. You can actually read some of the psalms that read like straight up love poems. Anyway, according to tradition (sorry I can't give a source, I became secular years ago, so I'm just going on what I remember) god revealed to David a, well, secret chord (to my recollection, I'm pretty sure we were taught that it was a "Seventh" or that there were seven chords/notes/ or who knows what, and the one that was revealed to David by god was the Eighth (?). I distinctly remember my teacher mentioning one or both of those numbers. Now keep in mind that he was a Rabbi with a big beard, sideburns, and the hat and everything, and I would bet that he wasn't referencing music theory or anything similar...I would guess that the numeric aspects were influenced by Kabbalistic numerology, where different number correlate to different levels and aspects of god, souls, and the universe itself. As an aside, while barely anyone I know ever learned Kabbala, and it's considered extremely fringe, if not taboo for reasons I won't get into now, little fragments of it are sprinkled throughout some of the more "mainstream" religious Jewish traditions/mythologies. Another way I guess I would explain it is with the notion of color. The human eye is sensitive to three kinds of color: red, green, and blue, and all the colors we see are various mixtures of the three. However, other animals (mantis shrimp for instance) can see much more than that so what they see is totally different from what we do. Now it would be impossible to try and describe what it is they see, or to try to make an artist's representation, because we would still be limited by those three colors at the point of perception. Similarly, the secret chord was something not within the level of reality which humans generally occupy. Tl;dr The Secret Chord was something otherwise hidden from the world that god shared only with David

The E Major just before the chorus is one of my favourite moments in music history. This channel is amazing, keep it up!

I aways thought that in "the minor falls, the Major lift" he is talking about the general feeling of these kinds of chords in music, being the minor chords "down" or "sad", and the major being "happy" or "up"

I always thought that when he says "The minor falls and the major lift" he was describing the function of a dominant 7th chord. (Minor falls = flat 7 dropping to 3rd of chord 1 and major lifts = 3rd raising to the root of chord one.)

When I was like 5 I was literally obsessed with Hallelujah even though I had no idea wtf "minor fall" and "major lift" meant but I loved the beat and the sound to it and this video actually makes a lot of sense! Thanks for shedding a bit of light on one of my fav songs!

This song used to always make my daughter cry, she's very empathetic when it comes to music, I had to tell her what the words ment.

It goes like this: the Fourth, the Fifth; The minor fall, the major lift.

Hallelujah is one of my favourite songs of all time, mainly because of the lyrics. It talks about something we all go through, pain, heartache, hopelessness but the hallelujah part is what brings it all together for me. Yes there is pain but he is grateful for it. In my opinion this song perfectly shows who Leonard Cohen was, he was a believer in love and even though he felt pain, he recognised it as a needed, substantial part of life, as something that should not lessen the beauty of love but make it even more impactful. We grow through pain and hopelessness and we wouldn't be who we are without it. It is an ode to life. "I did my best, it wasn't much. I couldn't feel so I tried to touch. I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong i'll stand before the lord of song with nothing on my tongue but hallelujah" the closing verse fully sums the meaning of life for me. Yes we are not perfect and never will be but long as we keep trying and be honest to ourselves, there is no reason to look back or feel shame.

I also feel the lyrics themselves reflect the back and forth tone of the pc.... seeming religious at times and some what mocking at others. I think it's a brilliant pc, designed to question music theory and theology simultaneously.

Love this video man, you should be getting so many more views

This song is hands down one of my favorite songs of all time. I listen to a lot of music, but since I don't play any myself, I was in the dark on the musical terms. The lines in the song about a minor fall and major lift make so much more sense now. Also, despite how much I love this song, it still pisses me off when I hear it on a radio station that is playing nothing but Christmas music around that time of year. This is not a Christmas song.

Very interesting analysis of a masterpiece, though if you were to ask the man himself, I'm sure he'd just go back to his old adage: "If I knew where the good songs came from, I'd go there more often". Great video!

'thats the beauty of analysis: everyone can find their own meaning"

So so brilliant thank you so much.. Will tell my friends about this.

Ive had this "Harmony & Theory" Hal-Leonard book for 20 years. Ive started going threw it and reading it and doing the exercises. Alot of what you were talking about actually made sense. Thanks you have a new fan and subscriber.

I've learnt more music theory in this past week after finding your channel than I've learnt in the last 3 years.. God Bless you man keep making these videos !

12tone I like analyzing great songs - yes, that this one has been covered so much says enough about how good this song is - but let's not forget this: the man who sings it also makes a world of difference. No execution of this song is as good in my opinion as one of his live performances when he was an old man. He wasn't a great singer from a technical point of view but he had the rare talent to bring emotion extraordinary well and that is what music is all about, isn't it? Translating emotions to sound. His somewhat fragile voice back then works great for this song.

This is so brilliant. The answer is literally in the lyrics right in front of us, but as we are navigating from the start it seems so lost at first. Everything seemed so ambiguous. Everything has never been so clear.

I heard there were over a hundred verses before he called them down to what remains. Anyway, I saw you at ThinkerCon on Saturday. And I also want to mention that it was Adam Neely who originally pointed me toward your channel.

Wow great video! You back all of your statements with the theory behind it. This also looks like a lot of work. Good job!

Bit late to the party but I think this, and your channel, are absolutely fantastic!!

You pointed out every aspect i love of this song

Great analysis, you are so brilliant! I'm from a country where we cannot visit KZfaq; and I love the song 'hallelujah' so much because it gives me power and courage. Here, your extraordinarily outstanding interpretation of this song enables me understand it better and feel the meaning of a free world. And the pattern of your videos and your paintings evince your talent. Thx!

This played last night on the Hand in Hand Fundraiser. Just brilliant and moving and now with your video and view of it, it means even more. Great job.

I don’t nearly understand theory enough to truly see all you’re saying, but I definitely understand the concept. Loved the video, specifically the thoroughness of your ideas. The style of writing it out was an excellent touch as well. Thank you for sharing!

Ive found a brand new appreciation for the song thanks for this

Great post!!!!

What story do I get from this chord progression? ...That E major is the secret chord. I tried to show that to some friend of mine, but... well, they don't really care for music. The whole thing got kind of.. frustrating.

Your conclusion was perfect

I'm curious whether Cohen thought about this degree of music theory when composing the song. I wouldn't be surprised either way.

I never realized there was a really big meaning to the song. Thanks!

He was probably thinking exactly what you explained 12tone ! You're the best.

The minor fall!? The major lift? I am mind boggled.

Am sitting at home, not feeling to well, but you videos keep puling me a long. That's what this means for me, thanks man. And oh yes, this song is also very nice to play. A handful of chords that every novice can finger. We miss you, Leonard...

Respect man

This video answers the question I've had since I was able to speak English, thanks

Brilliant!!!

Leonard Cohen... Dance me to the end of love & Hallelujah... Divine!

Man your videos are brilliant!

Awesome!

Just discovered your channel. (Thanks Tom Scott!) and he suggested your video on John Williams' Imperial March, one of my favorite pieces of movie music ever. Then KZfaq suggested this video, my favorite piece of music - period. This is an amazing analysis on a level I never even thought about on this song. I knew the music was great, and the lyrics incredibly matching - but never really knew *HOW* matching.

wow fantastic video!

I'm baffled, this is amazing!! *starts binge-watching your channel* Music theory lovers unite😁👍🏿

I just fell in love with this channel (again).

I don't understand most of this, but I think your video is brilliant. I love seeing things deconstructed but usually it is for words, as those are my trade and what I understand (film, conversations, etc..). And music is not. However, I got enough of the gist of it that you took one of my absolute favorite songs and gave me access to a deeper level that I never would have had otherwise. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Especially in such a depressing week.

Of all your song analysis´so far, this is probably the song I am most familiar with, and I totally can see why you are coming up with this analysis. There is one thing which excites me more at the moment, and that is it has helped me to understand better how the chord progression of a song is part of the storytelling. I have written a couple of songs myself, but I have never PLANNED the chord progression ahead to have such-and-such an effect in terms of the narrative. Usually what I did was improvise until I came up with something I liked, which is also fine but I will definitely keep this idea you just gave me in mind, who knows what it may be useful for some day :-)

Now THIS is called a master at analyzing

amazing

pretty spot on I found d same things when I was learning dis song👍

Damnation I love your videos! How do you not have more subs?

There's something beautiful about breaking down the tiny details of a song to honour the artist who created it.

I haven't found it in the comments yet, but I always assumed the "minor fall" could be attained by the bass line moving to the E instead of the A, providing a falling motion from the V to the vi 6 chord before a lifting to the F for the major IV, following the lyrics without interrupting the heightening sense of tension towards the chorus. I could swear I've heard a bunch of arrangements stress this, but damned if I can find them right now.

The more I hear the song, the more it seems like he was trapped in a post breakup depression, in "that" state in which you remember your past times way too nostalgically and fondly and yet find yourself feeling a mixture of deep sadness with an undertone of anger that grows as you think of it. He seems to state he is a battered soul that can comfortably resign himself to living alone, but also clearly seems lost, trapped in a twilight of nostalgia and loss. Unable to forgive, unable to believe in love again, with only undertones of hope. His ever increasing cries of hallelujah come across as ever more desperate cries for help that culminate in resignation as they ultimately seem to have fallen in deaf ears for there is no answer this time. If the song reflects the man who wrote it, hope he got over it. Beautiful though, one of my favorite melodies.

I love your channel bro. And I'm a music major my self. But remember harmony is only half the puzzle of analyzation. The melody will usually establish you key your grounded in.

Love this song, Damien Rice does my favorite cover (though Buckley's is the best). I really enjoyed your interpretation, makes me appreciate more than the lyrics. I'm not very well read on music theory, and you do an amazing job of explaining it and emphasizing why it works in songs we love. Keep it up!

hi.. this is so cool dude.

i donbt understand anything but there so interesting i keep watching them

So interesting listening to someone talk about why music makes us feel the way it does (happy/sad etc) and it’s incredible how complex it can be. I’m an engineer and I always thought when I was younger science/maths are the most important and studying music is pointless. Don’t get me wrong I love science and maths still, but I wish I could go back to my younger, far more naive self and tell him to continue learning the piano and to study music on the side if not for anything more than broadening my horizons, I was actually naturally quite good at playing the piano too, shame really

brilliant

Nice video

I agree. 'Nuff said.

Just discovered you through Tom Scott; love everything you do! Do you keep all of the sheets you draw; you should really sell them!

f...ing brilliant...!!!! 😳😳😳

He y dude! Love your videos man. I was wondering... Would you do bohemian rhapsody?

The style in which you present your videos reminds me of Vihart

Great analysis. Could you do Springsteen's Born to Run?

Brilliant! Could you do a video on the Heart and Soul and the 1 6 2 5 1 chord progression?

I don't know what story I get from the chords, all I know is that this is the first 12tone video I've been able to follow to some degree, since I've been learning these chords for guitar.

yoooo, that's brilliant.

I always wondered how much each artist really breaks any of this down in his mind, or if they simply go by feel, and it's only later that their work gets overanalyzed.

Please, do a video about the Soviet / Russian Anthem ¿WHY ITS SOOOO EPIC???

I'm not a machinist, but I'm subscribed to a machinists' channel. I'm not a chemist but I'm subscribed to a chemists' channel. I'm not a clockmaker and I'm subscribed to a damned clockmaking channel!! I can't play a harmonica in the right key and I'm subscribing to your channel. Just because I'm never going to be awesome at something doesn't mean I'm not interested. I understand musical theory just enough to make what I thought was a funny harmonica joke! Maybe your channel will teach me something. Thanks for posting 👍

The story I get from these chords, perhaps influenced by my background in modes, is that _Hallelujah_ is in an alternating C/a mode. But in the end, it's all just pigeonholes. Nice work as usual. Cheers from cool Vienna, Scott

Well it goes like this the 4th the 5th, the minor fall, and the major lift, the baffled king composing hallelujah

im baffled hallelujah

I think there's two different ways to read the E chord. The first is as borrowing from a variant minor scale (which, from what I've read, seems to be a common thing to do). In harmonic minor, the five chord is major, which gives minor a much needed dominant chord. Melodic minor doesn't change any of the notes that affect this chord, but provides some other options as well (two as minor instead of diminished is the one that jumps out at me). The second is as a secondary dominant. It's V/vi, the dominant of A minor. It's not the only song from roughly that era that uses this exact same chord; You're the One That I Want uses it during the verse ("cos the _power_ you're supplying" hits the unusual note G# that highlights the E major chord). The fact that both A minor and C major can justify it is actually kinda clever, and adds even more ambiguity.

This is so interesting to me, but I think he isn't necessarily thinking abt the root but how the keys themselves are so similar and eventhought they are different keys that have a different meaning they come together to write a beautiful and iconic song

Interestingly enough, we were studying Leonard Cohen in class in my college course on poetry-reading/interpretation. Something tells me, my English professor wouldn't like you much - In my in-class essay assignment, I tried explaining the effect of various uses of sonnet elements in a Keats poem and the various placement of certain lyrics in certain positions in the poem, and she didn't seem to think much of it. I love this deep line of analysis though, and find this very interesting. I think I especially enjoy the ones you explain how the music fits in with the lyrical content, though that's likely mainly because I enjoy listening to music, but am musically illiterate.

I always played the end of the verses with an E7 chord where it goes "the baffled king composing hallelujah" and it goes F - G - E7 - Am and then into the chorus... I don't know how Leonard Cohen composed it, whether it was an E or E7 but in my opinion the E7 creates a lot more tension in that climactic part of the song and resolves into the calm chorus very nicely...

Do one on a Rush song, possibly 2112?

Could you do a video explaining why some songs like . You are my sunshine, And it is well with my soul Seem to be written in a major key but can sound so sad and somber

Maybe analyze Everlong? Thank you either way, I am a big fan of your analyses.

i'm not sure what he's talking about but it's ice to listen to

In your video for In a Gadda Da Vida you said that it would be the only video you would ever do the shorter than the source song, but I think this one is close...

Awesome vid! When you mention the minor "fall" despite the rise in tonality and degree, my interpretation is that the chord progression strives for consonance - it's clearly C major and that's the comfy "home", as the chord progression wanders it yearns go to back there, and doing so, the it climbs highest on the major IV and V as those get you closest to home - in the case of the A minor, the fact that it's minor signifies you are further from the happy & safe "home", especially when coming from the IV or V. Also, if the chord progression goes back to the root chord at the end of the chorus, then the minor vi chord can sound like a "fall" from the I, especially with descending voicing.

I always wondered if the chords described in the song were the ones used there.

great video! maybe do some foo fghters everlong or so? :D

I had to do an essay for Jimmy Hendrix for music theory and his song "Fire." You would have scared the professor and probably made her quit you are so good.

Also remember in a different section of music music can modulate, or even atonize

Minor fall I thought referred to the fact that the Am is often played Am/E so instead of the bass climbing diatonically it drops to rise by half step into the F Major that follows.

wt is with the 3-beat slash in a 6/8 rhythm?

A Harmonic minor in the B section, along with the Ab diminished chord between G and the Am!

What is a "minor fall"? It's the complement of a major lift. What's a "major lift"? Something that rhymes with "fifth". There is such a thing as going down a rabbit hole and getting lost.