Dear Mr. Cohen,
I know full well that you are not going to see this. This is because on November 10, 2016, your life came to an end at the age of 82. However, I still want to pay tribute to you and your amazing musical career.
I remember hearing Rufus Wainwright cover "Hallelujah" when I saw Shrek. I remember thinking about how good it was, but I did not understand how much I would grow to love and appreciate the song. When I reached high school, my favorite band, Celtic Thunder, did a cover of it. I finally had the chance to focus on each note, each lyric, and I appreciated how beautiful it was. Maybe it was because I had an undying love for this band that made me pay more attention as I listen to them sing your song. Maybe it was because I was older and had more experiences to draw on in order to relate to it better. Seeing them perform it live only added to the emotion of the song.
I was a music major during my time at Montgomery County Community College. Part of the program was taking music history. We had to choose two eras of music, and I chose the 1900s for one of my classes. In this class, we had to choose a song that was from this era and write about it and what scholars have analyzed about it. I could not think of any other song to do but "Hallelujah." It had a lot of scholarly articles written about its history and the many interpretations scholars have dug out of it. I remember being impressed with the sheer length of the piece. That essay helped me ace that class and I aced the paper. I regret not having a copy of it anymore.
In the wake of your death, I still have not listened to any other songs you have written or performed. Maybe I will, just to broaden my musical horizons. I was flipping through the TV the day after your death and stumbled upon Celtic Thunder, performing "Hallelujah" on their Christmas special that gets aired every year. It brought back the emotion I felt the first time I heard them perform it. I got teary eyed, thinking about the lives you have touched and the musical legacy that you will continue to live through.
So, Mr. Cohen, thank you. Thank you for uniting us all once again, even in the most unfortunate circumstance of your death. My social media flooded with posts about you, diverting from the divisive political posts from an emotional election. Thank you for your music that continues to touch lives and will live on for all eternity. Thank you for the memories that I have of you and that others have shared with friends and followers through social media. The world is a better place because you graced it with your music.
Love always,
A fellow music lover
