Someone at the BBC has a great sense of humour - the music under the trail for Spooks is Hallelujah.

Nice one guys. Must be pissing Simon off like mad.

Come on DJs and programmers who loathe the X Factor at No1 every year - play the Jeff Buckley version ten times a day NOW.

Come on Radio Two - ten times a day.

Come on Sony, BMG, Columbia - don't let your affiliation with Syco damage a copyright (the Buckley estate could and should sue)... slam it on as your top priority.

It could be No1 the week before the winner is decided.

Splendid.

Let's start the ball rolling (it needs a hefty edit - like 60 secs off the start)



I far prefer Cohen's original myself but still.

Funnily enough was going to post something similar yesterday but got distracted. The BBC have been using the Jeff Buckley version for the "musical bed" to promote their fantastic iPlayer all week.

It's been rising up iTunes as a result and as of the last update is #28 so has a fair chance of charting later this week if this progress continues.

And just as buses come in threes earlier today I was putting something together on Welsh musicians and was youtube searching when I came across a really nice John Cale version with a small string section on what must be an early version of Later with Jools:

Indeed I hear Jeff is 34 in today's midweeks - a massive increase in airplay could really damage the X Factor version.

The Mail are onto the story...they live in Derry Street too... Cowell panic, gets onto Ged to make Columbia kill off Jeff's version... Ged can't do it - it's all downloads, out of his control, stock no longer needed... 31 on iTunes... Cowell tries to find different song... too late; the 4 finalists have already recorded it... artwork in progress... too late... Buckley track exploding due to BBC TV constant use... Cowell furious, realises it's a great story, Dead Singer beats X Factor winner... Jeff was handsome too... egg on face time... all because an American Idol contestant sang it and Cowell didn't know the history of the song... thought it was a new song... that's what happens when you don't like music Simon...

I shall download it from iTunes now

And I have the story now as well.....

Here's the American Idol performance ...



Fast forward to 3min19s.

"The Jeff Buckley version of that song is one of my favourite songs of all time".

Seventeen days ago we started this campaign to get Jeff to No1.

If all the others who jumped on the bandwagon later had joined in sooner, Jeff would have topped the charts last week and who knows what would have happened now.

Dear Mr "Panic in Derry Street"

I must say that your thoughts were one of greatest posts I have ever read on a message board, how true it is, we can only guess, as we cannot get behind the closed doors.

I assume that your musings were the start of your article.

AH

Huge article in the Times today gives links to all versions but oddly enough not the best - the Cohen original.

Every media outlet has now picked up on this which we started in November. Now others may also have coincidentally done the same (it's quite an obvious idea) but check out this thread and make up your own mind - and it cannot be a coincidence that someone who knows Derry Street - as well as Walter - broke cover to post here. We have hundreds of journos reading every word here - including Pete from Bizarre, morning Pete - and many get their stories (always uncredited) from these threads.

Whatever the cause - how great that this has alerted new people to Lenny who, I gather, gave one of the best concerts of the year (kicking myself for not going to the O2).

Nice man too; I met him during my CBS consultancy in the 80s.

And told him Hallelujah was a smash hit song way back then.

I have dozens of other hit songs hidden in my brain too.

Bloody hell... Are all the old guard in this industry so insecure? Name dropping, taking credit for obvious campaigns that appeared elsewhere first.

If you have so many hit songs in your head, why can't you take them to the charts now? Arghhhhh!

Don't be so sure that isn't already quietly happening.

The first place I heard about it was on this website, other people I work with have found out in the last seven days through the media and the newspapers.

So if didn't start here, where did it start Blurghh?

I do suspect that people involved in music will ask JK for advice?

The one thing is that it has boosted sales this week and at least has made the charts mildly interesting, even though Alexandra's version will make No 1. For the record, I do think she does a good version, but not as good as Jeff Buckleys or Leonard Cohen's.

"Bloody hell... Are all the old guard in this industry so insecure? Name dropping, taking credit for obvious campaigns that appeared elsewhere first.

If you have so many hit songs in your head, why can't you take them to the charts now? Arghhhhh!"


A convicted sex offender despised by the majority, hardly has the music business world or media beating a path to his door , seeking advice or ideas. During the year or so I have posted here,I have learnt to have some respect for JK-yes he does blow his own trumpet, actually make that a brass section, but he seems undaunted by the opprobium thrown at him. At this time of supposed good will , I send the best of wishes for a Happy Christmas, JK

Thank you Walter.

Surely I play the organ?