Women sing hallelujah - k d lang - Patti Digh's Strong Offer

Women sing hallelujah – k d lang

March 21, 2008 in Uncategorized

Another voice important to me, that of k.d. lang.

(I especially love her beautiful, beautiful reaction to the standing ovation at the very end of this video).

My friends Smarty Butt and Pretty Boy went to see her in concert last night in Seattle and reminded me of the power of her voice. Don’t you wish you had friends named Smarty Butt and Pretty Boy? Better yet, don’t you wish you had heard k.d. lang in concert last night? I see from her tour dates that she’ll be in Wellington, New Zealand, on May 5th. Let’s all go.

And so, for a Friday afternoon, a voice singing Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" to us.

I first heard of k.d. lang when she kicked butt singing at the Calgary Olympics. I was mesmerized by her voice and her energy.

Oh, what the heck, it’s Friday. Listen to another song. And if you’d like to hear the version she did with Roy Orbison himself… or if you’re feeling helpless…or feeling like you’re not quite sated, she’ll remind you that this is a human condition.

And I ask you, what kind of world do we live in where reviews of her music focus not on her voice, but on her weight?

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

12 comments to " Women sing hallelujah – k d lang "


jf ptak

March 21, 2008 AT 4:28PM

Thank you, Patti Digh. This was really beautiful. This is one of the very rare occasions where a performer bows (and keeps it) as low and as long as Mr. Doc Watson. And that’s saying something.

mama kelly

March 21, 2008 AT 8:43PM

Just wonderful!!!! Her voice just reaches down and grabs your soul!

Thank you for sharing this today

Kate I

March 21, 2008 AT 9:33PM

Thanks Patti, I love this song and hadn’t seen the video before…wow! I used to live just down the road from k.d. lang (as close as I’ve ever come to rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous)and it was always a thrill to see her pink Harley in the parking lot of the grocery store. People gave her covert glances but respected her privacy and usually just smiled at her…and she smiled that wonderful smile right back!

Deborah

March 22, 2008 AT 8:38AM

her singing brings me to tears. She has the most perfect voice and seems to be a really truly beautiful person.

Ruby

March 22, 2008 AT 2:21PM

I saw her in Wilmington, DE a week or so ago in an intimate little gem of a theater with only about a thousand seats. It was the most amazing live performance I have ever seen. Hallelujah, indeed!

Kim

March 22, 2008 AT 2:30PM

Wow, a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon, too. I am moved by her music, as I so often am, but am also touched by her humility. That’s a beautiful thing.

As always, you make me smile, Patti! Thanks.

April

March 22, 2008 AT 4:25PM

I didn’t think anyone could do Hallelujah as well as Jeff Buckley did, but I am tearfully and gratefully surprised. Thank you for reminding me of my deep admiration for the voice that comes from KD Lang.

Blissings, April

Rick

March 23, 2008 AT 7:04AM

She is magic, absolute magic. Not being in the loop as far as reviews of her performances are concerned, I was not aware that someone decided her weight was worthy of mention. Silly, huh? I was enthused to note that she took criticism of her footwear out of the equation in the “Hallelujah” video: she’s not wearing any.

Someone with her talent can take one completely out of one’s puny little life and allow flying. Not teach you to fly, but allow flying. If only we would all fly when invited, instead of worrying if k.d. has been hitting the Krispy Kremes too often while on tour.

Thanks again, Patti. You are every bit as reliably excellent in what you do as k.d. is in what she does.

Sally

March 24, 2008 AT 8:55AM

I love this hallelujah, although, I admit, I love the Rufus Wainwright version that was in Shrek more. Lordy, how I wish I could find a download of that version!

I do have k.d.’s on my ipod.

Oh, to be in New Zealand on May 5, a little vial of my mother’s ashes in my pocket so she could visit the one country she wanted to see so badly but never managed to visit.

jylene

March 29, 2008 AT 6:52AM

oh, man… goosebumps the entire time she’s singing!
thanks for starting off my *cold* ohio morning on a beautiful note.
and thanks for reminding me i really, really need to get some music by k.d. lang into my collection! great post, as usual, patti– XOXO

Dharmamama

March 30, 2008 AT 9:58PM

I keep coming back to this post in my mind – and the video on you tube! Thanks so much for sharing it. I can *feel* her bows! Right in my center.

When I first started my zen practice, I had been sitting maybe a couple of weeks, I got the urge to *bow* to *everyone*, an urge I (mostly) followed. I just felt… connected. And, it might be un-zen-like (ha!) to notice or think about people’s reactions, but they were all positive, as far as I could tell. I stopped bowing after a few days, I didn’t feel that urge any more.

I bow back to k.d.

And – gassho to you, too.

Dianne

July 22, 2008 AT 12:00AM

I was so happy to find this…thank you so much for it. The voice of an angel, KD Lang, surely not a cold nor a broken alleluia…thank you, thank you. I hope I will get to see her sing this one day.