Dec 21 2008
Alexandra’s Hallelujah Hits Christmas Top Spot
It is official, if a little predictable. The X Factor is no. 1 in the singles charts for the fourth Christmas running. First there was Shayne Ward with “That’s My Goal”, then Leona Lewis with “A Moment Like This”, then Leon Jackson with “When You Believe” and now there is Alexandra Burke with “Hallelujah”.
Despite an online campaign to deny Alexandra the top spot in the charts, she outsold all other comers and ensured Christmas X Factor dominance yet again. Her version of Hallelujah sold a huge 576,000 copies. It was easily the fastest selling single of the year and beat Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah into second place. Buckley died in 1997 and has long been hailed as the master of the song, despite the fact that Leonard Cohen actually wrote it. His version got to no. 2 on downloads alone as no official version of the song was released. The online campaign to get it to no. 1 was started by purists that believe the song should never actually be covered, even though Buckley himself actually covered it to begin with! Leonard Cohen’s version also got into the charts and sits at no 36 tonight.
Here’s a quick fact for you - it’s been 51 years since the same song occupied spots 1 and 2 in the UK charts. In January 1957, Singin’ The Blues hit 1 and 2 by Tommy Steele and Guy Mitchell respectively.
And another one - It is the first time that Hallelujah, regardless of who sang it, has made it into the top 40. It has never ever been in the top 40 before! Neither Cohen nor Buckley, nor anyone else for that matter, succeeded in getting it a chart spot. Now 3 people have managed it at the same time!
I love Jeff Buckley’s version of the song, and I have to say that it is my favourite version, but I’m glad that Alexandra got the top spot. Aside from the obvious fact she would have broken the trend of being no. 1 after winning the show, she thoroughly deserves it. How many other people do you know that would have goe back to the X Factor again after being turned down 3 years ago for being too young? Very few. She’s sincere, did not play the woe is me card despite her mother having suffered kidney failure and she is an amazing performer. I’m sure many people will have a different opinion but I am so pleased for her and hope she’s as successful as I think she’ll be in the future.
I’ll be posting her astrology up later tonight. I was also wuite pleased when she won. she’s an extremely bright talent. here’s my right up from 12/14
http://starmaker.today.com/2008/12/14/alexandra-burke-winner-british-x-factor/