Hallelujah, You Can Finally Buy This Song.

Leonard Cohen wrote it, Jeff Buckley tried to sing it (badly in my opinion) but Rufus Wainwright has mastered the song "Hallelujah," and it finally became available for sale on iTunes today. So download it! Rufus's version was featured on the Shrek soundtrack in 2001 and I immediately became obsessed. I made my little sister burn me a copy and "Hallelujah" is still one of my favorite songs today. I've seen Rufus Wainwright perform live several times in San Francisco (at The Fillmore they introduced him by saying "He Puts The A in Gay, Rufus Wainwright!"), Minneapolis and the Hollywood Bowl. He is one of our generation's greatest singer/songwriters and has a tremendous stage presence. He connects with the audience in such a powerful way that it feels like he's your BFF up on stage..cracking jokes, screwing up a song and starting over or giving you chills with his incredible talent.

I am kind of related to Rufus and have met him a few times. My fabulous aunt who's a writer in NYC and owns an incredible villa in Tuscany that she sent us off to for an amazing Italian honeymoon - had my cousin with Rufus's grandfather, Loudon Wainwright who was her partner for many years. So my cousin who is about 12 years younger than Rufus, is his aunt. It's a crazy family tree - hard to keep up with. We had a little family reunion at the Hollywood Bowl about a year and a half ago when Rufus performed his Judy Garland Carnegie Hall show there, and then got to go to the after-party at Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia's house up in the canyon, which was gorgeous, and sprinkled with random celebs. The best part of the night was seeing Jake Gyllenhall and Reese Witherspoon up close and personal - and Jake trying to schooch behind me and almost falling down. I restrained myself and didn't say anything (I just wanted to give him a quick "I wish I knew how to quit you,") but it was cool to see them together. US Weekly still hadn't even figured out what was going on, but it was obvious to everyone at the party and they didn't care who knew it. I also met Jake's dad who was very nice. Later, we were chatting with Rufus (who talked with a ciggy in his mouth the whole time) and my aunt when this flamboyant guy came up and whisked Rufus away to a much more important conversation. My aunt turned to me and said, "Well you don't mess with David Geffen." No, I guess you don't.