LEONARD COHEN - TWO VERSIONS OF COHEN SONG HALLELUJAH IN TOP TEN

TWO VERSIONS OF COHEN SONG HALLELUJAH IN TOP TEN

Renditions of Hallelujah by both X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Jeff Buckley will chart in the top ten this weekend, it is believed.

Alexandra's cover of the Leonard Cohen song is a huge favourite for the Christmas number one spot having already been downloaded more than 150,000 times and will almost certainly top the charts this Sunday.

But following a concerted media and online campaign, Buckley's version of the song - from the late singer's 1994 album Grace - is set to chart at number three,

According to music retailer HMV, Buckley's Hallelujah - one of the most celebrated covers of the song - is currently just 10,000 sales behind Leona Lewis' Run, the second most popular song of the week so far.

Should the much-missed singer's version outsell Leona, it would mean versions of the same song could sit at number one and two in the UK Christmas charts.

"I don't think this has ever happened in UK charts history, and certainly not for Christmas," said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo.

"Just when it looked like the X Factor had taken all the unpredictability out of Christmas, the charts are coming back to prove they're always capable of throwing up a surprise," he added.

"The idea of Alexandra not making it seems unthinkable - especially with the CD single release still to come. But you never know, it's been a strange year.

"Leonard Cohen must think Christmas has come early!"

Cohen's original 1984 version of the song - which has been covered more than 170 times - is currently at number 34 in the UK charts.

The legendary singer-songwriter stands to earn more than £250,000 in royalties thanks to the song's Christmas success.