leonard cohen
From Cohen's third album "Songs of Love and Hate" (1971): a blessed different love song. A personal letter to a former friend, involved with his woman. It feels hard to sing this song sometimes, cause Cohen not only has written it - which can make it hard enough - he has also SIGNED it «Sincerely, L. Cohen». But you may drop that line, and simply repeat from the first verse. It also feels hard to simplify my (un)usual chords for this one, but it's doggone harder to write them down ... so here we go; a "normal" way.
it's four in the morning the end of december
I'm writing you now just to see if you're better
New York is cold but I like where I'm living
there's music on Clinton Street all through the evening
I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert
you're living for nothing now • I hope you're keeping some kind of records
yes and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
she said that you gave it to her
that night when you planned to go clear
did you ever go clear?
the last time we saw you you looked so much older
your famous blue raincoat was torn at the shoulder
you'd been to the station to meet every train
you came home alone without Lily Marlene
and you treated my woman to a flake of your life
and when she came back she was nobody's wife
well I see you there with a rose in your teeth
one more thin gypsy thief
well I see Jane's awake
she sends her regards
and what can I tell you my brother • my killer
what can I possibly say?
I guess that I miss you • I guess I forgive you
I'm glad you stood in my way
if you ever come by here for Jane or for me
well your enemy's sleeping and your woman is free
yes and thanks for the trouble you took from her eyes
I thought it was there for good so I never tried
and Jane came by with a lock of your hair
she said that you gave it to her
the night that you planned to go clear
sincerely L. Cohen
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
C6 F it's four in the morning the end of december Dm7 Em G I'm writing you now just to see if you're better C6 F New York is cold but I like where I'm living Dm7 Em G there's music on Clinton Street all through the evening Am Bm C6 Bm I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert Am G C6 G you're living for nothing now I hope you're keeping some kind of records C G yes and Jane came by with a lock of your hair G7 C6 she said that you gave it to her Bm G F that night when you planned to go clear Em G did you ever go clear ?
